Originally from midcoast Maine, Arista grew up sailing in various traditional small craft throughout Penobscot Bay. She is a USCG licensed master captain and long-time seamanship instructor for adult and youth sail training programs including Outward Bound, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Atlantic Challenge USA, the Nova Scotia Sea School, Wooden Boat School, and Morse Alpha Expeditions.
A student of languages, culture and craft she has traveled, sailed, taught and studied all over the world. In 2002, she rowed 300 miles in a 38 ft. Bantry Bay gig with a Russian crew through the inland rivers leading to St. Petersburg, Russia and the Gulf of Finland. In April 2017, she sailed more than 800 miles to the Lofoten Islands in Norway in an open, 42 ft. square-rigged fembøring with Fosen Folkehøgskole (Folk School). In 2019 she demonstrated Viking Age Navigation techniques on the Science Channel's "America's Lost Vikings" as the skipper for the Viking boat replica, Polaris.
As a Project Manager for five years with the Scholarshipwrights in Rockland, Maine, Arista led seamanship trainings and coordinated boatbuilding programs in the US and abroad and was involved with writing, editing, and fundraising for that organization, including co-authoring a book with Lance Lee about the Apprenticeshop.
She holds a B.A. from Hampshire College, current Wilderness First Responder, CPR and Lifeguard certifications and a 100-ton Masters captain's license. She loves traditional music and plays the mandolin.
A student of languages, culture and craft she has traveled, sailed, taught and studied all over the world. In 2002, she rowed 300 miles in a 38 ft. Bantry Bay gig with a Russian crew through the inland rivers leading to St. Petersburg, Russia and the Gulf of Finland. In April 2017, she sailed more than 800 miles to the Lofoten Islands in Norway in an open, 42 ft. square-rigged fembøring with Fosen Folkehøgskole (Folk School). In 2019 she demonstrated Viking Age Navigation techniques on the Science Channel's "America's Lost Vikings" as the skipper for the Viking boat replica, Polaris.
As a Project Manager for five years with the Scholarshipwrights in Rockland, Maine, Arista led seamanship trainings and coordinated boatbuilding programs in the US and abroad and was involved with writing, editing, and fundraising for that organization, including co-authoring a book with Lance Lee about the Apprenticeshop.
She holds a B.A. from Hampshire College, current Wilderness First Responder, CPR and Lifeguard certifications and a 100-ton Masters captain's license. She loves traditional music and plays the mandolin.