My name is Liz Dengate. I was born and raised in Michigan, with, as these things go, a relatively fanatical obsession with the Great Lakes (especially Michigan and Superior, but don’t tell the others.) I went to the University of Michigan (go blue!) for undergrad and graduate school, and now I have a BA in Environmental Studies and German, and an MS in Conservation Ecology, and I LOVE that I can say that I am a “master of science.” Just like the Science Guy on NPR! Remember him? I was born on September 21st, 1987, so you can calculate my age if you like. Currently, I am attempting to forge a life in which I can work in environmental education/interpretation and teach people about the outdoors, spend a lot of time outside in really beautiful places, be a badass wilderness explorer, make people happy and comfortable, and enjoy the truly delightful company of my family and friends. (You, reading this? You’re probably one of those. I love you.)

Oh, and the title. I started this blog when I moved to the Colorado desert, and came to a completely new appreciation of water. This blog is about searching for what we all need to survive. It’s about the joys of diving headfirst into a deep body of water, and it’s about the struggles and sorrows of going without. It’s about learning how to keep breathing when the wind comes up and the waves get bigger. It’s about loving the waves.