Sailing
Everything we do has risks, and anybody who ventures out to sea in a small sailing boat takes a risk simply by doing so. Getting closer to nature we try and avoid using engines as much as possible and prefer to use sail. We also tend not to avoid any gadgets and other components that use vast amounts of power, are very susceptible to break down, cost a lot of money, and are largely unnecessary.
When we go to sea with sail alone we feel close to nature and alive; when we use only the wind and our own resources, we feel a true sense of working in perfect harmony with what is natural. The sense of achievement is heightened, the skills sharpen exponentially, our train of thought is allowed to deepen, and we leave no footprint of our existence whatsoever. In short, we live that much closer to ourselves. Our understanding of life is enhanced by living closer to our natural selves. Being on or near the ocean, very little else comes anywhere near to providing the peace and understanding that we seek.
Sailing a heavily built, long keeled cutter is a sharp lesson in sail training. But for those that come to handle a boat under sail and sail alone, a level of competence and understanding with the sea is reached that will seldom be touched upon otherwise.
