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Finding Pax: The Unexpected Journey of a Little Wooden Boat
ON THE ISLAND IN Denmark where the oldest oak tree in Europe grows, a young boatbuilder nicknamed “the perfectionist” crafted a boat with his hands. In 1936, the boat was finished and her journey began.
Seventy years later, in Port Townsend, Washington—just minutes after a near catastrophe was averted in the marina outside her office window—around-the-world sailor Kaci Cronkhite opened an email. A Danish spidsgatter named Pax was for sale in Victoria, British Columbia. After years of experience around boats, Kaci knew better than to buy a wooden boat. But—smitten by the buxom curves of Pax and inspired by a life in the wind—she did.
The journey that brought the two together became a quest that connected families in three countries with history that had been lost.
What Kaci didn’t know—what no one knew—was where and how far Pax had journeyed, what she survived those seven decades and what those who loved her would always remember.
Seventy years later, in Port Townsend, Washington—just minutes after a near catastrophe was averted in the marina outside her office window—around-the-world sailor Kaci Cronkhite opened an email. A Danish spidsgatter named Pax was for sale in Victoria, British Columbia. After years of experience around boats, Kaci knew better than to buy a wooden boat. But—smitten by the buxom curves of Pax and inspired by a life in the wind—she did.
The journey that brought the two together became a quest that connected families in three countries with history that had been lost.
What Kaci didn’t know—what no one knew—was where and how far Pax had journeyed, what she survived those seven decades and what those who loved her would always remember.
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2016
3 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Kaci Cronkhite
4 books5 followersKACI CRONKHITE is a writer whose work radiates a passion for journeys--in the garden, a forest, or a sail around the world. In her work, you'll feel the wind, join the travel, discover history, and be part of the legacy. Her stories have appeared in the sea anthology Steady As She Goes, and in magazines and newspapers in America, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
Finding PAX is her first book—but definitely not her last. After a wildly successful self-publishing launch in 2016, the book was acquired by Bloomsbury for worldwide release as revised and expanded edition for Fall 2018. The prequel is underway and due out, also with Bloomsbury, in Fall 2019.
She splits her time between a homeport with Pax in Port Townsend, Washington, a writing retreat near the historic family ranch in Oklahoma, and on writing sojourns with her partner, clients, and friends around the world.
Finding PAX is her first book—but definitely not her last. After a wildly successful self-publishing launch in 2016, the book was acquired by Bloomsbury for worldwide release as revised and expanded edition for Fall 2018. The prequel is underway and due out, also with Bloomsbury, in Fall 2019.
She splits her time between a homeport with Pax in Port Townsend, Washington, a writing retreat near the historic family ranch in Oklahoma, and on writing sojourns with her partner, clients, and friends around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 21, 2019
A woman meets a boat, and together they embark upon a voyage of self-discovery that leads them from a serene bay off Vancouver Island, to the rarified, yacht-laced marinas of California, to snow-dusted ports in Scandinavia. Unlike most memoirs, this pivotal coming-together did not happen at a point of crisis in the author's life. Quite the opposite: Kaci Cronkhite was fulfilled in career and relationships, and after several years sailing around the world, had found her home on the tip of the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington state.
Perhaps it was not she, the woman, in need of connection and tenderness, but Pax herself, the 28-foot wooden boat known as a spidsgatter, constructed in Denmark in 1936. Finding Pax is a love story, a mystery, a travelogue, and an ode to the lure of the sea and the vessels constructed to navigate its waters with respect and intelligence.
Kaci grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma, not exactly prime training ground for life as a sailor. In her early 30's, while visiting the small seaport town of Port Townsend, Washington (where, not coincidentally, we both now live), she went sailing for the first time. An avid adventurer and outdoorswoman, she had already traveled the world. But this first taste of freedom on the water was the start of a whole new way of life for Kaci. She spent the next decade at sea, returning to Port Townsend to become director of the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, the largest gathering of wooden boats in the world. Perhaps Pax was just biding her time, waiting for Kaci to set anchor and find her.
In a cursory internet search in 2007 — seven years after settling in Port Townsend — Kaci encountered Pax. The little boat would soon uproot Kaci from her comfortable perch and launch her into the history of Pax's journey from a pre-WWII workshop in Denmark to 21st century Victoria, British Columbia. The following years were spent restoring Pax, and tracking down her previous owners to reconnect the wooden boat with her past.
I've been sailing approximately never in my life, despite being a daughter of the Pacific Northwest, and yet I was captivated by Pax's story, and the details of sailing, maritime culture and wooden boat construction and history. Kaci writes with such clarity and warmth, I never felt excluded by jargon. I was moved by her dedication to Pax's story, and felt the boat's spirit and legacy shine through her narrative. Finding Pax is simply a joy to read.
Perhaps it was not she, the woman, in need of connection and tenderness, but Pax herself, the 28-foot wooden boat known as a spidsgatter, constructed in Denmark in 1936. Finding Pax is a love story, a mystery, a travelogue, and an ode to the lure of the sea and the vessels constructed to navigate its waters with respect and intelligence.
Kaci grew up on a ranch in Oklahoma, not exactly prime training ground for life as a sailor. In her early 30's, while visiting the small seaport town of Port Townsend, Washington (where, not coincidentally, we both now live), she went sailing for the first time. An avid adventurer and outdoorswoman, she had already traveled the world. But this first taste of freedom on the water was the start of a whole new way of life for Kaci. She spent the next decade at sea, returning to Port Townsend to become director of the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, the largest gathering of wooden boats in the world. Perhaps Pax was just biding her time, waiting for Kaci to set anchor and find her.
In a cursory internet search in 2007 — seven years after settling in Port Townsend — Kaci encountered Pax. The little boat would soon uproot Kaci from her comfortable perch and launch her into the history of Pax's journey from a pre-WWII workshop in Denmark to 21st century Victoria, British Columbia. The following years were spent restoring Pax, and tracking down her previous owners to reconnect the wooden boat with her past.
I've been sailing approximately never in my life, despite being a daughter of the Pacific Northwest, and yet I was captivated by Pax's story, and the details of sailing, maritime culture and wooden boat construction and history. Kaci writes with such clarity and warmth, I never felt excluded by jargon. I was moved by her dedication to Pax's story, and felt the boat's spirit and legacy shine through her narrative. Finding Pax is simply a joy to read.
August 25, 2016
A love affair, a quest, and adventure—that is what happened when a woman broke her promise and bought a wooden boat. Kaci vividly describes how this broken promise filled her life with new friendships and gave her a good story to share.
Though sailing is not for everyone, finding a passion is something anyone can relate to. The writer shows something I have learned throughout my life, once you set off on a quest inspired by passion, the people who come into your life will astound you.
Though sailing is not for everyone, finding a passion is something anyone can relate to. The writer shows something I have learned throughout my life, once you set off on a quest inspired by passion, the people who come into your life will astound you.
January 30, 2017
I myself have never been a fan of sailing (motion sickness), but I found myself entranced, by Cronkhite storytelling. Finding Pax doesn't have dull moment. From a landlubber like me, this book is worth every penny. I liked how she include the translated danish word in the text and you didn't have to look them up, I'm looking forward to meeting Cronkhite.
August 12, 2018
A touching story of a woman's passion for a boat and all its previous owners. The author researched the boat's history and found its past owners and their families. A different angle to maritime history. Lots of pictures are included to enhance the narrative. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
July 3, 2020
Who would have thought that a story of a boat could be so enchanting and thoughtful. This book is the story of a woman searching tirelessly for a spidsgatter boat's origins. It is remarkable haw far she was able to go and reconstruct. Loved it!
June 23, 2020
Kindle edition with two epilogues (updates)
September 8, 2016
Kaci Cronkhite has written a story of full immersion. Her recently published book, Finding Pax, takes the reader on a seven year journey connecting many lives that have been touched by a singular vessel. The author’s search for Pax’s origins grows out of the inexplicable bond that occurred the moment she found “her boat.” If it can ever be said that someone has found the right boat it surely happened with Kaci and Pax. These two came within hailing distance of each other at a time when everything was just right for the meeting.
It is strange how many people born far from the ocean are drawn to it by fate. Kaci was an Oklahoma girl more familiar with the rocking gait of a horse than the rolling deck of a sailboat, From her first step on board a yacht she found a similarity in the two motions that would lead her to sail around the world. She came ashore but stayed close to the sailing life as the director of the annual Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington. As such she involved herself with a gathering of finely crafted vessels and a community of dedicated sailors committed to preserving a timeless example of human endeavor.
Her involvement would deepen one August day with a simple email message about a boat that was for sale. It was a Danish spidsgatter. A 28 foot long double ended sloop with a tall rig and lines that any sailor can fall in love with instantly. As the story unfolds Pax, built in 1936, had a checkered past much of it shrouded in mystery.
A busy person can have a hard time fitting the needs of a wooden vessel into their lives. The varnish and paint alone are enough to defeat many people. When the boat comes along with a raft of mysteries that cry out to be solved the effort is likely to be overwhelming. The best caretakers of boats with an important history are those who have been tested by the sea and the vagaries of life practiced within the full on press of the human condition. Such a person has made peace with a few demons and learned the value of taking life one day at a time. A little perspective goes a long way.
Port Townsend is the West Coast mecca for wooden boats and at the very heart of the scene is The Wooden boat Festival. From the moment she bought Pax Kaci had a project that would stretch the limits of her resources. She makes it clear that she had the valuable assistance of many fine people from Port Townsend shipwrights and sailmakers to former owners in this country and folks in Denmark who knew Pax’s builders and designers or were interested in the preservation of these beautiful vessels. As the book progresses you see a marvelous community form around this boat. It seems that Kaci did not buy a boat so much as she grew a family.
The story adds these people in layers that give it a unique texture. Anyone who has spent time around wooden boats and the operations that build and maintain them is familiar with the array of diverse characters that inhabit the scene. The boats themselves require a certain temperament and a respect for good materials and hard work. It is a calling and a special way of life.
The former owners and builders that were a part of Pax’s history flow in an irregular rhythm that is like a song waiting to be written. Discovery follows discovery From Washington to California, British Columbia, Oklahoma, Denmark and back again. The line up of previous owners take the reader through good times and bad, in war and peace. Through it all every soul that was touched by this beautiful boat was sorry to let her go but joyful in reconnection.
It is fitting that there would be a connection manifested in cedar and oak between this community of craftsmen in the heart of modern America and Denmark’s ancient coast. A land of preserved tradition produced a jewel of a vessel that found it’s way to a place where that same tradition is actively being rediscovered. Because of the stories of boats like Pax we are all richer for it.
It is strange how many people born far from the ocean are drawn to it by fate. Kaci was an Oklahoma girl more familiar with the rocking gait of a horse than the rolling deck of a sailboat, From her first step on board a yacht she found a similarity in the two motions that would lead her to sail around the world. She came ashore but stayed close to the sailing life as the director of the annual Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington. As such she involved herself with a gathering of finely crafted vessels and a community of dedicated sailors committed to preserving a timeless example of human endeavor.
Her involvement would deepen one August day with a simple email message about a boat that was for sale. It was a Danish spidsgatter. A 28 foot long double ended sloop with a tall rig and lines that any sailor can fall in love with instantly. As the story unfolds Pax, built in 1936, had a checkered past much of it shrouded in mystery.
A busy person can have a hard time fitting the needs of a wooden vessel into their lives. The varnish and paint alone are enough to defeat many people. When the boat comes along with a raft of mysteries that cry out to be solved the effort is likely to be overwhelming. The best caretakers of boats with an important history are those who have been tested by the sea and the vagaries of life practiced within the full on press of the human condition. Such a person has made peace with a few demons and learned the value of taking life one day at a time. A little perspective goes a long way.
Port Townsend is the West Coast mecca for wooden boats and at the very heart of the scene is The Wooden boat Festival. From the moment she bought Pax Kaci had a project that would stretch the limits of her resources. She makes it clear that she had the valuable assistance of many fine people from Port Townsend shipwrights and sailmakers to former owners in this country and folks in Denmark who knew Pax’s builders and designers or were interested in the preservation of these beautiful vessels. As the book progresses you see a marvelous community form around this boat. It seems that Kaci did not buy a boat so much as she grew a family.
The story adds these people in layers that give it a unique texture. Anyone who has spent time around wooden boats and the operations that build and maintain them is familiar with the array of diverse characters that inhabit the scene. The boats themselves require a certain temperament and a respect for good materials and hard work. It is a calling and a special way of life.
The former owners and builders that were a part of Pax’s history flow in an irregular rhythm that is like a song waiting to be written. Discovery follows discovery From Washington to California, British Columbia, Oklahoma, Denmark and back again. The line up of previous owners take the reader through good times and bad, in war and peace. Through it all every soul that was touched by this beautiful boat was sorry to let her go but joyful in reconnection.
It is fitting that there would be a connection manifested in cedar and oak between this community of craftsmen in the heart of modern America and Denmark’s ancient coast. A land of preserved tradition produced a jewel of a vessel that found it’s way to a place where that same tradition is actively being rediscovered. Because of the stories of boats like Pax we are all richer for it.
August 24, 2016
I get now what everyone is saying now about this book being both a love story and a mystery - all tied up in the history of a "little wooden boat" named Pax. In the first few chapters Kaci's passion for Pax absolutely shines through, and then begins to ramp up with her curiosity about Pax's history - it had me hooked! It's almost like a whodunit - totally gripping, following trips to Denmark and California, going into archives, sifting through records, talking to historians.
I really, really liked the ending of Part 4 and beginning of the remaining Part 5, . It was almost like being given permission to read the remaining chapters a bit more leisurely, no longer gripped in the mystery, and the writing matched that with a slower pace and more descriptive style.
Beautiful writing, captivating story. Perfect!
I really, really liked the ending of Part 4 and beginning of the remaining Part 5, . It was almost like being given permission to read the remaining chapters a bit more leisurely, no longer gripped in the mystery, and the writing matched that with a slower pace and more descriptive style.
Beautiful writing, captivating story. Perfect!
August 24, 2016
I don't often read non fiction books, but found I couldn't put this one down.
Finding Pax is a mystery of sorts, the kind some of us set out to do when we sign up for a genealogy program and try to discover where we come from. Only in this case, Kaci is searching for the roots, the origins and life history, of her beloved sailboat, Pax, which, like so many of the events that happen in our lives (when we keep our eyes open), seemed to appear in hers for a purpose.
Finding Pax (finding peace) becomes a big part of Kaci's purpose for more than seven years, and her passionate devotion to the task as the mystery unfolds is infectious, as is her vivid, descriptive and literary writing style. I found myself immersed in the sights and sounds and smells of wooden boats, the sea, and the Danish countryside with its quaint harbors and boat-building heritage.
And as is so often the case, what draws us also partially defines us. Kaci doesn't just find Pax. She finds a whole new family and a set of deep connections to the past that help enrich her life. I found my own life enriched by joining her for the journey.
Finding Pax is a mystery of sorts, the kind some of us set out to do when we sign up for a genealogy program and try to discover where we come from. Only in this case, Kaci is searching for the roots, the origins and life history, of her beloved sailboat, Pax, which, like so many of the events that happen in our lives (when we keep our eyes open), seemed to appear in hers for a purpose.
Finding Pax (finding peace) becomes a big part of Kaci's purpose for more than seven years, and her passionate devotion to the task as the mystery unfolds is infectious, as is her vivid, descriptive and literary writing style. I found myself immersed in the sights and sounds and smells of wooden boats, the sea, and the Danish countryside with its quaint harbors and boat-building heritage.
And as is so often the case, what draws us also partially defines us. Kaci doesn't just find Pax. She finds a whole new family and a set of deep connections to the past that help enrich her life. I found my own life enriched by joining her for the journey.
January 22, 2017
An Unexpected Great Read!
Before I read Finding Pax, I knew very little about wooden boat culture (even though I am fortunate to live in Port Townsend, where this story begins), and was bewildered by the obsession that drives so many people to devote their lives to this craft. Although it is easy to admire the beauty and craftsmanship of each boat, there is something more to it than that. Kaci Cronkhite skillfully leads the reader into the world of wooden boats, so that shortly into the book, I could fully understand her passion, and became immersed in the pages straight through. Her chronicle of unravelling the history of Pax reads like a detective story, full of intriguing characters, travel to remote locales, historic documents and still unsolved mysteries. Combined with historic photos and a website that helps to learn more, Finding Pax is an excellent quick read to inspire your own dreams.
Before I read Finding Pax, I knew very little about wooden boat culture (even though I am fortunate to live in Port Townsend, where this story begins), and was bewildered by the obsession that drives so many people to devote their lives to this craft. Although it is easy to admire the beauty and craftsmanship of each boat, there is something more to it than that. Kaci Cronkhite skillfully leads the reader into the world of wooden boats, so that shortly into the book, I could fully understand her passion, and became immersed in the pages straight through. Her chronicle of unravelling the history of Pax reads like a detective story, full of intriguing characters, travel to remote locales, historic documents and still unsolved mysteries. Combined with historic photos and a website that helps to learn more, Finding Pax is an excellent quick read to inspire your own dreams.
September 3, 2016
I loved this book. It was part love story, part detective story and so engaging that I did't want to put it down. In these cynical times, it was wonderful to read about so many people coming together with Kaci to piece together Pax's history and marvelous to see the beautiful inter-generational understanding that came about as Pax's story came to light. Sometimes, when you finish a good book, you feel a sense of loss because you've so enjoyed spending time with the characters (or with the author) that you're not ready for it to be over. This was one of those books. I've heard that Kaci is already at work on a prequel. I can't wait.
August 31, 2016
When I pick up a book and set it down only once before finishing it within 6 hours, I’ve had a good time. Finding Pax took me on a journey of a true search for the human heart in a beautiful boat. Cronkhite’s writing is 100% authentic and she has written what will become an established, modern classic in the world of wooden boats. I’m looking forward to another good read in her next book, When a Cowgirl Goes to Sea.
August 24, 2016
Spent an afternoon by a river reading this engaging & superbly written book, the love story between the author and her boat Pax. My heart & soul has always loved being on the water and this book is for anyone with that love or who loves a good history mystery as Kaci travels the world to uncover the story of her beloved Pax, a Danish spidsgatter, built in 1936.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews