I'd Rather Be Sailing

Remember that bumper sticker: I'd Rather Be Sailing?  Well, it's true.  I would rather be sailing right now.  And while one of the reasons I love sailing is that's it's an escape, that's neither my primary nor the only reason I enjoy sailing.  If you're a sailor and sailing is already in your blood, then you have your own reasons for loving it.  If you have never been sailing and you're considering it, which might be how you landed on this page, then perhaps reading my sailing love-list could provide you the needed tipping point.

Sailing as a Kid

I first went sailing in a little Hobie Cat at a boy scout summer camp.  I got the sailing merit badge.  That was enough to get me hooked.  I guess I was an easy mark for sailing.  In college, a friend's father was a serious sailing enthusiast.  So much so that he owned a 40 foot boat and needed some help from time to time.  I was almost always available to crew for him on his sailing adventures.

One of my children caught the sailing bug at a camp, too.  She loved it so much that she persuaded us to allow her to participate in a teen adventure program called Sail Caribbean.  What an amazing program that proved to be!  Besides having loads of fun, she returned home with an increased level of confidence.

My Love Sailing Reasons

Okay, in no particular order here are some of the main reasons I love sailing:

Sailing provides an escape. I know that I've already mentioned this one, so I won't spend much time on it.  The hectic and cram-packed work world creates a need for me and lots of others to get away from it all.  Sailing does that.

Sailing gets me out on the water. I love being on the water whether it's a lake or an ocean or sea.  There's something so rejuvenating about that.

There is no engine noise in sailing. Sure, most larger boats have engines mainly for ease getting in and out of dock.  But get out into the wind and those engines are quiet.  In buildings and homes we're surrounded by all sorts of motor or engine noise that, for me, became unnoticeable until I went sailing and experienced that kind of quiet.  Its amazing!

Wind in the sails is a big sailing love of mine. I love the rush and wildness of the wind...the unpredictability of it all.  When the wind catches the sails, I love the sound it makes.  For me, that's a sailing addiction.

Personal satisfaction of navigating the winds and currents and getting where you want to is a sailing turn-on. It's not always easy.  Sometimes there's a lot of wind.  Sometimes, it's calm.  Dealing with these variables is challenging.  It's kind of like solving a puzzle except you're on the move and always needing to make adjustments.

Working synergistically with others is one of the reasons I love sailing. (Of course, this assumes you're on a larger sail boat.)  Actions of every individual crew member affects every other crew member's actions.  Sailing is a live, dynamic sort of thing.  This is particularly underscored if you're racing.  One person's actions and behavior could be what propels your boat to victory or causes you to lag in defeat.

Sailing is fun! I guess I saved the most important and best reason for last.  Even on a bad day, I have a blast when I go sailing.  I love the wind and the water and the sun.  I love the camaraderie amongst the crew.  I love the down time if you find a quiet bay  or inlet.  I love the wild up time with heavy winds where you have to lower sails, too.

CHRISTOPHER CROSS - SAILING

Wikipedia has a good article that you can read when you click on the link I've included in SAILING.