Challenge: One Word About Sailing

[Jolly Roger]

Whilst recently waxing eloquent about the joys of sailboats and sailing, a friend (cynic that he is), shut me up by asking for one word, which epitomized my interest, (he used the word fixation), with sailing and boats. I had to think a bit, but finally decided on ‘anticipation.’ This being the skill difference between a good sailor, who anticipates every possible eventuality, and one who gets himself in all sorts of otherwise anticipated messes - which others often have to help out with .
I thought this might be an interesting exercise for those like me…..with nothing else to do.
One word only, OK. Explain if you wish, but only one word - which sums up sailing for you.

[Microship]

Exuberance

It's limiting, this exercise, since sailing is so many different things to the same person at different times. "Exuberance" pops into my mind when I think of bounding along on a nice reach, but then scores of other images start crowding in... ranging from endless to-do lists to heart-stopping fear.

-Steve

http://www.nomadness.com/blog

[James S]

freedom

[Jolly Roger]

Microship is correct, but that's the teaser, and where the thought needs to come in. One word, otherwise we will be arguing for ever. Let's see how many choose the same word, and settle for that.
ROGER

[John P]

Total freedom is what I always felt when sailing.

[imagine2frolic]

artform....................i2f

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by John P

Total freedom is what I always felt when sailing.

Freedom was the word that came to mind for me as well.

[iiii]

Freedom was the 1st thing I thought of.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Escapism

[MarkJ]

Freedom.



Yeah, its gotta be that. I shouldn't have looked at the other posts first.

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

a friend (cynic that he is), shut me up by asking for one word, which epitomized my ...fixation.

We have an attitude on this boat about negatives, cynical negative people and the same old dumb questions (aren’t you afraid of pirates?)
We just ignor it/them, brush it off or make a joke.

Cynics know how to fame unanswerable questions. They are really just designed to hurt you. You could think the answer out for days and rack your brains... and then telling the cynic your answer he might just nod and say "i was just asking". You will always be made to feel inadequate.


Freedom is just a word, its over used, even hackneyed "You can take our lives but you'll never take our freedom" etc
The Freedom I get is much more than just the one word... its much more intellectual. One of my many freedoms is to have time to play on the internet while cruising (and Nicolle is asleep -yep she sleeps a lot!). The freedom to come and go as we please -tempered by season, location etc but our plans are our plans.
Freedom that comes with being the Master and Commander of a ship at sea or in port - tempered by the bloody dockmaster and towing shopping in the dink!
The freedom of time to stay here another week or go to the next palm fringed tropical paradise.
Freedom from the 'earthly' toil of the 8.05am bus to work, bills, mowing the lawn, visiting Mum when shes lonely etc.

Yes freedom it is. But the one word can't express all our freedoms and how lucky we are to be free to sail the waves with the seabirds wheeling overhead.

But a Cynic would never want to understand. So why give them the pleasure of even one word?

Yours, in freedom,

Mark

[Cheechako]

challenge

[TaoJones]

Amblin'

TaoJones

[Bash]

(More than anything else, what floats my boat is that my boat floats.)

[READY2GO]

Excapingdailyrealityandjustrelaxing.

Ok, so I cheated.

[CharlieCobra]

Peace

Even in the middle of a force 11 storm, there's nothing quite as peaceful or satisfying to me.