By Paul Jones

I am often asked how I became interested in sailing, why I sail, and when I started. I honestly cannot remember when I first became interested in sailing. I remember having the book "Scuppers the Sailor Dog" read to me as a child. Maybe that planted a seed. I grew up on a farm in North central Kansas about as far from an ocean, river, or sailable lake as one can. Kansas has a lot of wind. The Native American name for Kansas is the "Land of the South Wind". Mark Schraeder, who has sailed around the world alone twice and was race director of the single handed around the world sailboat race, the ‘94-95 BOC Challenge, grew up in neighboring Nebraska. He claims that the US Navy has the greatest per capita membership from there that any other state. Maybe growing up so far from the sea attracts one to it. As a child, the closest I came to waves were the fields of wheat blowing in the wind.

With a name like Paul Jones some people ask if my name is John Paul Jones, the famous sailor. My father’s name was Paul John Jones. His grandfather came from England and our ancestors were from Wales. Those countries have a rich sea faring tradition. To the best of my knowledge I am not related to the famous John Paul Jones, and have no ancestor who was a sailor, but you never know.

I remember buying a small paperback book about learning to sail while I was in college and renting a Sun Fish at a small area man made lake. I sort of got the hang of it but only went a couple of times. Eight years of dental school, private practice and specialty school intervened and distracted me from pursuing sailing. Once I started my specialty practice, I found I had plenty of time to read about sailing adventures and dream of learning to sail. I spend hours reading books by Joshua Slocum, Sir Francis Chichester, Tristan Jones, and Cruising World magazine. I was fascinated by the adventures I read about. I was hooked and knew that some day I would learn to sail. The next spring I took a Coast Guard Auxiliary learn to sail course and bought a 14-foot sloop. There was no turning back. For the next several years, I gradually improved my sailing skills and got progressively larger boats.

I had a friend who had sailed the British Virgin Islands, and he used to talk about how wonderful it was there. After spending 8 years sailing Midwestern lakes, I was finally ready to try salt water and the BVI’s the place I wanted to go. My wife and I signed up for a learn to bareboat course. To rent a boat with out a crew (a bareboat) one needs some credentials. We found ourselves on a 39-foot sloop with another couple and a captain for a week in the BVI’s. Although I knew how to sail, he showed us how to cruise and live on a sailboat. He showed us how to anchor, pick up a mooring (permanent anchor attached to a float), raise and lower sails, tack, jibe, cook, dock, and maneuver a sailboat.

What a life changing experience. I was hooked on sailing the Caribbean. I found loved to snorkel on the beautiful coral reefs filled with a kaleidoscope of tropical fish. All you had to do was step off the boat and it was like swimming in an aquarium. The water and the air were at an ideal temperature. The culture in the Caribbean was a wonderful change of pace from life in the states.

All that could be experienced while staying on land or on a powerboat. Why then do to choose to sail? Why do I love to sail? I don’t really know all the answers. Can anyone say why he or she loves a particular fine wine, a sport, or any hobby? Sailing is part sport, part hobby and part life style.

To begin with, I love being out doors. I love fresh air, the sky, and being away from buildings and crowds. I also love water. Without it, life would be impossible. Being on, in, or near water relaxes me. I forget my worries and enjoy life much more when I am close to water. I enjoy the physical aspect of sailing. Just standing and moving about on a sailboat is exercise. I find it exhilarating to become one with the boat. To feel its motion through my bare feet is pleasurable. I like the sights of land and water from a boat. Sunsets and sunrises are somehow more inspiring when viewed from the deck of a sailboat. I enjoy the mental aspect of sailing. Trimming the sails, keeping up with navigation, maintaining the mechanical aspects of the boat are fun, mental exercises to me.

I love nature. The birds, animals, and marine life fascinates me. Sailboats are much more environmental friendly way to observe the creatures of the world. These animals are less intimidated by a sailing vessel. I am thrilled to watch a dolphin frolic in the bow wave and stare up at me as I stare back at him. Watching a whale broach, a sting ray fly through the air, a school of flying fish skim the waves or a sea turtle surface near the boat gives me a special connection with the rest of the animal kingdom. Seeing a flock of ducks or geese take flight, watching giant pelicans soaring high above my mast, or spotting bald eagles nesting lets me marvel at the diversity and beauty of nature. These events never fail to move me when seen from a sailing vessel whether on the ocean or on a lake close to home. I love to watch pelicans dive for fish, schools of hundreds of small silver sides jump from the water in unison and reflect the sun light, or jacks make gentle arcs as they jump. I remember waking up one morning and hearing a strange chirping sound on deck. I peeked out and saw nearly a hundred barn swallows perched wing to wing over the entire life lines on my boat. They sat undisturbed for several minutes before taking of for a day’s bug catching.

I also enjoy working with rather than against nature. You are getting an almost free ride. When you shut down the engine, you aren’t burning and fossil fuel and aren’t polluting the environment, yet you can get where you want to go. It is a very satisfying way to travel. Because it is a slow way to travel, it teaches you patience, perseverance, and persistence.

There is no greater expression of freedom than sailing. With a sailing vessel, there are few limits to where you can go. Humankind was born to roam. We have developed many ways to assist in going from one place to another. To me the most enjoyable way is to sail.

In summary, I love nearly everything about sailing. I love the ocean, the creatures on and in it, and people who live on or near it. I can think of no other pursuit that is nearly as satisfying to me as sailing.