Press & media kit
"One of the movement's leading voices."
Financial Times
Short bio
~30 wordsSuzanne van der Veeken is an ocean storyteller, sailor and founder of Ocean Nomads, exploring alternative ways of living through sea, wilderness and slow travel. Author of Ocean Nomad and Salz auf der Haut.
Medium bio
~100 wordsFor more than 15 years Suzanne van der Veeken has explored what becomes possible when life is designed closer to nature instead of convention. Five Atlantic crossings, 50,000+ nautical miles under sail, and 850 km across the Pyrenees on foot, much of it with her dog Wingo. She founded Ocean Nomads, the community for people who want to live a little wilder, explore a little further, and do it with good people. She is the author of Ocean Nomad: The Complete Atlantic Sailing Crew Guide (2017) and Salz auf der Haut, published by Delius Klasing. Featured in the Financial Times, CNN, Süddeutsche Zeitung, RTVE and Virgin.
Long bio
~280 wordsFor more than 15 years Suzanne van der Veeken has explored what becomes possible when life is designed closer to nature instead of convention. Through sailing, long hikes, storytelling and community building, she shares alternative ways of living. She wants to help the people who feel the pull but don't know where to start.
She has crossed the Atlantic five times as crew and skipper and sailed more than 50,000 nautical miles. She hiked 850 km across the Pyrenees. Her dog Wingo joined her for much of it. For years she has lived between sail, van and trail.
Out of that came Ocean Nomads, the community she founded for people who want to cross oceans without owning a boat. She is the author of Ocean Nomad: The Complete Atlantic Sailing Crew Guide (2017), cited by name in the Financial Times, CNN and Yachting World, and Salz auf der Haut, the German memoir of her hitch-sailing years, published by Delius Klasing. She is also the co-author of a peer-reviewed paper on tourism destinations' vulnerability to climate change (Veeken & Calgaro).
Her story has been featured in the Financial Times, which called her "one of the movement's leading voices," as well as CNN, Süddeutsche Zeitung, De Telegraaf, RTVE, Antena 3, Tele 5, Hürriyet, Lonely Planet Traveller, Yachting World and Virgin. In summer 2024 she was part of a hard-news cluster across Spanish national television after helping rescue seven swimmers from rip currents at Playa Río Sieira.
Suzanne has spoken twice at boot Düsseldorf, the world's largest watersports trade fair, and at NomadCity Las Palmas. In 2017 she was selected as one of 100 youth ocean leaders for the Our Ocean Youth Summit in Malta. Most of the writing still gets done in the van.
Featured in
Selected coverage
International press
Spanish national news: Porto do Son rescue, 29–31 Jul 2024
Suzanne, with co-rescuer Manuel (16), saved seven swimmers from rip currents at Playa Río Sieira. Hard-news coverage cluster across multiple national outlets.
Sailing & trade press
Dominica: Waitukubuli National Trail thru-hike (after Hurricane Maria)
Print & regional
Podcasts & interviews
Academic publication
Speaking & delegations
Stages on ocean nomad living and the case for crossing oceans without owning a boat.
"The power of (dis)connection: the rewards of sailing across the Atlantic." Alongside Upwork, Hotjar, Toptal and other remote-work leaders.
One of 100 youth ocean leaders from 50 countries, at the EU-hosted Our Ocean Conference (the 2017 event generated €6 billion in ocean-protection pledges). Met John Kerry, Sylvia Earle and President Faure of the Seychelles.
Books
The Complete Atlantic Sailing Crew Guide. How to catch a ride and contribute to a healthier ocean. Cited by name in the Financial Times, CNN and Yachting World.
Book pagePer Anhalter über die Weltmeere. The memoir of hitch-sailing across oceans, leaving a comfortable career for saltwater, and what the sea teaches you about slow living.
Publisher pagePress contact
Higher-res headshots, extended bios, additional scans and original photography available on request. Typical reply within a week.