Traveling By Sailboat

Mostly, I travel on foot.  I backpack.  Some times I travel by Canoe.  On rare occasions I sail.

Sailing might have to be the best though, it’s pure magic…or at least it feels that way.  You’re sitting there adjusting ropes and raising sails and then, as if by magic, the sails puff out and the boat begins to move…and once everything is just right you can sit back and cook grilled cheeses while you’re moving.  Or read a book…or just casually sit back in the sun and chat with your friends.

Now I’m not saying the boat sails it’s self entirely, on a good day you still have to be a little bit involved, but compared to walking or paddling this sailing business can be down right relaxing.

Of course on a bad day it’s different.  Salt water everywhere, numb hands holding soggy ropes while the wind tries to blow your cloths off.  Now simple things like going to the bathroom or drinking water become nerve-wracking endeavors.

Sailboats+Camping is my favorite.  Sleeping on the decks of open boats with just a tarp over your head is wonderful, with the rocking boat and all the sounds of the ocean right there.  And camping in a tent on shore is a good option too.  The little bit of time I’ve spent on bigger sailboats with real cabins was less-awesome but that’s just my limited experience.

The down side of course is that sailboats are, for the most part, very expensive to buy and to maintain, extremely heavy and difficult to transport, and a serious skill to learn.  It’s not intuitive, you can’t just figure it all out as you go.  I tried this once and it was an amazing adventure that lasted all of 5 minutes before we grounded out down wind on a beach.

Still, sailing is amazing.  It will always hold a special place in the world of adventure, and it’s definitely worth giving it a try.  You can cook while you’re moving, need I say more?