The first thing some of us think when we talk about sailing is how it’s a luxury sport involving yachts, luxury launches and involves celebrities. However, this image is not quite right. Sailing is also an activity which you can engage in on a weekend to spend time with the family and bond better. And it’s accessible and engaging.
I recently sailed with Aquasail India and indulged in their advanced sailing course where I learned about wind direction, sailing, tacking, gybing and using the spinnaker. It made me feel more empowered. My course was around 20 hours long. With every sailing session in the sea, my heart felt more open. Every evening, I also saw a range of beginners who were just out on fun sails.
I also had the option to pick the beginner sailing course which was around 12-14 hours long but I wanted to learn more sailing skills. As each day passed by during my learning journey, I felt like I improved my skills on sea. It was also freeing to be there in the ocean, miles away from land and leave all my worries behind. As I spent time with my instructor sailing on the waves of the Arabian Sea, I felt like I had learned philosophies about impermanence, change, adapting and letting go. Sailing was indeed helping me to turn into a better person.
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My interest to sail began when I felt the need to be outdoors. I felt like I had been spending too long in the office, home, restaurants and cafés. There were limited opportunities to be outdoors in the city, or so I thought. Sailing felt like a breath of fresh air compared to my usual lifestyle. “Post covid there has been a rise in sailing because during covid most people were just sitting at home. Now the desire for outdoors is higher. Moreover, people have higher income and there is greater propensity to spend. Now people want to do things rather than simply sightseeing “ says Shakeel Kudrolli, director at Aquasail India.
On the last day of my sailing course, I sailed all the way to Alibag from Mumbai. It took us around 2 hours to sail till there. On the way, we spot rare popeye dolphins and also crossed the oil rigs which are located in the Arabian Sea. In Mandwa, I also tried other activities including catamaran, kayaking and windsurfing. My favourite activity there was the catamaran where the instructor connected me to a trapeze and I was managing the sailboat while hanging out of the hobie cat. In the beginning, I remember being slightly afraid of moving water but I overcome it during the course.
“The most important thing is sailing is to help the student overcome their fear and help them build the right mindset for life” says Evans Simiyu, the RYA certified instructor who taught me sailing. My instructor was in Mumbai all the way from Kenya. He is a national champion in sailing in Kenya and visits India during the monsoon season in Kenya when he can’t sail there. During sailing lessons, Evans and I also taught each other Swahili and Hindi. During one session, I remember we spoke about the history of Lion King and its roots in Kenya. It was an intercultural experience like no other. My introduction to Afro house hits has been nothing short of spectacular.
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At every point in time during the course, Evans was my person for everything. Be it relying on him for protein bars during the course or him thoughtfully packing a sandwich the night before for an early morning sailing session, Evans defined what a great instructor is meant to be like. Looking back, had it not been for Evans, I would have not felt so comfortable in the ocean. He added a lightness to every moment while ensuring he taught me all the skills on a serious note.
Sailing has applications for diverse groups. For children, sailing can be a great hobby to pick up to improve their motor skills. Moreover, sailing is a green sport that uses wind rather than motorised engines. This invokes climate consciousness among children and makes them dream of clear waters and pollution free skies. With the internet taking over children’s mind space, sailing is an activity which is screen free and involves real world interaction.
“For families, sailing can improve bonding and it can be a leisure activity. In Mumbai, most people believe there’s not much to the city besides hotels and food, however sailing is a great break to have” says Zia Hajeebhoy, director at Aquasail. For older people who are holed in their homes, sailing can be a deeply freeing experience.
While, I learned sailing on the Keel boat, there are options to learn sailing on the dinghy boats too which are available at the Aquasail base in Goa. With a wide range of activities and experiences to choose from, there are multiple reasons to try sailing and experience the sport.
While my sailing course was completed, I couldn’t help but miss the sea. I decided to take my family out on a fun sail and they loved the experience deeply. It was exhilarating for me to see how my family was picking up a new hobby. I remember my instructor recommended me to watch the movie ‘True Spirit’ which is about the youngest girl who sails around the world alone. Even though, I am not that girl, I am still a girl who sails around the sea and feels like a new person who has left my worries behind every once in a while. Sailing has helped me to be that person and I am empowered.