I spent my last summer sailing a lot in Berlin. Last autumn, I finally did my in-water license, after almost 25 years not sailing. Well as a small kid, without any formal education, I believe I didn't know how sailings works. 'Going back sailing' for me was one of those goals/dreams that you don't dare to realise because you fear it might not be what you expect.

I spent my last summer sailing a lot in Berlin. Last autumn, I finally did my in-water license, after almost 25 years not sailing. Well as a small kid, without any formal education, I believe I didn't know how sailings works. 'Going back sailing' for me was one of those goals/dreams that you don't dare to realise because you fear it might not be what you expect.

Reconnecting

I remember well, on the first day of sailing school, the teacher familiarised us with the parts of a sailing boat. I sat in one, and while the boat was lifting up and down from the water, I realised this is going to be so much fun. The first time out on the water, we had strong winds, I enjoyed everything of it: the wind in the sails, feeling it pulling the lines, controlling the tiller and cutting our way through the water. I had great teachers and met interesting people in random groups on lots of weekends.

Being in nature

This year, after a long winter of not sailing, I started early getting back on the boat in April. It was around the time when birds just came back from the south. One early morning out on Wannsee, a group of hundreds of birds flew over us, and landed all around the boat. Like black dots on a silver plane. It was a magical moment. This year, I mostly sailed with family and friends in lakes around Berlin. And had my first experiences being on a sailing yachts in the Baltic Sea/North Sea.

Continuation

It's almost the end of the year, hence I want to spend as much time on the water as possible. I also decided to continue learning with a costal water license, which includes learning how to navigate with compass, understand sea maps, pyro and the short radio certificate.

I'm not sure where this journey will take me, but I love sailing I'm thanking my past self to have taken the leap.