Gillnetter, mariner, and naturalist Holly J. Hughes has experienced first-hand the practical and philosophical consequences of navigating difficult waters. In *Sailing by Ravens*, she gathers wisdom gained from thirty seasons working off Alaska’s shores, weaving personal experience and her love of the sea with the history and science of navigation. In this exquisite collection of poems, Hughes deftly navigates “the wavering, certain path” of a woman’s heart, finding that sometimes the best directions to follow are those that come from the natural forces in our lives. These meditations offer waypoints for readers on their own journeys.