Posted By: Jeff Peterson
Three Kinds of Sailors - 03/13/07 01:41 AM
(Somehow, I think Hobie sailors will understand this, more than the generic catamaran sailors.)
There are 3 kinds of sailors, and you may be one, two, or even all three of these at the same time.
I used to think there were only two kinds of sailors; competitive sailors, and recreational sailors.
Competitive sailors need and like, to display their sailing prowess and their superiority to other sailors. They are competing to show who is “Number One”. To the winner go the spoils (and the women). This is the theory of evolution, as applied to the mastery of the wind. Of course, the male sailor prefers the ability of the female sailor, over mere feminine appearance. (Did that get me off the hook, gals?)
Recreational sailors need to enjoy the pure pleasure of the journey. It is not the destination that matters, it is how we get there. We enjoy the warmth of the sun, the caress of the breeze, and the feel of speed with no purpose. To show our appreciation to the Gods of the wind, we will sacrifice a few cans of beer. We sail for joy.
But, there is something else at work in the wind. Something that is hard to grasp, but can’t be denied. This is the mystery that is felt by the “spiritual sailor”. To the spiritual sailor, the wind is alive. Our sails fill with the breath of the universe. Time has no meaning, as we sail the oceans of infinity. We are sailing close to that ultimate home that we have always longed for. Nothing else, now matters. Without the constricts of time, the infinite sea can be viewed from every vantage point. It is everything and nothing, all at the same time. In the words of Loreena McKennitt:
This sailor’s life is like a morning star,
A setting sun, or rolling waves at sea,
A gentle breeze, or lightning in a storm,
A dancing dream of all eternity.