the boat life

Many of the previous posts have been about sailing, specifically the 10 day sail we went on for Ross's birthday. I feel the need to give a bullet point presentation as to why these trips are the best using holga photos from a trip we took in late September. This will help many to understand the boat life, but more importantly, this will hopefully inspire more to embrace the boat life.

This is the standard wake up, at least if it's clear and you have a straight shot towards the eastern horizon. The shot above is a sunrise over Anacapa...this trip I actually woke up and had to pee, and when I went up top, this was my first view of the new day...not bad. And think of the night time sky - shooting stars, the milky way, and usually bioluminscence (spelling??) all around the boat. But back to sunrises (or sunsets), if it's magnificent, there's water to reflect the sky making it twice as intense...kind of like night time during rain - light and color everywhere and that's how the end and beginning of every day are for the boat life.

This is Ross's family's boat. We are very lucky to be on it, but even luckier to be able to take the helm. The horizon above is level - that's how sideways you can get when sailing...and this is sometimes for hours - something you can't do in the car. Besides, there's no engine on, which means no engine sounds - just the gentle wanes going kshhhhhhh against the boat. Also, you can't drink beer while driving a car - well...I should say it is illegal to do so in the U.S. To demonstrate the stoke, let me point out the fact that Ross is throwing out double shakas - he is PUMPED!!!!

Now this is a treat - we got to sail right beside our friends on the way back from surfing together...again, the whole car drive thing is shit compared to this and look at the scenery behind - marvelous!! After sailing side-by-side to our anchorage, we threw a dinner party on our boat. We combined forces - there was a full moon in the sky, a hot breeze coming off the island, and we all sat on the bow drinking beers, eating freshly made green thai curry, while listening to jams and shooting the shit. I think Randy even went for a naked swim after dinner. The truth is, sailing trips are mostly eating trips where we get to sail, hike, surf, dive, etc. in between meals and snacking.

So after eating, diving, sailing, surfing, jumping off the boat, dancing, sleeping, or just chilling - there are things you can do on land...mostly our favorite seems to be hiking (after pretending we are spanish explorers or taking care of business on the sand...you who have experienced this know how maigcal it is). But when you can hike up a steep hillside, huffing and puffing as you get to the top due only to see the fog lift, clouds part, and boat become visible as it sits alone in of the many pristine coves at the island...it is beyond most things peopl have experienced. No, you can't drive a car here. and there are no foot steps on the beach except for ours.

I think these points more than adequately demostrate the superiority of the boat lifestyle. This is in no ways trying to bum anyone out. This post is meant to help others understand, and hopefully inspire many to seek out the boat life and at least some of the many adventures it has to offer.