Dena Hankins and James Lane
Crew of the S.V. Sapien

Who are we?

• Idealists and pragmatists
• Individualists who believe in the power of collective action
• Sailors with 39 combined years of sailing experience
• Writers and photographers, MA in Photography and BA in English between us

What do we want to do?

• Pinpoint the effects of civilization / Discover civilization
• Find examples of those effects around the world by slowly traveling from place to place by boat and bicycle
• Create a communication primer that would allow us to learn the basics of language, but also explore the more esoteric ideas
• Search out the cultural, legal, environmental, religious, ideological, and economic causes of civilization by learning the language, becoming part of the local workforce and earning entrance into local communities
• Explore these cause-effect relationships through exchanges of photography, storytelling, music
• Share the subjective stories of the people we meet and our own experiences in order that people around the world can get ideas on how to change the root causes of incivility in their own homelands
• Report on our discoveries via fiction and non-fiction
• Encourage a focus on civilization by individuals that lasts after we leave

How will a grant help us do this?

• Pay off the debt on the boat and finish outfitting it
• Upkeep on the boat for up to 15 years
• A small living fund, to be used only when there is no work or when focused on writing
• Access to countries and people that might otherwise not welcome us

How much money do we need?

• $100,000 to get off this continent
• $250,000-$300,000 for 15 years of travel

Who will benefit?

• People we can reach personally by sail and bike
• Readers of our website and stories
• People touched by the increased focus on civilization
• Ethical global organizations
• Humanity

Expected Project Outcomes

• Individuals with a greater understanding of their creation of and responsibility for civilization
• Regularly updated website
• Collections of stories from around the world
• Collections of music from around the world
• Art shows in local venues and on the web
• Multiple books and articles