Sailing.

I'm addicted to it. I want to sail all the time. Last saturday was my first time sailing in the sense that I was doing the sailing rather than simply being a passenger on a sailboat. I took a basic sailing: sunfish class at the boulder reservoir. Sunfish are 14 foot one-man sailboats. They boil sailing down to it's pure essence, and are the classic boat used to teach sailing. They're also really fast for their size and are one of the most popular racing classes ever.

The sailing class consisted of me, the instructor, and three young children ranging in age from approximately 11 to 13. I helped the instructor launch the boats for the kids. They scrambled into the boats and took off like the salty skippers they were. I then got in my boat, took off, and instantly capsized.

Once I learned what not to do, I was able to open the boat up and see what she could do. We had our best winds of the class period right then in the beginning, so as I was learning how to handle the boat the wind was gradually shifting and lessening. But I was able to get the boat heeled way over so I could take advantage of the foot strap in the bottom of the boat, making the boat momentarily reach its top speed! Rah-hoo!

Sailing on the Boulder Reservoir is exhilarating. Being on the water, under the sunshine that Colorado is famous for, within view of the flatirons, foothills, and the snowy peaks beyond, is a thrill that I'll keep coming back to.