And so to sea - again!

Not being able to swim is an advantage, my husband tells me
In days gone by sailors couldn't swim, therefore, drown quicker - not to  prolong the agony so to speak.

"Besides if I can't swim it makes me more careful as I don't want to end up in the sea.'

You can't fault his logic but it is of little comfort to me who would then be left with the near  impossible task of attempting a man overboard rescue, steer the boat and send out a distress signal.. None of these things I feel capable of accomplishing successfully

Don't imagine that I haven't done my homework. I know the theory, well most of it. Years ago I attended a 'Competent Crew/Day Skipper' course and have the certificate to prove it. What I did learn was that theory has bog all to do with the practice. Knowing how to fish someone out of the water, man a life raft and send a distress signal is all very well in the class room but out on the open sea it just does not compute!

I quickly realise that steering the boat is something which does not come naturally to me. I watch R. do it and it seems effortless. Visitors on the boat quickly get the hang of it but to me it is hard labour!
"Feel the boat." I am told but instead of skipping across the waves, with me at the wheel it seems to sluggishly fight each little swell - and that's with the motor running when we are under sail I am all over the place. My wake resembles a down hill ski slalom!

Every time I am left on deck alone I have to face my incompetence so, when I am by myself without the long suffering Captain Bligh giving me dark looks,  I resolve to make amends for my short comings. I  practice manoeuvring, I  practice turning to port and starboard both with and without the auto helm, using the compass, finding a mark to steer a course towards, etc. and just when I think I am getting the hang of it some ferry boat looms up on the horizon. Now I know I have plenty of space and time, that there is absolutely nothing to panic about  I KNOW WHAT TO DO..........BUT

I yell, "Can you get on deck like  NOW there's a boat coming."

"Yes, it's just left Athens." Sarcasm is a low form of wit!!

Then there are the times, sometimes in rough weather, when R, has to go forward to change the flag or check a line. Couldn't I do that? At least I can swim a bit and there is more chance of him rescuing me than me him. Bur no either I haven't got the strength the halyard is too high or I don't know what to do! I am in agony until he's back in the cockpit. We wear harnesses and life jackets whenever the sea is really rough but what about those times when it's only a bit lumpy?

And then there is the sea sickness. Actually these might be the times when I am least stressed. I think it's Nature's way of helping you survive, feeling really sick means you couldn't give a damn about anything......bliss!

But I WILL improve, I will won't I?

Well I've been saying that for years. Way back, when we bought our first boat I discovered that sailing just might not be the sport for me.  Up until then I had seen myself  lounging in the cockpit with my G and T, or standing at the helm, the sun on my face and with the wind streaming through my hair. Ha Ha Ha!
On my first voyage out on  a lake I found out that this romantic view of sailing was far from the truth, that   these  pretty little craft 'tip' sideways in a most alarming manner, that you can't control the speed  or direction with any great degree of accuracy and there are no brakes!
I might have managed to handle all this  if  I had ever truly felt myself to be in control of the boat but  up until now I never have.

After sailing for about six years on the North Sea, an experience not for the faint hearted, I vowed 'no more boats!' However, here in Turkey, in these azure seas with this wonderful sunshine it seemed a shame not to let R have his 'toy' on condition that it was his and not mine. I wanted no part of it.
So we bought our first little yacht in the Med.........