Overnights
View calendar of upcoming trips here …
When’s the last time you belly-laughed with a bunch of new friends? Breathed in crisp mountain air with no idea what the day would bring? Set sail to an island? Shared something transformative?
These overnights, camps, and events for the creative & adventure-curious are designed to light you up. Participants come from all kinds of backgrounds but tend to have a few things in common: Curiosity, a willingness to step outside the comfort zone, a sense of optimism about what’s possible and what life has in store. Also fun. Our peeps like to have fun.
Here’s a light video we put together early on to convey the spirit of our outings. Our original audience for these trips was professional storytellers. We quickly grew beyond that, but the essence of these journeys with new friends remains the same.
What to Expect
No two adventures are the same. Our participants have as much to do with the flavor, energy, and outcomes of our scientific expeditions, educational programs, and retreats & intensives as we do. But these opportunities do share some common traits.
Below is an overview of what you can expect from a typical Onward Industries trip, as well as what we expect of our participants. This includes some rules and conduct expectations, which are offered in the spirit of clarity and are designed to ensure everyone has a safe, empowering, and creatively fulfilling trip.
How Hardcore is this?
Our trips and outings aren’t rugged (you don’t have to be a Red Bull athlete or have any outdoors experience to speak of). They do ask of each participant a bit of resilience and an openness to stepping away from everyday comforts. Our current overnight offerings take place aboard Lindy, a stunning WWII-era sailboat. The boat is magical and includes many of the comforts of home, but be warned: it’s not a cruise ship. That’s part of the fun!
We also expect a measure of personal responsibility. With guidance from us, we expect overnight guests to take care of themselves and chip in (more on that below).
A Rough Trip Itinerary
These are small group trips for kind, creative, and adventure-curious people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Our guest count for boat trips is capped at six (6), plus crew. Our camps and larger retreats can accommodate up to twenty (20). We’ll often have a trip leader or guide along to shape the trip. Here’s a play-by-play of a typical trip (note that each overnight will have its own flavor and offerings, and many are organized around a theme or guiding principle) …
ACCOMMODATIONS
Lindy has five staterooms (that’s what we call bedrooms on a boat) with twelve total berths (beds). Check out the galley above for some interior images. The configurations can vary, but typically there will be two small single staterooms and two double staterooms for Onward guests, meaning some of our participants will share space. We understand the idea of sharing a room can feel weird for grown up humans. The vibe here is summer camp and it’s all a lot of fun. On clear nights you’re also welcome to drag some bedding on deck and snooze under the stars.
Lindy has three heads (toilets!) and two showers with piping hot water.
The boat has high speed satellite internet. This usually works well in Catalina and the Channel Islands, however the technology is new and there’s no guarantee it’ll work at all times. We also encourage guests to unplug for most or all of their trip. Please note we will likely be out of range of LTE service for a good portion of our trip. We have a backup satellite communication device for emergencies and all standard marine communications and navigation equipment.
There is ample 110V AC power for you to charge devices … but you also shouldn’t plan to use your devices too much because there’s cool stuff happening!
The boat has a full galley, big salon table, pizza oven, fridge and freezer, two big deck coolers, an indoor herb garden, a stereo system, and two levels of outdoor space to lounge. (Yeah, it’s a unique boat!)
MEALS
Meals are a hallowed ritual during trips, a chance to come together, chow down, and enjoy the conviviality of good food and drink and cheer. Have food allergies or dietary restrictions? Please give us a heads up well in advance.
We always do one hot, communal meal, per day.
Breakfast, lunch & snacks are typically on your own and made from the trip’s pantry. We may do a communal hot breakfast on your trip. Feel free to use the stove and galley (we’ll cover galley safety in our briefing) and all food is up for grabs.
We’ll share the washing-up duties.
Trash is a real consideration on a boat. We try to minimize waste as much as possible and ask guests to be considerate, tidy, and conscientious of shared spaces.
THE PASSAGE
We’ll leave on our departure morning after a second safety briefing/refresher (safety is very important and taken seriously!). The trip to Catalina takes ~4.5 hours from Marina del Rey. The trip to Santa Cruz Island (part of the Channel Islands) takes ~7.5 hours. Both are beautiful crossings that put the whole coastline into a wild new perspective. We’re often accompanied by dolphins and sometimes whales.
A word on sea sickness. Depending on sea state the trip over may be rolly, and the reality is sea sickness can creep up on anybody, even in benign conditions. There’s no getting around it, sea sickness SUCKS — but it’s also transient and for those stricken almost always confined to the passage over, disappearing immediately in the calm of an idyllic anchorage. Anyone who becomes sea sick will have all the support (or privacy) they need, and we promise it will just make the rest of the trip that much more magical by comparison.
PRE-TRIP
You receive a welcome email with important information, including packing advice and trip overview. We’ll choose a date for a pre-trip group meetup.
Pre-trip meetup on Lindy — we’ll have some beverages and light bites with the group in the week or two leading up to the trip. This is a chance to meet other participants and the trip guide, see the boat, and receive an important safety briefing. We’ll discuss things like sea sickness and address any questions or concerns. You’ll also be assigned a berth.
ARRIVAL / DAY 1
After setting anchor you’re invited to grab some lunch on deck and chill out in the calm and splendor of our island cove. During lunch we’ll chat with our trip leader, get any instructions, and enjoy the beauty around us.
After lunch there may be a light guided session and we’ll do a shore trip by dinghy for those who want to stretch their legs and check out the island. Others are invited to hang on the boat and read/write, or borrow a kayak or paddle board for an excursion around the bay.
Dinner: We’ll all pitch in with dinner prep, and then enjoy a big meal and some beverages together. The dinner convos are a big part of the experience. By now the awkwardness of new acquaintances has ebbed and we’re in a safe space to goof, share, and converse together. It’s a space for reflecting, coming up with zany ideas, supporting others, and sharing lots of laughs.
Free time after dinner to hang on the boat, read, unwind after a big day.
DAY 2-3
Breakfast is serve-yourself from the boat’s galley, though anybody who wants to whip something up for unfed guests is welcome to do so.
We’ll take guidance from our trip leader, whose expertise and energy will help give the trip its meaningful contours.At the beginning of the day you may be given a prompt, something to ruminate on throughout the day to help stir your creativity.
We’ll pack a light lunch and snacks and head to shore after breakfast, with everyone encouraged to participate in a group hike or some other activity.
Then back to the boat for a relaxing afternoon. You can take a kayak or paddle board out, hole up and read or write, chat with new buds, or take a dip.
Dinner is another pitch-in affair on Lindy, and over some delicious food and beverages we’ll revisit the prompt everyone was given that morning. The idea is to exchange ideas, support budding ambitions, and feed off of each other’s creative energy.
Free time after dinner, and hopefully we get some amazing stars!
Final day
After a light breakfast we’ll get the boat prepped for departure. Don’t worry, the way back is usually MUCH easier for those prone to sea sickness.
Back at dock by mid-afternoon we’ll ask you to please pitch in putting the boat back in order and cleaning up …but first we’ll probably hoist a celebratory beverage or two!
POST-TRIP
With any luck you’ve got some new friends and collaborators. We’ll help foster and grow connections by putting everyone in touch.
Did a project spring out of your trip? No pressure, but that can happen and it’s wonderful. Clue us in early and let’s see if Onward Industries can help support or nurture it — we want to incubate incredible collaborations well beyond our trips.
Don’t forget to spread the word! That’s the best way we have of growing our community of storytellers.
IT'S A PARTICIPATORY THING
Good news: You’re not signing up for an all-inclusive resort-style experience, and your every whim will not be catered to. Why is that good news? Because those trips are kind of lame and leave you feeling more depleted than ever (c’mon, you saw White Lotus!). We expect guests to pitch in. In fact, we believe the participatory nature of our trips is what makes them so special.
You’ll be expected to do some or all of the following . Don't know how to do it? No sweat, we'll teach you! The important thing is to come with an encouraging and willing attitude.
Your Chores
Prep meals
Clean up
Do dishes
Loading / unloading supplies
Encouraging others
Inviting / participating in conversation and a fun, positive group dynamic
Packing meals / snacks before outings
Communicating with group leaders
Some final Notes
SAFETY FIRST!
We take safety very seriously, especially on the boat and in the wilderness. We will spend ample time going over the safety routines and practices we put in place. We expect our guests to follow our safety rules and will not tolerate departure from safety rules. Some of the basics include:
Wearing PFD's at sea and on dinghy rides.
Keeping clear of machinery, rigging, and working parts of the vessel.
Communicating clearly and keeping to meetup schedules.
Paying attention to all fall and possible danger areas.
Understanding emergency procedures.
Pointing out to the trip leader anything that feels unsafe or out of place.
Etc. - You'll learn the rest on the trip.
A FEW NO NOS ...
Smoking (anytime on the boat or near other guests)
Drinking alcohol during boat passages (at anchor in moderation is okay for responsible adults, just not before dinghy rides)
Drinking alcohol in excess or to the point of recklessness; know your limits (applies to all trips and outings)
Drugs (Note: All boating activities are policed federally, not by state agencies; marijuana is not allowed on the boat)
Yelling
Complaining (!)
NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK PUTS YOU IN DANGER!
DEAL-BREAKERS
Our guests are expected to respect one another, to respect any organizations or projects we encounter during our trips, and to respect the environment we are privileged to interact with.
Goes without saying, but any guests exhibiting socially unacceptable or offensive behavior or who are uncooperative to the general detriment of the spirit of the trip will be sent home at their own expense at the first opportunity. Trip participants agree that if they are sent home for infringing on the rules and expectations they will not seek redress or sue for any real or imagined damages.
HOW & WHAT TO PACK
Once registered, you will receive specific instructions on how and what to pack.
MISCELLANEOUS ...
Just for calibration purposes, this is not a sailing school or outdoor adventure academy and we don't have any formal curriculum. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a great learning opportunity, and we always love engagement and curiosity.
We incorporate light creative programming designed to inspire creativity and interaction. But we also recognize the value of free time. Participation in creative programming is an important part of the trip and we want our guests to engage. At the same time don’t expect your trip to be scheduled down to the minute — it won’t be and each guest is responsible for making the most of their experience.
The itinerary is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control. These may include weather, sea conditions, and natural disasters. The safety of our guests is our top priority.
Lindy is a big boat. But she’s still a boat. You will have limited privacy onboard and will be living in close quarters. Same goes for our camping trips and any overnight we run. But you’ll have the time of your life!
For trips, some members may be appointed to crew or group leadership positions at our discretion and contingent on additional training. Being named crew or leader comes with extra responsibility and perks.