My dear friend Thies Matzen and his wife Kicki Ericson have sailed 150,000 miles aboard Wanderer III — their 30-foot wooden sloop — much of it through the Southern Ocean. They overwintered at South Georgia Island for two years and sailed to Antarctica on the smallest traditionally planked wooden boat to ever make that voyage.

Click on the player to listen to Thies’ story.

Also on Travel Grit: Sven Yrvind was beaten by his teachers, built a boat in his mother’s basement and sailed into legend. Hear his story.

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