New story in Hakai Magazine: The Fleet-Winged Ghosts of Greenland A mysterious population of peregrine falcons in the Far North has inspired environmental action and scientific research around the world. Read (or listen) to an article featuring our family’s encounters with Greenlandic peregrines and the lessons these far-flung falcons can teach us about our past and our future. “Unlike many of my…
Hello, again! It’s been many months since I’ve visited your inbox but I’m finally back online and here to update you on our latest family adventure—sailing to the Arctic, or wherever the winds might take us. Sunset on the coast of Spain. Crossing the Bay of Biscay. For those of you who’ve been following (or attempting to follow) our family’s recent whereabouts via social media, odd-hour messages,…
Article published today in Outside . Link below to read about a backcountry day gone terribly wrong, the responsibility and privilege of living with bears, and a community struggling to coexist. It’s no fun to wake a sleeping bear And for a glimpse into traveling Alaska’s Lost Coast as a new mother, a recent piece in Alaska Magazine . Wishing everyone a safe and healthy end of summer! All my best,…
Dear friends, I hope you are staying safe and healthy during these challenging times. So much has changed in a month and, like you, I’m scrambling to make sense of our new world order. In these unprecedented times, I’ve found myself turning toward the natural world and the collective humanity of our experience for signs of clarity and grace. I wanted to share some recent work with you, as well as…
Happy spring! And happy leap year! I hope you’ve been enjoying the sunshine and lengthening days. Now that we’re all emerging from hibernation, I wanted to share some exciting writing news and upcoming events. February has been a full month! First, the paperback version of The Sun is a Compass just launched this week. You can find it online or at your local bookseller. I was also recently honored…
Happy February! Our Alaskan days are growing noticeably longer and brighter, the chickadees are beginning to sing, and we’re still holding onto our snow (yay!). If you’re like me, you might even be feeling the first twinges of spring fever—or, in bird terms, Zugunruhe (migratory restlessness). In celebration of the changing of the seasons AND the paperback release of The Sun is a Compass on Feb.…
Dear friends, Wishing you all a happy (and perhaps chilly!) start to 2020! After record-setting high temperatures to round out an already warm year, we’ve dipped below zero (which is just fine by me!). I’m grateful for snow, friends, family, and the slowly lengthening days. Our family spent the holidays at our cabin on Lynn Canal with blizzards, gales, and a few glorious hours of sunshine. This…
Sending wishes for a peaceful, happy holiday season (and hopefully a snowy one for those of us up north:)! We’ve had several brief bursts of winter, followed by sloppy, dramatic meltdowns that sadly seem to be our new climate reality. In characteristic Alaskan fashion, the kids have been embracing the adverse weather with rain gear layered over snow pants, skating on the icy streets, and unabashed…
Friends, I’ll be at the Anchorage Museum on November 7th and 8th as part of Wilderness Week! Please join me with a crew of other fantastic storytellers on Thursday for Trail Tales and on Friday for a presentation about the Evolution of Adventure—I’ll be sharing stories, images, video, and new writing…as well as some classics from the archives (like the time Pat and I hiked into the Wind River to…
On the road in Canada! It’s been a wonderful whirlwind of a trip so far. The Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival is an inspiring gathering of writers, filmmakers, and adventurers in a spectacular setting. I was thrilled to receive the Adventure Travel book award and also had the honor of speaking to a full house in a venue shared with quite a lineup—Mark Synnott, Corey Rich, Craig Childs, Frank…
I’m beyond thrilled to have been selected as the winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Award for Adventure Travel! In the company of Barry Lopez and other poignant contemporary voices, it’s a special honor. Tonight, I’ll be reading and speaking with inspiring Alaskan adventures and writers (Roman Dial, Nancy Pfeiffer, and Mike Gordon) as part of Alaska Book Week events. Please join us for what…
Upcoming events in Anchorage. I’d love to see you there! October 4th. REI First Friday “Iconic Alaska” presentation and reading. Sign up here . Anchorage REI, 6 pm. ( NOTE CORRECTED TIME). October 10th. BP Energy Center. Alaska Book Week . Alaskans Writing Adventure with Roman Dial, Nancy Pfeifer, and Mike Gordon. BP Energy Center, 7 pm.
For anyone in Seattle or Bellingham, I have several events coming soon and I’d love to see you there! I’ll be sharing video, photos, and readings at some of my favorite venues. Please help me spread the word! Friday, September 27th, Village Books Monday, September 30th, Elliott Bay Bookstore Tuesday, October 1st, Patagonia Ballard
I’m thrilled to have been selected as a finalist in the Banff Mountain Book Competition alongside Barry Lopez and many other incredible authors! I’ll be presenting at the Banff Festival in early November and can’t wait. Thanks for all your support of The Sun is a Compass !
Happy summer! For anyone in the Bay Area, I’ll be presenting slides, video, and a short reading from The Sun is a Compass at Book Passage in Corte Madera next Monday, August 12th . I’d love to see you there! If you have friends or family who live in the area and are interested in birds, wildlife, adventure, or Alaska, please share! Event details:…
Swimming with dolphins, lounging with apes, or otherwise integrating myself into another species’ social folds has never been on my bucket list. I don’t feel the need to be physically close to wildlife to appreciate the amazing facts of their lives. In fact, when I’m watching animals, I’m often wearing my scientist’s cap, attempting to answer particular questions about their behavior while trying…
An article about sailing the Inside Passage with kids came out online this week in the New York Times travel section and is available in print this Sunday, May 19th. I hope you enjoy it! I’m a bit behind on updates as these have been a busy couple of months—book launch, travel, skiing, and sailing. Thanks to everyone for the amazing support and, most of all, for reading! If you’re interested, you…
Audubon published an excerpt from The Sun is a Compass! Read about our journey through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge here: Wildlife Biologist Brings us on an Odyssey . Among bird-lovers, there is no greater compliment!
Feeling a bit of spring fever? You’re not alone! Check out a short piece about birds, spring, and migration I published in the LA Times Op-Ed section this morning: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-van-hemert-migration-birds-spring-20190310-htmlstory.html
I have a short piece coming out in the current issue of Sidetracked . For anyone who isn’t familiar with this adventure/travel outlet, it’s a beautifully designed magazine full of photographs and stories sure to inspire wanderlust. You can find more information here: https://sidetracked.bigcartel.com/product/sidetracked-volume-14 Sneak preview: