Deep Waters: A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled

by Beth Ann Mathews

In this gripping, intimate story of relationship resilience, a marine biologist’s fulfilling life as a professor and mother in Alaska is upended when her healthy husband is slammed by a rare type of stroke. His radical approach to recovery clashes with her instinct to keep him safe at home and sets them on a collision course as he insists on ambitious sailing expeditions with Beth and their young son in Alaska’s magnificent yet unforgiving waters.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

BETH ANN MATHEWS grew up in the Midwest. She earned her undergraduate degree at Purdue University and her master’s degree in marine biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. As a professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, she taught courses in biology, behavioral ecology, and marine mammalogy and led research on harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and harbor porpoises. She has also studied humpback, gray, and sperm whales and—briefly—sleeper sharks, and led undergraduate research programs on board tall ships in the Gulf of Maine and from field camps in Hawaii and Alaska. She has published numerous scientific papers (as Elizabeth A Mathews). Deep Waters, her first book, has won or been a finalist for 5 literary awards including the 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards WINNER for Memoir: Personal Struggle/Health Issues. She lives on an island with her husband in Puget Sound, Washington. Her second book will be published Sept 1, 2026.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Why had it taken me so long to understand there were other homes I could enjoy and jobs I'd find fulfilling, but only one of him - my adventurous lover and best friend? The stroke had stretched and strained us as a couple, simultaneously increasing our compatibility like it was an elastic container within which we existed.

Shoulder to shoulder with Jim and our son, gliding across deep waters in fair winds or facing the next storm together, was where I wanted to be.”

Beth Ann Mathews writes to share the true story of how a couple’s life is upended when the author’s healthy husband suffers a rare type of stroke.

Both Beth Ann and Jim Mathews were marine biologists in Santa Cruz, California when they moved to Juneau, Alaska for Jim’s work. They’d settled into life in a colder climate and were enjoying a life of sailing and the outdoors with their nine-year-old son, when Jim suffered a stroke while doing repairs on their home.

I’d never heard of a bilateral medullary stroke or the damage plaque build-up could cause in a vertebral artery, one of the two main arteries that go to the brainstem. Delamination is a risky situation. The author shares that approximately 12% of patients with a bilateral medullary stroke die within days. I’ll admit to pulling myself out of a Google rabbit hole and prioritizing my health, and that of my husband, while reading this book.

Jim’s determination kept me turning pages. His doctor shared that every minute a stroke isn’t treated, they lose about 2M neurons and 14B neural connections. However, if Jim learned to challenge himself, he’d increase his neurons and have a better transition into his future abilities. You’ll read about how he powered through swallowing, walking, swimming and even riding his bike!

While this was encouraging and a wealth of information about how to help others prevent/live with a loved one who had experienced a stroke, it was Beth’s difficulties that gave me pause. You’ll need to read how this traumatic event forced the whole family to reevaluate and juggle.

🚨I purchased this book in Juneau at a bookseller’s recommendation. Although it was a worthwhile read, it’s not one I’d recommend. The author’s decision to include her sex life in this story was unnecessary and lowered the caliber of an otherwise good account of a traumatic event.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the author's story about how one day, her husband suffered a rare stroke triggered by scraping and painting their skylight. That inciting incident starts a story about how they navigated his recovery as a couple and a family. The book is the story of their first year of how we worked through our conflict of me wanting to hold him back but him needing to get out and do these adventurous things that he always loved to push his body and himself to recover.

Ultimately, I think this is a very uplifting story in that the stroke pushed the author to reevaluate her priorities and decide to live a less secure yet more adventurous and connected life at the end. I loved how the author included humor, adding a much-needed lightness to the story. Her raw honesty is inspirational. This is an incredible story of loss, resilience, and hope.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Sherry Tamone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want this book to end!!! I felt I really and truly got to know the author through this honest memoir. I love Alaska, and I love being on the water and I love learning about neurological physiology and overconing relationship problems. Because I know the author quite well (even more so now), I was hesitant to read a memoir by Beth, thinking I might not enjoy the book. I could not put the fascinating, well written book down. I especially admired her honest telling of her relationship challenges and the healing process.

[Ashley Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep Waters is a memoir by Beth Ann Mathews in which she tells the story of her husband’s stroke and the effects it had on their marriage. The first part of the memoir is a day-by-day retelling of the accident and their long hospital stay. Their experience was tragic and Beth shares her raw and honest emotions as she navigated being a wife, mom and professor during this difficult time. The second and third parts of the memoir are about her husband’s recovery and the challenges they faced as they returned home and learned what life would look like for their family moving forward.

I was very emotionally invested in the first part of Deep Waters and I had to stop reading before work a few times because I was so sad for their family! Her writing style hooked me in and I felt like I was listening to her tell about her experience. I think many readers will connect with the way Beth shares about the stress the accident placed on their marriage, but I found these parts to be a little bit long. I enjoyed the details about sailing in Alaska, but didn’t love reading so many details about their arguments and negative feelings. By the end of the memoir, Beth and Jim had learned and grown so much and I love that they were able to look forward to a family sailing trip from Alaska to Mexico. This big trip wasn’t part of the book, but I’m hopeful it was an adventure that only made them stronger.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A raw and touching memoir about navigating the volatile seas when a spouse experiences a major medical event. In this case, the author's fit 50-something husband had an unexpected stroke. As he struggles through the long recovery and loss of some of his abilities, the author struggles with the sudden burden of becoming a caretaker and sole financial supporter of their family. There were brief interludes about Alaska adventure — sailing trips, mainly — but really this book is more of a reflection on love, gratitude, and coping with life-changing setbacks. This book covers a time period when I lived in Juneau — 2006 — so I enjoyed the brief references to places and people I knew.

[Ansley Grace Odell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to think about this book - I was in Juneau for work and saw it in multiple independent bookstores and I ended up picking it up.

It was much more of a page turner than I thought - I stayed up until midnight reading it and finished a 340 page book in 24 hours. I typically can do that with fiction but not nonfiction. This is an exception. The raw way in which she describes the chronicles of her husbands stroke, marriage, being a working woman in today’s world, raising a son … it was incredibly relatable and addicting. The way the author described herself and her family being imperfect people but worthy of love will strike a chord for everyone. Will be recommending this book to every person I know.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fairly quick read. I cannot remember how I came across the recommendation but I waited patiently for it to be shipped over from a Seattle library and devoured it in two-ish days. It was hard to put down as she described some moments so beautifully, exposed us to the raw moments of life and tender moments of motherhood.

Written by Beth as a memoir of a freak stroke her husband Jim suffered from while doing a simple household chore. We walk through those harrowing moments of Jim lying on the floor, being rushed to a small AK hospital and the problems that brings as it’s a rare stroke and the only way to a better hospital is by air…and yet kids aren’t allowed on. Just as they jump one roadblock another huge event happens.

I enjoyed the flashbacks in her life of moments when she was a single individual, newly dating Jim, moments with her husband and son, living on their sailboat Isjellmeer (Ice-uhl-meer) for 7 years. What an incredible life she had on her own and the one they lived together before the stroke! I also enjoyed the snippets of science studies mentioned, statistics etc. you can clearly tell they are both data driven scientists so I appreciated the facts that she put it in here. I learned a few things about strokes, the brain and recovery which always fuels more research and/or other books.

Momentarily I did wonder if Jim survived or not and was going to be heartbroken if he didn’t. I didn’t read the last pages to find out but I did read the authors bio at the back with a picture of Beth. I just had to!

Jim sounds like an incredible human with a strong drive for everything. He has hiked incredible mountains, scuba dived remote locations, researched on icebergs and now he’s reduced to having to learn to walk all over again. The mental fortitude to get over that hurdle would have seemed insurmountable to many. Thank God for libraries, audiobooks and TEDtalks! Beth sounds incredibly intelligent and loves her job, life of research, university professor, and being a wife and mother but now it’s all upside down. The pressure is on for her to make all the ends meet, raise a son and support her husband. Afew times I kind of wanted to shake Beth, why can’t she see? She truly had a lot to work through and I was wondering if it would ever happen.

I was blown away by Jim and his mindset when he was at his best. I appreciated the whole list of books on memoirs or science based books on strokes and life altering events. His drive was so intense at times though that I could understand Beth’s struggle.

The ending is where I was left a little bummed. After allll the struggle and walking us through their life and her thoughts…she just neatly ends the book without any details like she’d had for the whole book. What happened?! How did it go those three years. What type of teen did Glen become during that time? What an incredible opportunity they had and we were left hanging. What about Jim, how did Jim do?! I am such a nosey Nelly that I just really wanted to know as he was still suffering from some ongoing issues before the huge decision is made.

A script at the end talks about supporting the first time author and getting the word out about the book, so part of me hopes that maybe she will write another, maybe that is where we can gain more info. 🤞🏻

Despite the crummy ending leaving me, Nosey Nelly wanting more info, the book was a very good read. I appreciate her sharing and Jim being willing to share his lowest and most intimate moments with the world.

[Patricia Grayhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mathews’ husband's sudden stroke unexpectedly tears asunder Mathews’ plans for her and her family’s future. Mathews was an academic marine biologist in Juneau, Alaska, with a young son and a formerly robust and capable husband. As a medical doctor, it interested me to read her detailed account of how she and her family navigated the medical system and her husband's rehabilitation with the support of good friends. Her story draws the reader into the beauty and wonder of maritime Alaska, and the importance of community, as she and her husband reconfigure their lives and reestablish their partnership. I particularly enjoyed how Mathews interspersed accounts of her family’s sailing adventures before and after her husband’s stoke. The combination makes for an immersive reading experience most are sure to enjoy.

[Kya Fee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t know this was a medical memoir going in - she takes you on a journey through her husband’s stroke, how their relationship and family life was suddenly centered around his recovery over all else, how the two of them were partnered in their love of adventure, and her husband’s fight to get that back. How she balanced being a caregiver, mother, a professor and a life-long marine biology researcher is a tale as old as time, how women really can, and do, do it all. It felt like a just a window into a deeply interesting life and mind - I want to read more from this author!

[Helena Cheslack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, very well written and inspiring. I loved how the author weaved in stories about her research career and wrote so beautifully about Alaskan wildlife.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the husband suffers a rare stroke, the family suffers through many ordeals during his long recovery and rehab. He thinks he can do things he used to do easily and gets into dangerous situations. An interesting read.

[Elena Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written memoir, Deep Water takes you deep into the intimacy of a marriage between two passionate and intelligent scientists, both dedicated to their respective careers in research and teaching in Alaska. This book carried me along as not may books have recently. I read it in a couple of sittings and was unhappy each time I had to break off to do other things. The descriptions of their sailing adventures are immersive and vivid - as are the memories of the illness and recovery of the author's husband. Just as they were about to make a move that would, on its own, have meant a big change for them and their 9-year-old son, the author's husband is hit by a rare and initially devastating stroke that upends their lives. At this point, what were cracks in their relationship that were already threatening to widen into chasms, must be healed along with the needed medical healing. It's not magic. It's hard work and Mathews does not shy away from revealing the challenges. She also captures the joy that results from meeting those challenges. Not to be missed is the lovely mother-son relationship braided through. The hard work pays off, not only for her husband who fights his way out of what threatened to be a life of disability, but also for the author who must find a new way of being more present - in her marriage, in her family, and in her own life. Start reading for the wonders of living and sailing in Alaska, but keep reading for a deeper experience of loss, healing, and renewal.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A marine biologist’s adventurous life as a professor and mother in Alaska is upended when her healthy husband is slammed by a rare type of stroke. His radical approach to recovery clashes with her instinct to keep him safe at home and sets them on a collision course as he insists on ambitious sailing expeditions with Beth and their young son in Alaska’s magnificent yet unforgiving waters.

This is the story of a marriage, a family, and strength. Beth writes a raw and honest memoir about the struggles she and her husband faced, both together and individually, after his devastating stroke. She writes of resentment and fear, of holding him close and letting him be free, and of the power of positive thinking and determination. She certainly lays bare her thoughts about her marriage throughout the book. Their son Glen seems to be a source of great strength for them both, and he sounds like a great kid. And this cover?! Stunning! Alaska is on my bucket list for sure.

Thank you to @tlcbooktours and @shewritespress for the #gifted book.

[Eric (erics_furiouslyreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim and Beth are living their dream in Juneau, Alaska when Jim suddenly is struck down from his normal, very active life by a rare brain stem stroke. This memoir covers the time immediately before, the next couple of years and Beth’s memories from earlier in her life and marriage.
I picked this memoir up while visiting Juneau recently and the cover is stunning. I had high hopes in reading this one and while I enjoyed the story, I felt it was more about their life in general. It did cover Jim’s stroke and it aftermath but I was expecting more of that part of the story and less of the memories that came to Beth. The memories made the story feel a bit clunky to me and sometimes felt more like page filler.

[Jane Ginter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! Well written and very compelling. I knew many of the places referred to in this book. I’ve followed the author and her family through her blog for many years. I first met them on the dock of Taku Harbor (if I recall correctly) when both our families were sailing.

[Jean K Lederer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Really enjoyed reading this honest story of dealing with feelings and emotions in a marriage. A tragic event caused stress and confusion. The author handles the situation admirably but one feels her stress and worry! Thanks Robin for recommending your sisters book!

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, thought-provoking and inspiring. Clearly shows the resilience and bravery of this family, and the strength of nature as both a healer and (sometimes) foe. The lasting message is of the immense power that love can wield, to get us through adversity.

[ML Barrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir reads like a thriller. Beth Ann Mathews tells her extraordinary story of adventure and overcoming truly enormous obstacles physically and emotionally.

[Matt Heavner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book and writing! I can't wait for Beth's next book!!! ;) An amazing story of strength, trial, and overcoming challenges by some awesome folks!!!

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would I Recommend It?
Yes.

Thoughts?
Putting aside the mumbo jumbo of silliness I'm about to write, I truly liked this book.

Cover/title of the book reads, "A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled."

Me to my husband about 50 pages from the end: "He's still not dead!"
Husband: "You are like the only person who reads a memoir and wishes the person dead."
Me: "Listen! (Pointing to cover of the book.) I was promised 'loss, adventure, and love rekindled.' So far, no one has died. There's been a wee bit amount of adventure. And the couple is like on the brink of a divorce. She's got about 50 pages left to kill him!"

I can't help but wonder if this book would have been as an exciting, thriller/mystery, edge of my seat, gnawing on my fingernails sort of reading if it hadn't been for the cover speaking of "loss." I really was thinking the whole way of reading it that, "oh my gosh! This is how he dies!" But then he never does. And while I am genuinely very happy that he didn't; I can't help but wonder if my like of this book may have been reduced if I'd known how their story goes. This is a huge fault of mine that I pick up so many non-fiction and memoir books without knowing anything about the person or the event. Probably most people read non-fiction knowing in general what happened? Maybe not. I dunno. I love learning as I read. It makes the story feel more real. More exciting. More like I'm living their life/trauma as it unfolded before them. They didn't know how their story goes so why should I?

With all this said and done and, of course, I greatly welcome laughter at my silliness of the above. I really enjoyed this book. I think she did a great job. I do feel that there wasn't really enough Alaska adventuring and there she lost a star. I could make my hiking adventures more exciting sounding their her sailing in Alaska. I do feel there the title greatly mislead me. (2/3rds is medical situation). Their love was rekindled if you read up of their current life on the internet that they did go and do their sailing trip to Mexico. But I didn't feel the love was rekindled in the pages of this memoir. Each of their needs felt very one sided. Husband came off as very selfish and I found it hard to sympathize with him, but I also argued to myself that this is being told from her point of view which is one-sided in and of itself. I didn't fully get the feeling that they ended up on the same page. She says they always circled back to their disagreements and addressed them. I think she forgot to show this to her readers. I felt that they always just walked away from their disagreements and only one example was given when they did come back and discuss it, but even then they didn't really agree or show understanding for each other.

As for the cover of the book. It makes the book sell, I suppose, but it had me form an image of the author that is completely incongruent with reality. The person on the cover looks very young and is brunette. The author is in her late 30s and is blonde. So, basically, the cover's photo and words do not belong to this book.

Quotable Quotes:
"The bare-bones outpouring on the keyboard cooled my seared soul, like rain on flowing lava." page 61

"We were trapped in an up-and-down cycle: connected and loving one moment, cool and distant the next. My husband had many attributes, but cheery gratitude while dependent on others to care for him was not one."

For Reviews of Other Books I've Read
The Hiking Bookworms

[Christine Baleshta · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Mr. Taggart’s experienced an acute neurological event.” When Beth Ann Mathews’ husband, Jim, experiences a rare type of stroke that severely impacts his speech and his ability to walk, their world is upended. At Beth’s insistence, and with the help of their doctor and friends, Jim is medevacked from Juneau, Alaska to a Seattle hospital where he can receive the specialized treatment he needs and begin his long journey to recovery.

Both marine biologists, Jim and Beth have led an active outdoor life in Alaska with their 9-1/2 year-old son up until this point, and the dislocation weighs heavily on everyone. From a hotel room Beth manages their lives, taking care of Jim, parenting, and keeping up with her university teaching job and students. Jim is relentless in his determination to recover and return to normal, even as he is frustrated by setbacks. Over one month in the hospital feels like an eternity.

When the family finally returns to their home in Juneau, Jim has made considerable progress, but is not fully recovered. He grows bored, impatient, and anxious to resume his previous life, sometimes pushing himself dangerously close to harm. Beth worries about Jim doing too much too soon and as sole wage earner, struggles to manage their finances and care for their son. Eventually, Jim’s discontent and need for adventure crash against Beth’s desire for stability and a safe place emotionally and financially. Jim proposes an ambitious sailing trip, their conflicting outlooks on the future come to a head, and the couple must decide how to spend the next chapter of their lives.

Divided into three parts, most of the memoir centers around the period Jim is in the hospital and the months following their return to Juneau. Through conversations with doctors and friends we learn about Jim’s condition and their community in Alaska. Mathews’ background as a scientist is apparent in the clear, simple and straightforward explanations, making Deep Waters an easy read. Mathews is candid when writing about her early relationship with Jim and some of the issues that came up during Jim’s time in the hospital. Though Beth is obviously stressed, she is never whiney, and I found it easy to relate to her, empathize with her, and admire her.

While this memoir was not exactly the adventure story I anticipated, it was interesting, enlightening, and at times thought provoking, Deep Waters is an intimate portrait of a marriage and a family as they navigate the complexities and uncertainties of some of life’s most difficult challenges

This review originally appeared at Story Circle Network Book Reviews.

[Steven Swartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It is not easy to write about personal life events, especially those that challenge our emotional endurance. "Deep Waters" is that, and not based on fiction, but based on the author's family's experiences while living in coastal Alaska. Beth Mathews has brought sincerity and truth to bear on the reader's emotions as she recounts the challenging events surrounding her husband Jim's illness and his battle to recover his former physical abilities and mental strength. She and her family experienced a life episode as trying as they come, and they not only survived but flourished in the moment and saw it all through as a couple, and as a family.


Beth's words touch on the heart and essential essence of the human condition, and relations between close individuals that we all too often forget, but we must cherish and be forever grateful. She knows this because she and Jim lived it, for real. As an example, Beth quotes Alain de Botton's statement that "Compatibility is an achievement of love; it shouldn't be its precondition." Despite enormous personal turmoil Beth and Jim achieved this coveted goal that many seek, but few achieve. Truer revelations are not common, and her writing eloquently demonstrates that it is possible to achieve the finer essence of that human spirit. A must read!"

[Desirae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A taxing memoir. Deep Waters is both the title of this book, and the concept that this family is facing. Beth Mathews and her husband are biologists living in rural Alaska with their young son Glenn. Their world is upended when her husband, Jim, experiences a life altering stroke caused by a rare illness with an extensive recovery time. It’s not easy to write or read about such challenging emotional issues, but I’m glad that I experienced this.

Beth is a competent writer, layering the many levels of recovery and set back. I did struggle with liking Jim. Although I can sympathize with the rollercoaster of recovery, I found much of his behavior appalling, particularly his treatment of his wife and son in the aftermath of this event. Although there’s a lot of reality to this type of behavior after a major medical event, I did not find myself hoping for his recovery, and I was frustrated with how Beth reacted to his behavior.

Growing up, my family went through a similar situation with my father, and perhaps this just hit too close to home.

On a lighter side, I found Beth’s work with Humpback whales and Seals in Alaska to be absolutely fascinating. Hopefully one day she publishes some of her more interesting field notes.

[Lily Bobek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello Beth,
I purchased your compelling and very well written book at Bainbridge First Friday Art Walk this month. I throughly enjoyed reading it. In recounting Jim’s stroke and consequences that hit you all as a family, and each as individual, you fully engaged me as a reader. I found the practical and emotional day to day challenges you and him had to overcome unbelievably hard to face and your and his strength left me amazed. But mostly I enjoyed your heart, sensitivity and care for Jim and Glen and your honestly about your feeling and struggle. The solace and comfort you clearly found in your love and care for Glen and his for you and your son must have been of great support, just reading about it lifted my spirit over and over agin thorough you memoire. With gratitude, Giovanni Toto

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth captures detailed, emotionally charged memories with remarkable precision. She graciously invites the reader to experience and absorb complicated life moments in a way that feels relatable and thought provoking. Her skillful, detailed writing informs and educates, allowing the reader’s imagination to soar with spectacular images and sensations. She meticulously crafts language and, unfailingly, strikes a balance between narrating inner dialogue/discernment and illuminating the practical details of wild, life adventures. The magic of the Alaskan landscape and her family’s lifestyle within it provides an enchanting backdrop…one that will remain in mind and beckon readers to reevaluate and reframe their own life experience. What a treasure this book is!

[Birgit Lennertz Sarrimanolis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written memoir, from the perspective of a wife and caregiver, of her husband’s sudden rare stroke and the aftermath it had on their lives. Set against the backdrop of Alaska’s Southeast, the metaphor of the sea weaves its way through the story in both a literal and metaphorical way. Mathews describes how illness casts doubt upon a strong couple trying to rebuild their lives together with their young son. Amid gorgeous descriptions of marine wildlife and the northern landscape, the author recounts the challenge of not only the rough Alaskan sea as the family embarks on a journey with their sailboat, but also the ups and downs of their recovery fight. A must read!

[Kelly Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This multifaceted book is informative and inspirational and addresses many of life's issues. Mathews teaches us how to navigate a marriage, a career, a boat, and a sudden life event. The book also provides interesting and useful information on strokes and neurobiology. Her descriptions of the beautiful Alaskan flora and fauna will make the reader want to go see for themselves why people live there. Her tales of boat challenges are exciting and a bit scary. However, it is the poignant and candid details of her marriage that will resonate with many people. She tackles topics and feelings that often go unsaid in a relationship. I look forward to another book with her gentle perspective.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2: READ A MEMOIR: I have not read a memoir in a long time and so chose this one about a man who suffered a rare stroke. It gave insight into his therapy, his drive to return to "normal" and the power of a cohesive family unit. It is a story that is very positive and can hopefully provide hope to others facing similar challenges. With this being said, I also thought it was a "very long" (it just seemed that way at just over 320 pages) book and was happy to have finished it. I would recommend it to others ....but not to everyone. KU

[Heidi Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth Ann Matthew’s tender-hearted, true story of love, loss, and perseverance, had me laughing and crying all in a single night’s read. It is exquisitely written. I felt I was right next to her in many of the scenes, holding it all together amidst unexpected hardships, and sailing with her through life’s storms. As a sailor myself, and native-born Alaskan sourdough, I was particularly drawn to the captivating scenes aboard Ljsselmeer. Heart achingly beautiful, her life and strength provide an insightful guide to us all. Bravo!

[Gail McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Waters: A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled, is an evocative story about nature, perseverance, and survival. Author Beth Ann Mathews, a marine biologist in Alaska, has skillfully woven this beautiful tapestry, illustrating her journey back to home and heart through the wilderness of medical, marital, and sailing catastrophes. The parallels of Mother Nature and human nature are tacitly juxtaposed. Set in the dramatic lands and seas of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, Deep Waters is scenic, inspiring, and well-crafted. Highly recommended.