I'm Sailing Away

Tonight would have been my last night crewing on a colleague's boat, however last week we had extreme wind conditions and I re-injured my shoulder during two very taxing spinnaker exchanges.  Not to mention I almost fell into the water during an emergency maneuver to avoid hitting another boat, so I am sure that stressed my shoulder a bit as well while trying to hang on to the safety line.

I've enjoyed these weekly summer respites.  My husband finds sailing "too slow" for his taste, but there's nothing more soothing and relaxing to me than spending time on the open water.  Of course, I learned to sail on smaller boats like Lasers and Hobie Cats, so speed has always been an enjoyable part of the experience for me, which is probably why I like crewing on a racing boat.  But, some of the most pleasurable times have been the ride home, sipping beers while slowly making our way back to the harbor.  We rehash the race, talk about upcoming events, there's even been a few discourses on the merits of the local professional teams.

While I am excited about moving to California, I am saddened at all the things I am leaving behind, one of which will be this summer experience.  However, one of my favorites quotes is about sailing, and so I will end with this as I look ahead to my move and new life's experiences...


"A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for." - John A. Shedd