Swell

Reviews / Votes

Starred Review Foreword Magazine

A series of serendipitous events, a generous mentor, and lots of hard work made it possible for young Liz Clark to
fulfill her childhood dream of sailing and surfing around the world. But sailing Swell out of San Diego and watching her
loved ones blur into the hazy winter skyline, she questioned the wisdom of undertaking a journey that would test her
on all levels, and maybe even break her.


On dark nights alone at sea, Clark was often saved from a descent into depression by the beauty and
sacredness of the life around her-in the poor fishermen who shared their catches with her, or a group of dolphins
trailing phosphorescence in their wake. Physical, mental, emotional, financial, and relationship difficulties would bring
her near collapse, but then her spirits would be lifted by the sea's vast horizon, the amazing rush of surfing, the smile
of a friend, or the belief that she could somehow make a difference. She who used to panic at the thought of spending
a Saturday night alone came to find solitude delightful, satisfying deep hungers.


There were violent storms with wind, waves, and lightning that rocked her to her core; she cooked at a 65-
degree angle while stuck on a sandbar; she survived a scary, abusive relationship; she struggled with boat repairs;
she panicked at the end of her sponsorship agreement; and she had a near run-in with Colombian drug runners in
Panama. Material poverty was everywhere, as was pollution amidst the beauty; she pondered the ability of humans to
destroy that which sustains them.


In mastering the discipline needed for a journey where "one lazy decision can mean losing everything," Clark
came to love herself just as she was, and to know that, in choosing love, she would never feel lack."




"Introspective and enlightening, Clark's seafaring memoir offers a rare glimpse into the solitary worlds of sail and surf." -Kirkus





"Readers -- surfer, sailor or not -- will be hooked." -- Honolulu Star Advertiser





"Swell is a beautiful ode to [Clark's] time on the open sea, the people she met, the cultures she embedded herself within, the surf she scored, being vegan, living sustainably, the companionship of her late cat Amelia, the health of the planet and so much more. Simply put, it is the collection of more than a decade of sailing around the world by oneself." -Adventure Sports Network





"[Clark's] story is one of the most entertaining and affecting in the genre of extreme sojourning . . . refreshingly candid." -Honolulu Magazine





"Liz carries us along, on a voyage that is about much more than sailing and surfing and exploring. The threads that are woven through are based on relationships, significantly with her mentor, her mother, her father, friends, lovers, and most significantly, herself. By the end she and the reader understand that it's these relationships, good and bad, that allow everything else to matter at all." -Good Old Boat Magazine





"I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone - not sailors, not women, not young people, everyone. I loved it." -Michael Robertson, Good Old Boat magazine





"Swell is a book for the senses. It will invite you to breathe the breeze, feel the water, and witness the beauty of the water world from a sailor-surfer perspective. . . . [It] ticks all aspects of the modern surf book. It fuels the desire to explore the planet, and it encourages us to become better persons. . . . A diary of the unexpected; a highly detailed log file of life out at sea. . . . an inspiring surf travel testimony that may question the course of your life. You will be invited to appreciate the rare opportunity to live and discover our world." -Surfer Today





"On paper, Clark's adventure seems like one of those badass trips you daydream of at your cubicle every Monday morning. But in Swell, Clark paints a much more realistic picture of what a 12-year, transoceanic swell chase really looks like. From the high points (scoring remote reef breaks with no one out) to the low (almost getting struck by lightning, having to repair a broken engine, getting a rare fungal infection, etc.), the experiences laid out in Clark's autobiography are worth the read." -Surfer





"Clark tells her voyage in great depth, with gripping details about the constant challenges of such an adventure. Moreover, you'll find a unique take on the power of exploration, from someone who has done a lot of it." --Business Insider





"As the father of two young girls, I have a deepening interest in learning about the mental operating systems of strong, independent, confident women, so this book was as enlightening and educational as it was a classic, fun-to-read adventure tale." -- Ed Roberson, Mountain and Prairie podcast