Life In The Slow Lane

I've noticed a pattern in many of the sailors that I've met...we all seem to enjoy life in the slow lane. What I mean is that we all seem to like things that are peaceful and unhurried. We all seem to like quiet things like kayaking and cycling. As a circumstance of sailing, and always wanting to explore new ports, we seem to enjoy walking as well.

The video above, I took while sailing my boat home from the Mimico Yacht Club on the day I bought it. I managed to sail at 5.8 knots with about 12 knots of wind from behind. The waves gave me an extra push and helped get me to Whitby in about 7 hrs. I took the boat home in two jumps...the first was singlehanded from Mimico Yacht Club to Whitby Marina. I was having guests over for dinner that evening so had to leave the boat and pick it up again the next day!! The second jump was from Whitby Marina to Newcastle Marina but on this jump I had my daughter with me which was great. I know that for me, there is nothing as sweet as the moment I turn off the motor. The only sound I hear is the water as it gurgles past the hull and the wind in the sails...at about walking speed. It doesn't get any better than that...That is my heaven!


 Kayaking does the same thing... you hear the paddles dipping rhythmically into the water ....you hear the waves lapping along the shore...as you move along at about walking speed. Cycling gives you the same feeling. Although you can pedal your bike at a fast speed...because of the gearing on the bike..your legs are only moving at walking speed :)

 I like the silent way a sailboat moves through the water and I like the way that a kayak can let you experience nature because there isn't a noisy motor to scare all the wildlife away. I like cycling because it is quiet and it lets you travel distances in a shorter time than walking, doesn't add pollution to our already polluted planet and it's great exercise. I have met a lot of cyclist's who are sailors....or is it sailors who are cyclists...either way, and I've met many sailors who enjoy kayaking and it seems more than a coincidence that we have these hobby's in common.

Kayaking and cycling are examples of life in the slow lane....they are very similar to sailing in that they are done at a nice relaxed pace and most times they let you explore new places. The picture above is of my buddy Adam,  fishing from a kayak while we were kayak camping on Wolf Lake in the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.

It's nice to remember these sunny summer days when it's -20 outside and snowing...brrr..I can't wait for summer...and more life in the slow lane :)

See you on the water

Tom
S/V Cork