After riding a high of a New York weekend and engagement, we are back on the boat in Haverstraw, struggling through delays for parts, bad weather, and crummy docking experiences. During rainy nights like these we are drawn to re-reread a journal entry Mark made at the beginning of our trip.
We often say that “sailing has everything”.
Massive highs, massive lows and the swings in between. Boredom, excitement, terror, enthusiasm. It offers a chance to practice tenacity, relaxation, thoughtfulness, conscientiousness. A place to fix things, break things, solve problems and make them. It challenges your mind and body, while satisfying a sense of adventure.
Sailing teaches you to appreciate the simplest things: Food, water, shelter, weather, power, and (not to mention) a hot shower. Sailing gives you the time and the opportunity to stare out over the horizon for hours, to see sunrises and sunsets in the same day, to go wherever your heart desires and to respect nature because ultimately it has the final say.
We often say you can’t have a schedule, more of a plan with a backup plan…and a backup to the backup plan…and plans change.
You learn to appreciate the sunny days until there are too many in a row, then you appreciate the clouds. You learn to crave wind in the doldrums and calm in a storm.
There’s always something to do if you want to do it, but you don’t always have to do it right away. Sailing gives you a chance to do what you want to do, be who you want to be, and figure out just how the hell you’re gonna get there.
Sailing has everything.