Sailing School vs. Sailing

We now have two ASA sailing courses under our newbie belts! We were able to combine 101 and 103 in four days on Lake Minnetonka.

There is so much to learn that I feel as though I learned nothing at all.  One thing is clear. I love sailing, but I'm not such a huge fan of sailing school.  Both Henry and I passed with flying colors, but there's a lot to memorize.  And I feel certain that we need to practice more often to keep all of this fresh.  I can see where it would simply fade away if we don't use it regularly.  

Another clear lesson: There is something in sailing for just about any personality type. I really enjoy gentle sailing on calm waters. There's nothing like it.  I greatly appreciate the beauty of nature and the pristine beauty of open water. 

Meanwhile, a first for our captain.  We did a buoy drill that I absolutely hated!  Crazy figure eights on a 23 foot sloop is not my idea of fun. The wind was pretty strong and the boat heeled a little too much for my taste. Our captain said she had NEVER seen a reaction like mine.  She said everyone loves it, because it's so fast and fun.  I completely hated it.

I don't think that racing is in my future.