The Mystique nods at its slip in Ilwaco, Washington, as Steve Van Ronk moves around the deck securing lines and sails. He is watched closely by Aleutia, a retired champion search-and-rescue dog now working security aboard the 41-foot ketch. He goes below, brews herbal tea, and begins to talk. At 65 he is both fit and ebullient; the words and ideas are a torrent, the outpourings of an energetic mind.
“The whole idea of getting this boat was to do a world art tour,” says Van Ronk. “I’ll go to places I’ve always wanted to go to. I have no fixed itinerary, which leaves me open to opportunities. It’s not about sailing; it’s about creatively using my life.” Read More
