Harness the Power of Sailing-A journey of Self Discovery

“Sailing, Takes Me Away…”

Do you recall the Christopher Cross song from 1979 called “Sailing”? It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was all the rage as the decade turned from disco and turmoil in the 70s to the optimism of the 80s. Whenever I hear that song, it transports me mentally to the open seas, where I revel in the adventure and recreation of the spot.

For me, sailing is a time to clear the mind and reconnect with solitude. This love of sailing was engrained in me by my parents, who, remarkably for their generation, retired at the ages of 40 and then rented out their house and hit the oceans.

It’s actually quite incredible. They obtained a sailboat for a journey that saw them cruising around the world for an impressive 12 years. Then they went to Europe, bought a van, and traveled for another three years, coming back to Canada to do the same thing around North America. So you can see where I acquire my lust for the sea, having been sailing since I was an early teen.

You really must experience the wind, the nature, the strategy, the maneuvering, and the feel of carving waves with no engine at your back and no CO2 emissions added to your footprint. I usually head to a warm destination and charter a sailboard for voyages that last me weeks and sometimes months. It’s a fantastic and life-changing experience, especially since I spend the majority of my time immersed in gadgetry, electronics, and technology.

My father is 84 now, and he often jokes that he’s been retired longer than he ever worked. I doubt I’ll be able to emulate that achievement, but he’s given me the gift of appreciation for the expanses of our oceans. Power quality is my business, but you can be sure the only power quality issues I experience at sea come in the form of hitting the equatorial doldrums, and temporarily running out of “fuel” for my sails.

And perhaps, the next time I’m out at sea, I might just play that Christopher Cross song. Not only because it earned three Grammy's, but also for its timeless melody and lyrics – blending nostalgia with the tranquility that captures the spirit of sailing. As we approach another demanding year, I encourage you to find your own escape from the challenges of the everyday.