Sailing has been in my blood since seeing Captain’s Courageous as a child. Saltwater is in my veins, and yours our science teacher reminds us. My saltwater soul is something I inherited from my parents, though. The feeling of moving in sync with mother nature as the winds carry you to distant lands is an integral part of sailing the high seas. Having said all of this, when my husband and I bought our first sailboat (before our first house:) the reality set in quickly. Yes it was exhilarating to glide over the waves, pushed by a gentle breeze. As an actual sailor, I found that changing to a smaller sail in a squall while Captain Robert manned the helm was less romantic. Cooking below decks in a small cabin while rocking back and forth, not so gently, wasn’t my favorite occupation either. Now as I watch others sail by on the bay while I enjoy a seafood platter on Fisherman’s Wharf patio, is my favorite occupation. When my fishin’ buddy Randy called to invite me to join in a tour of the US Coast Guard’s training vessel, The Eagle, I couldn’t wait to see how this ocean-going vessel operated when manned by professional sailors. Was it easier for them?

The ropes and tackle were at least ten times larger than I handled. I can’t begin to imagine the arm strength required by these sailors to haul up the mainsail:) The crew was a wonderful source of sailing knowledge, and they clearly loved their vessel. I asked why there was a moss-looking substance encasing some of the halliards. Simple explanation, that was frayed old rope allowed to remain as protection against rubbing against and wearing down the sails. There was obvious pride in the crew who were allowed to sail this beautiful tall ship from the past. We did run into the ship’s cook as we passed the galley. She assured us that even though her galley was substantially larger than mine, it wasn’t any more fun to cook in heavy seas:) Randy and I were allowed to ring the ship’s bell for good luck before we left. Good luck for me was sitting on my very stable patio at Diamond Beach, watching the sun go down over the gulf. It was a tour worth waiting in the Texas heat for an hour to enjoy, and I don’t say that lightly.