I didn't know a boat could make me feel this way. Now I want to quit everything and become a sea adventurer
Captain Zorah Rose is pure magic. She's chill, hilarious, wildly competent, and somehow makes maneuvering sails and steering through twisting currents look as casual as tying your shoes. Even though there's a ton going on (ropes! winds! a giant cargo boat approaching a hundred times faster than it looks!), she creates this calm, confident energy that just makes you feel totally safe to simply exist and enjoy--even if you're like me and never been on an undocked boat before and have to spend 20 minutes working up the guts to walk down the side of the boat while clinging to everything like a toddler.
We saw whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and more birds than I even knew existed! I had no idea those birds (cormorants maybe??) could fly so freaking fast.
We grilled tacos at a little dock on the back of Angel Island, safe from the wind and watching the sunset change the view around us.
We went all the way around Alcatraz, sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge at the perfect height of tide and darkness, and the whole time I was just thinking... so this is what freedom is like.
The boat is cozy and real--it makes you believe one day you might get to have this too. It gets dark at night with the lights out, but your eyes adjust and you can still see your friends around you. The toilet situation is kind of a choose-your-own-adventure in the shadows at night, I recommend using it first while it's light out to get the hang of it and read the instructions, but somehow even that felt like part of the romance of the sea.
I didn't expect to fall in love with sailing, but I left that boat wanting to learn absolutely everything. Cap'n Zorah made it all feel possible--like the water isn't something to be afraid of, but something to aim towards.
If you're inexperienced like me and don't know what to bring, I suggest a coat (maybe zippable pockets?) that you can put a life vest over, a beanie, sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and if you want to use your phone for videos etc I love having a case for my phone with D-rings that I can attach a lanyard to and just have it hang around my neck.
Highly highly recommended for anyone who wants their world rocked by wind, waves, and wonder--and maybe those interested in eating snacks while having a lowkey spiritual awakening. read more