To be at the helm and to feel the nuances of the wind...

Around the age of 10, sailing off Quadra island with hippies opened my mind to the idea that people can travel through the water without fossil fuels. Sailing ever since has been a magical mystery and is the best way I know to be closer to mother nature. Imagine... weighing anchor, helping unfurl the sails and being asked to take the helm. The captain then turns off the engine and I feel the 20,000 pound vessel spring to life as she leans into the wind. Suddenly water is splashing off the bow and the speed is climbing on the knot meter. To be at the helm and to feel the nuances of the wind through the sails and rigging at such a young age put sailing into a special place.