Life Changing

30 years ago (1985), I discovered what sailing was really about.  I had a wonderful girlfriend that worked for Apple.  We had moved in together in San Mateo on the lagoon at Leo J. Ryan Park.  Our apartment was a one bedroom on the lagoon.  A friend of mine gave me a windsurfer for the summer.   It was a Bic with a very basic rig.  No matter, I ripped it up day after day and had a blast.  A storm came through and I had my first night sail on the lagoon.  From there, I progressed through 12 more years of heavy duty windsurfing all over the bay and delta.  60-70 days a season.  25-35 knots all the time!  I loved it.  Windsurfing is alot like the freedom of winter skiing.  But there is a huge difference.  When I head to a ski resort like Beaver Creek in Colorado, the skiing is awesome, but I need to stay on the trails and inbounds.  When I windsurfed, there were no boundaries or trails and I could sail anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted.  Total freedom.  It's the same with sailing a boat.  I was out the other night on Addiction and there was no one out but me.  The sun was setting and I had this amazing moment of clarity:  I was born to be on the water!  Since I was three, I have been in or on the water.  Swimming, diving, snorkeling, water skiing, SCUBA, kayaking, canoeing, house boating, barging, sculling, windsurfing, white water rafting, surfing, skim boarding, jet skiing, life guarding, boogie boarding, sailing, hot tubbing, Hobie catting, water polo, Marco Poloing, cruising, banana boating, making love and dogie paddling in and on this watery planet.  I was born to sail this amazing planet.  And I will.