A sea story event told by women mariners in support of Northwest Maritime and our female-centered maritime education programs.

Experience an evening of real sea stories, told by the women mariners who have lived them, in this beloved sell-out event that connects women from across all waters. Hilarious and heartbreaking, raw and brutally honest, She Tells Sea Tales offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of women in the maritime industry.

This live storytelling event provides a welcoming and safe space for all people who identify with the women’s community to share their unique connections to water. Folks of all gender identities are invited to attend. Proceeds help support the Northwest Maritime’s women- and girls-centered educational maritime programs, including the Girls’ Boat Project.

Seating is first-come, first-served and tickets sell out quickly, so get them while they last!

Sunday Lineup includes:

• Karen Sullivan


• Bonnie Obremski


• Nancy Erley


• Susan Brittain


• Jean Scarboro


• Katelinn Shaw

Karen Sullivan
Karen, a former high-school science teacher and federal agency spokesperson, was one of the first female USCG-licensed captains in New England (1980). Studying oceanography and marine biology in grad school, she taught it aboard boats ranging from an engineless 66’ Chesapeake Bay Bugeye schooner to a 99-foot Rhodes ketch to her own 55-foot stays’l schooner, from New England to the Caribbean. In 2001, she sailed her Dana 24 from Puget Sound to Prince William Sound. Between 2002 and 2005 she was part of a seabird research team in the Aleutians aboard a 137’ research ship. From 2011 to 2013 she and her husband Jim sailed Sockdolager, their Dana 24, from PT to New Zealand via Mexico and Polynesia.

Bonnie Obremski
Bonnie Obremski moved to Port Townsend in 2014 to become a sailmaker at Hasse & Co. Port Townsend Sails. Prior to that position, she co-owned a charter company in Key West, FL, which restored and operated the historic Schooner Hindu. Bonnie earned a merchant mariner credential in 2013 after crewing on a number of ships including the Norwegian full-rigged vessel Sorlandet, the War of 1812 Brig Niagara, Privateer Lynx, and Pride of Baltimore II. Today, Bonnie is the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Coordinator at Jefferson County Public Health. She married Farmer Neil Howe in 2024, becoming a stepparent to a wonderful 12-year-old. She is grateful for her years at sea AND her current landlubber era.

Nancy Erley
Nancy Erley led two 5-year voyages from Seattle around the world on her Orca 38’ sailboat Tethys. “As the skipper of an all-woman crew, Nancy fashioned a circumnavigation that should go down in the record books as one of the soundest, most seamanlike journeys in the modern cruising era. Like all competent voyages, Tethys circumnavigation was notable for its lack of disasters,” said George Day, publisher of Blue Water Sailing magazine. Sixty five women participated in the adventure as learning crew. In 2006, Nancy was presented with the Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award sponsored by BoatUS and the National Women’s Sailing Association. Nancy holds her USCG 100 Ton Master of Ocean license and is an Instructor Evaluator-Ocean Master for the International Sail and Power Association.

Susan Brittain
Susan has lived on two continents, sailed on two oceans, and lived in two genders. They have spent their life working as a deckhand mate and captain on the schooners Pride of Baltimore, Charlotte Ann, Lady Maryland, Woodwind and Sultana. In addition, they have worked on many Chesapeake Bay traditional workboats. Susan was a shipwright, calker and rigger for the Lady Maryland, the Pride of Baltimore II, and the Kalmar Nyckel. They also helped restore the Gazela Primeiro and the USS Constitution. In 2018, Susan began working for the schooner Adventuress here in Port Townsend. In 2021, they received Tall Ships America’s Lifetime Achievement award. Susan is now enjoying retirement in Port Townsend with her soulmate of 43 years Cindy.

Jean Scarboro
Jean has had lots of boating adventures over the last 20 years. She, her husband and daughter spend two weeks every summer on their beloved Sharpee in the San Juan and Gulf Islands. She’s also sailed in Baja, the Bahamas, and the Philippines, mostly on small boats held together with hope and duct tape. Jean has worked as a marina manager and lived on a variety of boats, including a 90-foot converted fishing tender (shag carpet and all), a 60-foot sailboat, and a tiny 160-square-foot houseboat. Jean and her husband were married on their little tugboat in 2006. For her next adventure, Jean is planning to solo the WA360 in a small sailing and rowing boat—just to see if she can do it.

Katelinn Shaw
Katelinn grew up sailing in Puget Sound and was introduced to traditional sailing as a high school student aboard the beautiful Schooner Adventuress. Choosing traditional sailing as a career, she earned a 1600 Ton Ocean Masters License after learning so much from the intense navigation of the Great Lakes aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara, the challenge and raw beauty of the Antarctic aboard the Bark Europa, and the permanent significance of a circumnavigation aboard the Barque Picton Castle. After four years in command of her first and favorite schooner, Katelinn is taking a year to write a book. When not at sea, she loves hiking and playing the violin.