Ahoy! Meet Oliver & Phoenix

Every once in a while, I come across a sailing story that stops me in my scroll. This is one of those.

I’ve been following Oliver Widger (@sailing_with_phoenix) on Instagram and YouTube — and wow, his journey is something else. Earlier this year, Oliver left his job, cashed out his 401(k), and set sail solo from Oregon to Hawaii. His crew? His cat, Phoenix.

He has a rare condition called Klippel-Feil syndrome, and after 11 years of doing the daily grind, he decided to bail out. No previous sailing experience. Just YouTube lessons, a $50K boat, and a ton of determination.

It took him 24 days to make it to Honolulu — completely solo. When he arrived, fans (even the governor of Hawaii!) were there to greet him. 

What I love most is that he’s just himself. His posts are pretty real, and often awkward (in the best way!!). And if you’ve ever felt that tug to shake things up and chase something bold… he’s your guy.

If you haven’t seen his videos yet, here’s a short one that gives a glimpse of what makes him and Phoenix so fun to watch.

Here’s a quick video clip from his arrival in Hawaii.

Happy midweek inspiration — and hats off to Oliver and Phoenix. ⛵🐾