In November 2019 I flew to England and bought a 27 foot sailboat.
The plan was to sail her across the Atlantic back to the US, where I live.
Covid put a stop to that, so eventually I had the boat shipped over.
After 3 years of fitting her out she’s so well set up for ocean voyaging
I had to ask myself, am I the weakest piece of equipment onboard?
I decided the answer was “Yes” For a start I couldn’t swim, well not more

than a few meters.Thousands of miles of ocean sailing and my strategy

for survival was “cling to the wreckage.” So over the winter I took

swimming lessons which I found to be really unpleasant.

Not just because the travel was 45 minutes each way in the cold

and dark, but the pool itself felt cold because I don’t carry much body fat.
Plus I wanted to learn freestyle but hated the sensation of

water up my nose, in my eyes and ears, and swallowing half the pool.
There’s a saying though, there’s no such thing as bad weather,

just bad clothing, so I kitted up and persevered.
Another question I had to ask myself. Do I have the stamina for an ocean

crossing? I decided to find out.. on someone else’s boat. I signed up to

crew on a 60 footer across the Atlantic from Antigua to Portsmouth

England with just one stop in the Azores. The application form asked if I

could swim? I ticked “Yes” and on our second day out from Antigua

celebrated my 82nd birthday.

Still another question to myself, am I qualified now?
To answer this 2 weeks after the Atlantic crossing I sat and passed the

American Sailing Association exams for the International Proficiency

Certificate.

When asked how old I am I don’t like to answer because

I’m afraid to say  it out loud. I’m afraid if I do I’ll start to believe it.
“Don’t let the old man in” someone said, and I do my best to keep him out.