Goodbye Captain

It is with a very heavy heart that I post tonight. My friend and blue-water sailing mentor, Roger Swanson, has passed into the deep after a hard-fought battle with illness. Roger was a great mind, strategist and adventurer. He taught so many people to not fear venturing over the horizon.
Because of his willingness to accept greenhorns on his sailing vessel, Cloud Nine, many, dozens, hundreds of lives were changed forever, including mine. I sailed seven times with Roger and nearly
40,000 nautical miles. By seeing the remote regions of the world by sailboat, and working hard to get there, I was privileged to experience the environment in a unique and nuanced manner which shaped my life and views of ecology and climate forever.

Roger opened doors that were closed, that only he could have opened. Because he wanted to share his experiences on "Cloud Nine" with so many others, the world is just a little bit better and understood.
There will never be another one like him. The era is now forever gone. The world has changed.

Fair winds and following seas Captain, Godspeed and thank you always for taking me to the sea...
Cheers, David

Roger Swanson Obit - Star Trib