From Anchor to Adventure: Why Sailing is the Perfect Way to Travel

It’s National Learn to Sail Month! And this has me reliving and reminiscing my own sailing journey…

Sailing has been a time-honored tradition in my husband’s family, with endless stories of his ‘Grandad Johns’ taking him and his family on many memorable sailing adventures. To commemorate this tradition, over a decade ago (hard to believe!), my (future) in-laws graciously invited me to join the family on my very first sailing adventure around the stunning Spanish Virgin Islands.

I disembarked with a newfound appreciation and love for the lifestyle and the opportunities it granted us to explore so many unique places in such a special way. Maybe I hinted out loud, maybe I didn’t, but I do know that all I could think as we bid farewell and thank you to our beautiful boat (The Pentesilea II) and her Crew (Travis and Rose) was, “When is our next sailing adventure!?”

Thankfully, I must have proven my “seaworthiness,” because not long after, we received an email from my husband’s parents: “Would you all be interested in another sailing trip in Greece?” No hesitation from this end—absolutely, unequivocally, the answer was YES!

Although we had embarked on another sailing journey with friends around the popular BVI before boarding our majestic 54’ monohull in Athens, our trip around Greece’s Saronic Islands was the one that absolutely cemented in my mind that this was a lifestyle and community I wanted to become a part of. It was as if I’d had a whole new world exposed to me, a world that I had never even realized existed. All I could think of was how many other unique, incredible, and special regions were out there, just waiting for me to explore!

And so it began. In the year 2019, my husband and I (and now even my sister, who’d heard us relive our amazing adventures and fallen captive to “the dream”) went to work and scheduled our sailing lessons to earn our 101-104 American Sailing Certifications in April 2020 at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center.

Alas, if simply reading that date gives you pause… I can confirm your intuition would be correct. A worldwide pandemic and stay-at-home orders proved to be a deterrent we were forced to navigate. However, by the end of 2020, we had done it! We were officially granted our American Sailing 101-104 Bareboat Certifications.

Now, thanks or no thanks to another 2020 plan being foiled, my (then) fiancé and I’s decision to cancel our overseas elopement had left us with some free time and money (and a simple piece of paperwork from the local courthouse declaring us newlyweds). So, we decided to plan an intimate ‘buddymoon’ with a couple of friends from our COVID ‘bubble’, returning for a sail around the region that started it all—the Spanish Virgin Islands. A trip that did come with plenty of setbacks and headaches, navigating the ongoing pandemic and its effect on a charter boat and base that had essentially sat unattended for months. However, even looking back now, I cannot imagine a better way to have ‘escaped’ this crazy world we were all living in at that time.

And that’s what sailing has become for me. Freedom. Adventure. ESCAPE. Now, only four short years later, we’ve set sail in so many different and beautiful destinations (the USVI, Croatia, the Cote d’Azur, St. Maarten/Martin, Sicily, the Canary Islands, and more). Moreover, we’ve had the opportunity to open up this world and share this lifestyle with friends. Many who, like me, are now eager to ask, “When is our next sailing adventure!?”

To me, and many others, sailing isn’t just a mode of travel; it’s a way of life that offers unparalleled experiences and connections. Whether it’s the thrill of navigating through beautiful and sometimes challenging waters, the serene beauty of a sunset over the horizon, or the camaraderie built with fellow sailors and locals alike, sailing brings a unique blend of adventure and tranquility. For those who have considered joining (or have joined us) on our recent voyages, I often provide a compiled list of reasons why (I believe) sailing is such a fantastic way to travel.

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A List Of Reasons To Sail
(according to the author)

So you may be asking yourself.. “what exactly is this fascination with sailing?” While it’s true, life aboard a sailboat can strip you of many luxuries enjoyed on land (or an enormous cruise ship) and space can be tight.. Many find that the opportunities a sailing trip affords them far outweigh the sacrifices.

Of course, there is the obvious – (most) days filled with sun, blue skies, the wide open sea, dreamy anchorages, wildlife crossing your route like whales, dolphins, turtles and fish of every kind, crowned by the beautiful sunset at the end of each day. But there are so many other benefits to choosing sea travel over land travel. Below I’ve listed just a few..

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Sailing is an adventure.

Just as in life, many find that sailing offers a journey that sometimes exceeds the actual destination. When traveling over vast open water, you’ll have plenty of time to relax and gaze out to sea while letting your mind clear from all the stresses on shore. However, there are also action-packed moments as well, sending the adrenaline pumping through your body while you work to conquer the wind and the waves. No other activity brings you so close to the elements of nature.

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But OH those destinations!

Sailing is an experience that allows you to visit some of the world’s most special locations that are incredibly remote and can only be reached by water vessel. While at these locations, you will be able to enjoy the fact that we are literally ON the water, meaning a quick swim or snorkel is just a short hop off the boat! Enjoy unobstructed sunsets and sunrises and evenings under a blanket of stars thanks to the lack of light pollution.

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An entirely new way to travel.

Sure, you can plan a 7 day trip on land that grants you the opportunity to experience a different city or town each night, but what about all the wasted time packing, unpacking and checking in to a new hotel room each night? On a sailboat, your accommodations come with you each day!

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Create new friendships.

The sailing community is like no other. On board, being in such close quarters with one another and creating memories of a lifetime together creates a special sort of bond. On shore, or at anchorage, it’s easy to make new friends since the common bond of cruising ensures that conversation never runs dry.. In fact the term “sundowners” refers to the honored sailing tradition of imbibing a cold beverage as the sun sets with your new best friends.

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An experience like no other.

When the only constraints to your schedule are the wind (weather) and your visa, you’ll find the whole world seems to open up! Whether you are looking for peace or adventure, life on a boat allows you the freedom to choose. No set schedules, only endless opportunities!

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Often, my sailing journeys have offered more than just a destination—they’ve provided a sense of freedom, discovery, and an ever-deepening appreciation for the world around us. If sailing is something you’ve been considering, my advice would be: Don’t Wait!

As the popular saying goes, “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

A quick thank you to all who have been an important part my journey. Thank you to my husband’s parents, Jim and Susan Murphy, without whom I would have never had the chance to discover the opportunity and beauty that sailing has to offer. To our past and future crewmates, especially my sister, who have accompanied us on these sometimes crazy but always fun adventures. To Captain Jon and Captain Ken at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center, who ensured that learning to sail was not only packed with lots of information and plenty of sailing drills, but also a lot of laughs. To my husband (sometimes my skipper, sometimes my first mate) for being by my side during it all.

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EMBARK ON A SAILING VACATION

Want to see what sailing is all about before you begin your sailing education journey? A Flotilla or a Cruise aboard a larger-scale sailing vessel is a great place to start!

COMBINE VACATION + LEARNING

A great way to earn your American Sailing Certifications is embarking on a Learn-To-Sail Vacation where you can experience, first hand, the ‘cruising’ and/or ‘liveaboard’ lifestyle while earning your certifications in a unique and beautiful destination.