Solo sailor Elana Connor, who is currently at Whangārei's Town Basin, is sailing around Aotearoa with her rescue dog Zia to raise money for youth in foster care. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Solo sailor Elana Connor, who is currently at Whangārei's Town Basin, is sailing around Aotearoa with her rescue dog Zia to raise money for youth in foster care. Photo / Peter de Graaf
What would you do if your dream of sailing around the world was crushed by a pandemic and you ended up stuck in a country at the bottom of the Pacific?
If you were Elana Connor, you'd seize the chance to sail around New Zealand while raising money for fosterkids so they have a better life than you did when you ended up in state care.
The US solo sailor arrived at Whangārei's Town Basin yesterday near the end of her figure-eight around Aotearoa.
So far she has raised just under $35,000, which will pay for young people in state care to go on a potentially life-changing 10-day voyage on the tall ship Spirit of New Zealand.
Connor is motivated by her own experience which saw her run away from a violent home at the age of 15, attempt suicide, end up in hospital and become a ward of the state, living in a series of institutions and group homes until she was 18.
Although academically gifted and a keen athlete she couldn't fulfil her dream of going to university and — without a parent or caregiver to drive her to training — she couldn't even join a swimming club.
Elana Connor sails past Cape Brett and Motukōkako/Hole in the Rock during her circumnavigation of Aotearoa. Photo / supplied
Later Connor took up sailing and, almost by default, became a solo yachtie just over three years ago.
She hatched a plan to sail the world with her canine first mate Zia — ''she's a rescue, like me'' — in a 10m boat called Windfola. She left San Francisco in May 2019. It was going fine until Covid hit.
Just as New Zealand went into lockdown Connor learnt her grandmother had hit her head in a fall and was in hospital.
''I was torn. Here's this person who's given me so much, the one adult who's always stood beside me, unable to care for herself. She always wanted me to go out and chase my dreams and here I was doing it. Do I leave that and go back to be with her? But I knew she would tell me, if she could, to stay.''
After arranging care for her grandmother Connor realised she'd have to find something really worthwhile to do with her time in New Zealand.
She was looking for volunteer work on the crowdfunding website Givealittle when she stumbled on someone walking from Cape Rēinga to Bluff to raise money for youth in foster care.
While she couldn't circumnavigate the world Connor realised she could circumnavigate New Zealand while raising funds for Voyce Whakarongo Mai, an advocacy group for children and young people in foster care which makes sure their voices are heard.
''If I'd had that my outcome would've been so different,'' she said.
Solo sailor Elana Connor and rescue dog Zia on board their 10m yacht Windfola. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Money raised during Connor's journey will be used to send foster youth on 10-day sail and leadership training voyages aboard the Spirit of New Zealand.
The skills learnt on board were the very things that were needed to enter adulthood successfully, she said.
The last major leg of Connor's trip was from New Plymouth to Ōpua.
With few safe anchorages on the west coast she sailed from Taranaki to Cape Rēinga in a non-stop 65 hours, then fulfilled a bucket-list wish by anchoring near the Cape and watching the sun rise at Tom Bowling Bay.
''It was an amazing moment,'' she said.
During her stay in the Bay of Islands she gave talks at Ōpua and Russell boating clubs. School holidays meant she didn't get a chance to speak at Far North schools or meet many foster youth, but she hopes to make up for that in Whangārei.
As well as pushing the message that young people in care deserve the same kind of opportunities that children in stable homes enjoy — ''that their dreams matter, and they can do incredible things'' — she also wanted to encourage people, girls and women especially, to take up ocean sailing.
Despite sailing solo for the first time just over three years ago, she had now clocked up 13,000 nautical miles (24,000km) alone across the Pacific.
''It's been a big learning curve for me. There's a perception you have to be a lifelong sailor and practically a certified diesel mechanic — I'm neither of those things, but somehow I've made it.''
About 6500 children and youth are currently in foster care in New Zealand, of whom 550 are in Northland. Voyce has offices in Kaikohe and Whangārei.
■ Elana Connor will hold an ''open boat'' at the Town Basin Marina in Whangārei from 11am-1pm on May 2. All welcome, youth especially. She's also keen to hear from Whangārei schools who want her to talk to students. Get in touch by emailing communications@voyce.org.nz or calling 0800 4VOYCE (0800 486 923). Connor will spend about 10 days in the city before heading to Marsden Cove. You can donate to her cause at givealittle.co.nz/cause/voyage-for-voyce. Marinas along her route have been providing free berths to aid her fundraising efforts.
Where to get help: • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • Youth services: (06) 3555 906 • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • Helpline: 1737 If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
