Sailing 215 nm on open seas seems a daunting experience, why do it? I want to tell you some of the joys of that venture. Once the sails went up and the engine turned off, the world around you changes, the sounds, and sights are dominated by the sea, the wind and your passage as the boat cuts through the waves. There is no longer any mechanical noise, just the sound of the wind in the sails and the sea foaming around the bow as you drive through it. Like a big brother, the dolphins come close, perhaps looking for food, but more likely just curious about this big "fish" they have found. After following a bit, they depart, leaving us listening for their breathing, wanting to hear and see more. Another occasional boat, even a large cargo ship creates temporary excitement, as you watch them pass by, or follow along for a period.
Then there are the views that surround you. Sunrises at sea are spectacular, an orange glow on the horizon that settles like a fog in the distance, then that slight orange arc peaks just slightly and the whole sky lights up a brilliant prism of reds and oranges and yellows. As the sun continues its climb in the sky everything sparkles, the sea becomes a bed of glistening twinkles and everything becomes brighter. The nights are even better, as the sun sets the whole sky lights up with color, it seems to drop off the edge of the earth, just as mariners believed before Galileo. The sun gone, then the wait begins for the moon to rise, it's very disconcerting when it doesn't come up until late in the night. It gets so dark you can't see in front of the boat and you begin to wonder if the night will last forever. When the moon does begin to rise it takes on a special ambiance at the sea. The brightness, even small quarter moons, shine across the sea like a path or beacon of light, illuminating the ripples and waves of the water. As you progress the moon becomes a guide, marking your path. And then there are the stars ! You will never see stars like at sea, billions in galaxies and constellations, scattered across the sky for a far as you can see, a never ending tapestry filling every view, every corner of an unlimited sky. There is nothing as majestic, or as humbling.