By Peter Isler
© 2018 Isler Sailing International
In my life as a professional sailor, I log thousands of miles a year under sail and spend many days and nights afloat. But it’s all about racing – I (almost) never go “cruising”. Sure, like any sailor, I dream of heading off into the sunset (say a South Pacific sunset) with my loved ones on a beautiful wooden schooner – cast off the ties of civilization and all that good stuff. But half of my “day job” is probably pretty similar to yours – stuck behind my laptop and tethered to my cell phone – and the other half requires getting on an airplane and flying to some beautiful place to sail on some incredible boats – with some of the best racing sailors in the world. Ah, the good old treadmill.
The name itself is a Spanish byword for “earthly paradise,” and for hundreds of years it has had an irresistible to attraction to those seeking fame, fortune, or a fresh start. We’re talking about California, of course, but you don’t have to be a gold panner or an aspiring movie star to feel at home in the Golden State–in fact, there are few better things to be than a sailor.