While vacationing in Eleuthera we did a “sundowner rum cruise”.  This is where someone with a sailboat hires out to take a bunch of rum soaked tourists out for about an hour just around sundown.  I’d never been on a big sailboat before and thought it was pretty nice.  We motored out which was kind of boring but the ‘hosts’ kept the glasses full so it was ok.  Then we turned around as dark descended to head back in.  The owners ran up the sails and cut the engine.

Suddenly that boat took on a whole new life.

My feet felt that boat’s excitement, the energy thrumbed over the deck and radiated up my entire being.  In that one moment, with the warm spray off the bow and the phosphorescence trailing along in the water, I became hooked.  Twenty years later I still remember how she felt with the wind in her sails.  It really was amazing, she totally came alive.  I’ll bet the owners of that boat have no idea how very much they impacted a lone rum soaked guest.

Whisper sometimes speaks to me the same way.  It must be something that happens naturally with wind and water.  I’ve never had any of our power boats do this.  I must admit, this is something I’ve thought on over the years.  I’ve only had this happen under sail, maybe it’s the energy of the wind and the strain it produces on the mast and standing rigging.  Which in turn, vibrates and runs over the deck and connects with your feet.

I only know it’s a unique sensation that doesn’t happen each time I’m out.  This is probably a good thing as I’d never leave the boat if it did.  There is something almost primordial, a symbiosis of sailboat and soul.  If you’ve never felt this, then my Christmas wish for you is that you connect with the energy that lives in the wind and water.

Twenty some odd years ago I stood on the deck of a sailboat and spent a slightly tipsy hour sailing on the Caribbean.  Warm air, soft spray and more stars than I’ve seen since.  If you ever took out the tourists and just rolled your eyes and laughed as you pocketed a few cruising dollars, then maybe you took me out.  You’ll never know just how much that single hour impacted me.  Thank You!