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| A beautiful place... |
Relaxing with friends, discussing how to go faster, checking out new gear, helping newbies come up to speed, the feeling of a community... It's so great.
2) Racing
It's intense. Getting away with a good start and tacking to cross in front is a fantastic feeling. A port start done right is huge too. Makes you feel so much alive.
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| Easy on the tiller or you will get wet with excitement. |
Hoisting the kite in strong winds, feeling the accellerations and the vibrations when the boat is pushed to the max and you know just one tiny mistake will slam you right over.
4) Taking off
Planning a cruise is intense. Buy and store food and drink, pack clothes, books and music, check the boat and all gear. Phew. It can get stressy. What is fantastic is the calmness that settles a few minutes after take off. Everything is in place. We're off. The wind decides where we go. Total relaxation. Maybe it's time for the Destination Paradise post...
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| Sudden change of sea-colour. Get the chart out. Like now! |
Visiting the beautiful Swedish archipelago requires precise navigation. Again it is the intenseness, the need for absolute concious presense that rocks.. or rather keeps you off the rocks.
6) Guests
Having guests on board is fantastic. Especially non sailors. Watching how they adapt to life on board, learn the routines and get bitten by the bug... it's an amazing process.
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| There should be a marina here. See something? Anything? |
The realisation of how small we are compared to the universe. The need for extra awareness. Somehow it also gives a very strong feeling of being together, a shared destiny if you will, with those onboard. More nightsailing here...
8) Swimming at sea
Noone around? Sails down, rip off clothes and jump in. Climb up and dry in the sun with a cold beer and a chocolate chip cookie. Less than a handfull of things can beat that.
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| Can we get an orangina and a veggieburger in there? |
Ahh, the restlessness, the anticipation of what will be in there. So many islands to explore.
10) Freedom
No phones, no papers, no email, no plans... just go where ever the wind takes you. Strangely, you cannot always go where you want, but still it's an extreme feeling of freedom.
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| Let's not have really big waves, ok |
Oops! Was that a ten things I like most post? I suppose it had to happen, eventually. Is there a favourite, a number one? Not sure. Do you have a favourite?
Great summary, Noodle! :)
ReplyDeleteA summary or a program? :)
ReplyDeleteGuys... since these are things I like, it is both a summary and a plan :-D
ReplyDeleteAnticipation is half the fun...Your post acurately captures many of the joys of sailing. Funny thing about your list is that all 10 items exist in both RL and SL.
ReplyDeleteAs far as sailing. One hting I would add is the oneness with nature one can experience while sailing. Just knowing that it is me and my wits working the cloth against the wind to move this boat where I want, and sometimes compromising because of changing condition, is a joy. There is no noisy, smelly motor with its costly fuel consumption and maintenance, just the slapping of water against the hull and whistling of wind in the sails. This feeling is hard to express to those who have not been on a sailboat in RL.
True, the oneness is great. I feel it is hidden deep within number ten, but it does deserve specific mentioning. Thanx.
ReplyDeleteThe only other thing that comes to mind is the sense of surealness i get when at anchor after a long day of beating upwind and sitting in my cockpit trying to sail in sl on my crappy laptop
ReplyDeleteRonin, I probably got it wrong, but... does that mean you actually bring ur lappy RL sailing, so that you can SL sail when ur moored?
ReplyDeleteI'm all out and down for #1, #2, #3, #6, and #7! My fondness for #8 has come and gone!
ReplyDeleteAlso liked what J. Garner said!
You still have comment moderation on? Jeeeez!
ReplyDeleteHey Doc... You don't like chocolate chip cookies any more?
ReplyDeleteI know it's kinda your quest to make us all switch off the spamfilters. I hate those captjas or whatever they're called. Can't read half of them. But the moderation? Is this your way to avoid spam? Make all others get it?? Ok, - for you, I'll try and switch it off over the weekend. Let's see how it goes :-D
Noods, if you switch it off just for the last ten days (you can do that) or such, I think you would be perfectly safe from Spam..... I'd almost bet my Speedpuck on it.
DeleteTalk about anticipation, Doc. I am still waiting...
ReplyDelete