Air & Sea (... or "Fly & Sail")

   "The only reason I started sailing was that as a 13-year old my mother single-handedly "shipped me off" -and much to my chagrin- to a Summer Sailing camp.  I wanted to fly, but was too young to even go for some instruction on gliders, and was convinced I'd hate the Camp; instead I feel in love with sailing hook, line, and sinker! 

   As a failing HS student it opened up venues into physics, math, history, literature, and many other things, and through that prism I began my journey into adult-hood.  Since then I've sailed in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Mexico, Long Island Sound, and an off-shore Norfolk-to-Bermuda run.  The latter in particular permitted me to use my celestial navigation skills (HO249) acquired many years ago.

   For the fun of it, and to augment my skills I added a PADI SCUBA certificate, as well as FCC MROP (Marine Radio Operator Permit) and Amateur Radio ("KC2 ONO") licenses to my USCG license ("Master Inland, OUPV Near-Coastal, sail & towing endorsements") over the years.

   The ham-radio license in particular enabled me to remain in touch, occasionally on a sailing radio-net from ship-to-shore, but more often from shore-to-ship.  The SCUBA license let me both clean the bottom of the boat more easily, and opened up another universe from which I had been excluded. 

   Sailing is the anti-dote to everything that can not possibly be good for you in the long run .... it is the best way to be with family, friends, or just by yourself!"