The long road ahead...

So I mentioned that this is just the beginning right?  John and I have a LOT of work before we achieve our cruising goal.  It would probably be a good idea to cross off two very important things from our "to-do" list.

1) Learn how to sail
2) Get a boat

We've been tiptoeing around both concepts as we tried to figure out if this was just a fantasy or actually something we'd like to pursue.  Since the itch just won't go away, we're launching the new lifestyle of becoming sailors.

Boats are nothing new to John and me.  We work on the water and we play on the water.  Its a logical step to start living on the water.  The big adjustment will be learning how to efficiently capture the wind.  John has some childhood memories on sailboats and I've played on a Sunfish or two in my time but I'm gonna go out on a limb by saying we have PLENTY to learn.  We want to be fully prepared for the experience (which is the advice that we've been gaining from our recent research of all things cruising).

A couple of weeks ago, John and I took our first sailing class.  We were both pleasantly surprised how naturally it came to us.  We are now officially converts.  Here is a list of the things that we appreciate so much more on a sailing vessel compared to powerboats.

•   The quiet
• I never realized how noisy the engine was until we turned it off as we hoisted the sails.  Silence is a beautiful song and the background melody of the cloth lapping in the wind is just so peaceful.  
• The work
• It seems like there is never a dull moment on a sailboat.  I like being active.  It's hard work but there is something about each task that actually relieved our stress.  Mundane daily problems were washed away.  And, we slept like babies following a full day of working on the water.
• We were feeling green
• No, not seasick but eco-friendly.  John and I try to live as sustainable as possible but fuel usage on a powerboat is inevitable.  Once we were traveling with the wind, we felt so much better about ourselves (not to mention the money that is saved from using natural resources!).
• Its primitive
• We viewed our act of sailing as an ancient art.  John says this is his favorite part.  He enjoyed "harnessing the wind" and I almost expected him to start Aaargh-ing like a true pirate.  It was as if he was a part of history, taken back in time as he sailed the seven seas!       

While there is much more to be learned about sailing, its comforting to know that we are enjoying ourselves.  Next on the horizon is to start checking out boats... actual boats (not the endless online surfing that we've been doing for a couple of years now). 

Until next time... 

Love, 

John-Kristen-Reef-Caya