Sailing

When Tom asked me in 1994 whether I would like to join him on a sailing trip, I could not possibly have understood the full significance of that commitment. Those two weeks were very formative: I met my wife, and over the years sailing has put me into many situations I would never have experienced otherwise.

The first seconds after the engine is switched off and the boat starts moving solely under the power of the wind; the stillness of a bay at sunrise; the exhaustion after a full day under sail; or the moment during a night passage, in strong winds, when a thunderstorm builds up and a decision has to be made about where to go. The feeling of being in control, combined with the realization that you are, at the same time, also at the mercy of the elements.

So far, I have been fortunate to share space on a boat with many different people, and I am looking forward to those still to come; setting off as a group and arriving as a crew.

Relaxation, for me, is when no one asks, “What time is it?”, but instead, “What day is it?” and that happens on almost every voyage.

I have found my sailing home with the NCA, where I have also met many like-minded people. Sailors are not better people, but they are usually compatible with me 😉

In this section, I plan to document my sailing activities in the future.

Enjoy reading — and I hope the wanderlust doesn’t become too overwhelming…