Nailing down a free spirit is a logistical nightmare, particularly if that spirit is across the ocean, hundreds of miles away from the nearest landmass. “Max Campbell isavailablethisweek,” myeditor texts me. “Get him on the phone while you can.”
Campbell, is halfway across the world on a circumnavigation he began in early 2020. He set sail from his homeport of Falmouth, England, aboard a 1970 Sparkman & Stephens-designed Swan 37 he found languishing in a boatyard. Landfalls are common on his voyage, but so are weeks-long passages without cell service.
The 28-year-old has a tenuous relationship with terra firma, and yet he’s surprisingly easy to find. His Instagram bio places him in New Zealand, and a GPS tracker reveals Elixir, his lovingly restored monohull, is docked in Opua, a picturesque entry port for overseas boats arriving in the country. On TikTok alone, his videos receive anywhere from hundreds of thousands to over a million views.
When I get Campbell on the phone, he’s already been in New Zealand for two months. In that time, the accomplished sailor and content creator has written a few articles, posted some videos and for the back half of his voyage. His circumnavigation is entirely self-funded, so to pay for the maintenance that’s necessary after 16,000 miles, he’ll spend his downtime delivering yachts and working odd jobs. Freelance writing assignments help pay the bills, as does sponsored content, which allowed him to acquire main sails essentially gratis.
