National Geographic speaker Roz Savage talks about rowing alone, what she learned about herself, and how she wants to change the way we treat the environment.

Savage says when she decided to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean she had 14 months to prepare. That’s just over a year to acquire a boat, outfit it with equipment and rations that would last over 100 days, work on physical training, and learn all of the survival skills necessary to live at sea alone on a self-powered craft. According to her, the most difficult part of the voyage was psychological, not physical.

Savage, the first woman to row across three major oceans, believes women have a very strong sense of self-preservation that can help keep them going through difficult situations. Savage says she admires people who go out there and give things a try, whether they succeed or not.

Roz Savage is speaking at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Mesa Arts Center.