1st Anniversary - I'm So Happy

[DarkBlue]

Yes, that's true, tomorrow the 6th of September will mark my 1st year has a "sailor".

Back in 2008 I decided that it was time to start to learn sailing and on the 6th of September I enrolled in a basic sailing course and had my 1st sailing lesson. Tomorrow I will be starting an advanced course and in 2 months I will be doing a Cruisers Course.

Since then I have been sailing all the weekends I can and have learned the art in some different boats (G7.25, Dufour 34, Grand Soleil 40...). During this year I also got my Local Skipper license (mandatory in Portugal if you want to sail by yourself) and soon I will start my classes for the Coastal Skipper license.

I'm completely hooked on sailing. I've been reading tons of books, magazines, web sites...I start my day thinking about sailing boats and I go to bed and I dream about sailing.

I decided to make a sabatical year from my own company (a marketing and management company specialized in motorsports - quite a different world!) just to have my weekends of sailing and to have time to read, to learn and to concentrate on sailing.

Sailing has changed me. The smells, the sounds, the motion, the elements, all so diferent and so unique from those that we are used from...land.

It's been 1 year since I have made this decision that real changed my life, or at least the way I now see life.

[idpnd]

[ColdFusion]

Originally Posted by DarkBlue

I'm completely hooked on sailing. I've been reading tons of books, magazines, web sites...I start my day thinking about sailing boats and I go to bed and I dream about sailing.

Sailing has changed me. The smells, the sounds, the motion, the elements, all so diferent and so unique from those that we are used from...land.

That sounds familiar

Congratulations on your first anniversary Don't forget you have to run aground and fall overboard before you can call yourself a real sailor

[Chief Engineer]

Half of the enjoyment of sailing is ....thinking about it.

[Ocean Girl]

Wow, great post DarkBlue
Happy anniversay...
Erika
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She starts--she moves--she seems to feel
the thrill of life along her keel,
And spurning with her foot the ground,
With one exulting, joyous bound,
She leaps into the ocean's arms!"
-Longfellow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[James S]

Nice to hear that DarkBlue...happy first year!

[DarkBlue]

Another great Sunday afternoon and what a better way to commemorate my 1st Anniversary!
First 2 hours with 20 knots of wind N, Genoa+Main with 1 reef on. Last 2 hours with Beaufort 6 and growing, Genoa out+Main with 3 reefs on! Lots of Hobie Cats upside down.

Thank yoy for your posts idpnd, ColdFusion, Chief Engineer, Ocean Girl and James S

ColdFusion, I almost followed your advice

YouTube - 1st Anniversary

[flashmutt007]

Thanks for the video. Happy Anniversary! May another 50 be just around the corner!

[DarkBlue]

Originally Posted by flashmutt007

May another 50 be just around the corner!

Hummm another 50...that would make me a 92 years old sailor

[MarkJ]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the video! We are at a marina with free internet so I got to look at it! Yippee!


Mark

[Reality Check]

Originally Posted by DarkBlue

Hummm another 50...that would make me a 92 years old sailor

That seems like a nice goal!!!

[imagine2frolic]

If you are going to be addicted to something. It might as well be something that will improve your health, and outlook on life. Congradulations, and thanks for the video. It looked like a great sail.......i2f