Uncharted: A Couple’s Empty-Nest Adventure Sailing from One Life to Another

Travel journalist Seely narrates her 2019 debut memoir, now available in audio. With their youngest son heading off to college, Kim and her husband are about to become empty nesters. They want to move into this next phase of life by experiencing something new, taking risks, and rediscovering their dynamic as a couple. To this end, they buy an old 54-foot sailboat and truck it overland from Rhode Island to Seattle. Jeff has some sailing experience, but Kim has nearly none. After a few lessons on shore, some practice runs, and a final vacation week with their two sons, they set off in search of the elusive Kermode bear. They leave Seattle and sail north into increasingly wild territory, learning through adventures and misadventures that test their skills and their relationship. Seely’s measured, contemplative narration captures a bittersweet phase of life—giving children the freedom to become adults and ceding the reins of authority.