A year ago I left Minneapolis thinking we'd be in South America by Christmas. I'd never sailed before, but no problem, my guy had experience, and I learn best hands on. Fortunately, for me, we met Captain Keith, a sailing instructor from WI. (Shameless plug for Captain Keith's Charters LLC, it's on Facebook.) He agreed to put me through his boot camp for a week.
Early the next morning he rowed over to our boat, with banana and peanut butter pancake thankfully, we barely had to time to start the coffee before sails up and a away we went. It was two days of tacking, and tacking, and more tacking, our hands hurt, muscles ached, but it was so much fun! I compare it to taking a sailing lesson from Matthew McConaughey. Keith's enthusiasm, combined with his general laid back nature, makes him a perfect coach. Good thing too, I got a chance to apply my new knowledge a few days later.
At the end of the week his dad Kevin came to visit, so we took him out sailing. It was a perfect day on the Atlantic, blue skies, small waves and winds at 13 knots. Kevin was having such a good time he blurted out, "I got the big credit card, what island should we go to?" Unfortunately we headed home, and had what I've dubbed a "Millennium Falcon" moment. The winds died, and the batteries were low, so we tacked, and tacked, and tacked some more.
Hours later back at the anchorage, our reward was some of the best pizza ever! Nothing can could compare to the knowledge, experience, and friends we gained in one week. If you're in the Madison Wisconsin area this summer I highly suggest a day on the lake with Captain Keith.
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