First Sailing Lessons Set for June!
It's official--my brother and I are set to get certified in three ASA sailing courses in June! We were even able to secure a third crew member to meet the required minimum number of course participants: none other than my friend, Adam Dintelman.
For those of you who don't know Adam (left), this is the guy who didn't hesitate to take an Accelerated Free Fall skydiving course with me; this is the guy who agreed to join me in a self-imposed week-long survival test out in the backwoods of Georgia with only a sleeping bag and a hatchet; he (and Bruce) endured a 32-hour sleepless drive from Charleston, South Carolina to Denver, Colorado when I decided to move out here. In short, not only is he my friend who likes to do adventurous (and sometimes stupid) things with me, but he is my best friend. It's been a little over a year since we last hung out, so I am really excited that he's agreed to join my brother and I on this!
So now that we have three people lined up and all logistical things taken care of, the next step is to read all the sailing books that were sent to us for the three classes. The first book, for the ASA 101 course, contains the basic information that we will need to know in order to operate a small keelboat and to speak to other sailors without sounding like morons. The second book, for the ASA 103 course, seems to focus more on the dynamics for a cruising-type sailboat. The last book, for the ASA 104 course, is as thick as the other two books combined and has the meat of what my brother and I will need to know for the real deal: long-term live aboard sailing skills.
Now that the sailing classes are in place and the cost of those classes has drained out of my bank account, the reality and gravity of the main sailing trip has gotten clearer than ever. Already it is funny to look back on the first few fledgling weeks of this idea and see how much progress has been made. I've had more than a few people tell me this is crazy and that I am throwing my life away. To those on the outside it may seem that way, but the more chapters I finish of these ASA books (which I am devouring) the more I find this to be the right choice.
My brother and I are having weekly (sometimes daily) meetings dedicated to developing our ideas and working out the financial feasibility of the main trip, which is by no means a small endeavor. Until we can come up with a sustainable source of income for this trip we are saving every scrap cent we have floating around for the next year and a half.
All-in-all, I am glad that this trip is bringing us together. I think June is going to be a great month for me, for my brother, and for this trip!
That's all for now, but if you like what you've read and what my brother and I are doing, share this post and blog with as many people as you can :)
Also, if anyone reading this is a musician and would like to contribute to the success of this trip by creating and/or licensing us their music for use in our upcoming YouTube video log, please let me know!!
Peace.
- Anthony