Sailing: The Inevitability of Fun

AHOY! Welcome to I'dRatherBeSailing, where we follow to the sacred 80/20 Binoculars Rule: 80% of the time they're for seeing what the hell is going on over on that boat, and 20% of the time they're for navigation.

In today's email.. we have something a little different than our normal programming. Something caught our eye that deserves a place on its own. We hope you enjoy.

The best sailing article I read all week didn't once mention boats or water. It didn't even talk about sailing. But it so perfectly encapsulated the core of why I sail, that I've been thinking about this NYT opinion piece all week.

According to scientist Catherine Price, fun happens when "we experience the confluence of three states: playfulness, connectedness, and flow. Fun requires being entirely present in your experience."

So, scientifically speaking , being present = having fun. How could I not immediately think of sailing. Sailing demands being entirely present, we are almost required to enter a flow state. And in doing so, we can't help ourselves: we have fun. When everyone else today is chin-down doom scrolling, we crave an unplugged experience with pure flow and fun. And not just any fun. Something...more. Sure, going to Six Flags is a lot of fun, but have you ever really craved that experience? Did you dedicate a lifetime to rollercoasters? Did you ever feel a connectedness to an amusement park?

You know the answer.

But, if you had to think of a moment when you felt a profound connectedness to the sea...I bet your log book would over flow.

My mind flickers back to a sail along the Amalfi Coast...

The hot espresso steam, twisting off our cups and into the Mediterranean air, burns into my memory in a way that some amusement park could never dream of. Following seas becomes a trance. Telltales, horizon, nav. Repeat. The endless flow is a master study in connectedness. The most mundane parts of sailing become a meditation...

In the article, the author illustrates ideas about playfulness. Hers are below:

• Lay on your back and watch the clouds

• Climb a tree

• Collect rocks

• Do a cannon ball

They're mighty fine suggestions! No argument there. But reading them I thought, wait a minute, that's all we do on the boat! Is there anything more playful than mindlessly beach combing on a deserted island for shells? Allow me to present an ever so slightly updated sailors' version, below:

• Lay on the deck and watch the clouds

• Climb the mast

• Collect Shells

• Do a cannon ball

 Is there anything more necessary than doing a cannon ball? Especially just after dropping anchor! It's practically a compulsion! Who knew that the daily routines of sailing were actually soundly routed in the scientific practice of having meaningful fun.

So, next time your _______ (insert: family/friends/pard'ner) accuses you of "spending all your time just playing around on boats", you can say:

Yup. You're darn right.

It's a science thing.

That's all for today, stay safe and salty out there! We'll be back in a few days with our regularly scheduled sailing shenanigans and nautical tidbits.

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