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When last summer I was invited by Clayton to join him on Nina II’s maiden trip from Pescara ta Malta, I was a little weary of what the journey would entail. I had never really been on a sailing boat for more than an afternoon and the thought of being ‘stuck’ there for a week was driving me crazy even before departure.

Nevertheless, my lust for adventure got the better of me, and there I was, flying to Italy to help my friend sail down the Adriatic and bring home his new jewel of a boat.

What ensued was a week filled with adventure, laughter, food and new friendships. It took me a day to get used to the constant rocking of the boat, but from then on out it was all plain sailing… Miles and miles of open blue sea and a never-ending horizon.

We spent our days basking in the Mediterranean sun, chatting and telling stories, napping on deck and spotting all the beautiful sea life that swam by.

This experience also ended up being an eye opener in an educational way.  Not only have I learned about sailing techniques and jargon, weather patterns and waves, but also, about the enormous amount of waste dumped in our seas which threatens the World’s wild life. This made me much more conscious of the need to safeguard our natural heritage.

The week flew by and my preconceptions about sailing had all but been thrown at sea. You will probably think twice about doing something or going somewhere outside your comfort zone. But you will never know how much you can learn and how much fun you can have unless you go out and do it.

Sailing out in the open sea turned out to be one of the most relaxing, liberating and fun experiences of my life. An experience I would recommend to all.

Robert

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