As many of you know, when Lloyd told me he wanted to buy a boat and sail around, I knew I was in. I'm always in for exploring, discovering, learning and getting out of my comfort zone. And I was in a moment in which I needed a big change in my life, so I was definitely in.
There was a little "problem" though... I had never been sailing before! It could be that I got easily seasick, scared or I just didn't like it. But there was only one way of knowing... trying!
Before we got Ambrym I had done some "training": a couple of days in the lakes in Ireland in an Etap 20, a long summer crossing lakes in Austria onboard a Happycat inflatable catamaran... but does that even count?
So when we got Ambrym and moved to Greece, everything was new to me! When I look back and see how much I learnt in less than 5 months I can hardly believe it.
From basic sailing notions, to how to move around in a boat, living in a small space, slowing down, how the "guts" of the boat work, sanding/painting/repairing... so so many things.
Even if we didn't really make long passages or been disconnected from towns, etc for more than a couple of days, I'd never been so long in touch with nature before. So conscious of all that is around me... waking up in the mornings and going for 10 minutes stretching session on deck before the sun gets too strong. Going for a swim and especially snorkelling around the boat.
Do you know that feeling when you're in a plane but you can't really feel that you're suspended in the air? The same happens to me in the boat. Until I go swimming and see Ambrym from underwater. So big, floating, following the chain and seeing the small link to the ground. The fishes around (and sadly a lot of rubbish everywhere too)... gives me a level of self-consciousness and awareness that is normally difficult for me to get to.
And of course sailing. Using just the wind to move around and travel. Learn how to adjust the sails and the course to get the best from it. From the wind, the sea, the waves. An also learning how everything can change in a minute and get uncomfortable or dangerous. It's just nature and us (and luckily a lot of technology to help us too!)
But there's still so much to learn! Ambrym is a great boat, but being a Schooner, a heavy boat, and sailing in the Mediterranean, Lloyd is still getting used to her, while teaching me as much as possible. We are looking forward to being back in the water again!!
[I started this post to tell you how I spent Easter learning more about sailing... but I think I'll have to write a separate post...!]
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