The joys of learning by experience.

. This year John was determined to dedicate OUR December holiday on an ocean voyage to further MY education about sailing and boats for our lifestyle-sailing project. No problemo I thought…

You can see why there were NO comfi deck chairs on this boat.

I also found out where they did it; tropical Virgin Islands. Just short of having my hair and nails done I was ready!

I should have renegotiated or at least wisened up when John showed me a picture of the boat. I think our maritime museum would have been jealous to own such a piece of antique. All ropes, sails and a terribly exposed but cute steering wheel. Looked picturesque at first glance, even if I didn’t detect deck chairs or shining chrome technology.

First learning; don’t fall for picturesque antique when it comes to boats, BIG mistake.

The next clue was the mad shopping dash we did on the day before we flew out!

He went for safety harnesses, woollen hats, heavy wet weather sailing coats, rubber boots with non slip soles, heavy plastic trousers?!

I must have been in lala land not to stop this educational trip at once!

My shopping list had none of John’s items; it had suntan lotion, swimming togs, shorts, skimpy tops and after sun lotions.

Second learning: start smelling a rat if your shopping list is vastly different from his!

Third and fourth learning: Check the geographic details of where you are going to sail and the crew you are going to sail with.

Blinded by my vision of Virgin Islands sailing, my Northern hemisphere connotation with the word Southern being warm, I assumed Australia’s Southern Ocean to be tropical waters. Besides it never occurred to me that anybody would want to go sailing in non-tropical waters by choice.

BIG mistake again, MEN do! And the crew were 5 men with one other sporty very athletic type YOUNG woman who could hold her own on deck.

Of course only men like to sail on a museum piece that requires you to steer exposed in cold weather. Only men enjoy pulling on impossible ropes to move gigantic heavy sails on an out of control moving deck. No 21^st century technology, winches, or push buttons, no cosy central heated pilot house. They are MEN, conquering the elements and the ropes that always got tangled up in their tackle and blocks, while risking their lives on a bucking boat with slippery decks.

Fifth learning; You cannot do everything a man does on an antique boat, don’t even try and be okay about that. Leave feminism at home.

I was frightened to death on that wobbly ship with no handholds to allow elegant strides on the deck. Most of the time you flew all over the place, I have bruises to prove it.

I have been seen to crawl on all fours to get from the wheel to the hatch of the sleeping quarters after my watch to prevent being flung overboard.

So I stayed put in my bunk as much as I could and let the boys do the acts of bravery. That I was seasick didn’t help my level of performance either. I thought reaching the deck and the railing on time was brave enough.

Sixth learning; keep smiling and your sense of humor; it will all pass and then you will have stories to tell in which you are the hero.

So for 17 days I was marooned on that replica of a 100 year old French Pilot Cutter.

What a special but totally unexpected learning by experience it was! I definitely got educated about what it means to sail without the mod cons!

Seventh learning; despite all the above keep saying yes or you miss out on great adventures and a wonderful life.

I am a hardened ocean sailor now, having had a very unique and unparalleled experience.