For me, sailing offers a unique combination of adventure, relaxation, and the freedom to explore the open water. There is a sense of serenity that comes with trimmed sails and a full spinnaker, propelling you silently across the water.
My sailing career began on Kismet, a 36′ Catalina MkII sailboat moored in San Francisco Bay in the early 2000s.
In San Francisco, the sailing season is from March to October. During these months, I could be found crewing Kismet on day sails around the bay and out into the open water beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sailing is a magical sport, but it’s not for everyone.
I’ve loved the harrowing rush of heeling at 15 and 25 degrees under full sails and rushing wind, to the relaxing day without wind, simply motoring the city front on a calm sunny day.
Sailing isn’t always about the power of the wind or the waves. Sailing is also medium for bringing people together and enjoying the beauty of being on the water.
After moving to the UAE, we were fortunate enough to occasionally crew Snowbird, a 36′ Bennateau moored in the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club.
The Club recently held its annual end-of-season raft-up at the Dubai World Islands. While it wasn’t a day of sailing, it was a great community-building event.
And the coup de grâce of the day was this amazing picture taken from a Club member who was piloting a flight out of Dubai on our raft-up day!
