Thar she blows: A view from the cockpit aboard TSURU, U.P. Sailing Company’s Bennet 46 sailboat, as she’s docked in Presque Isle Marina. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

MARQUETTE — As a born-and-raised Yooper, I think it’s only natural for me to feel an innate pull towards the water. The Upper Peninsula has no shortage of freshwater channels to traverse and refresh the soul, many of which invite locals and tourists alike to partake in a variety of freshwater leisure activities. Recently, I had the good fortune of attempting a new one of my own right here on Lake Superior: I spent a weekend learning to sail.

When I was a child, I was fascinated by pirates and the massive ships they captained across the world. A life at sea spent manning my own vessel and kicking back on the world’s sunniest beaches sounded like a dream come true. Growing up, that childhood fantasy had now shaped itself into a more realistic adult goal: I wanted to learn how to sail a sailboat, once I had the finances and opportunity to do so.

Back in November, I considered what kind of graduation present I wanted to reward myself with upon completion of my Master’s degree. An investigation into local sailing opportunities led me to book a spot in a beginner’s sailing class with the U.P. Sailing Company, the peninsula’s only sailing school. Flashing forward through completing a Master’s thesis, receiving my official course materials and countless attempts at tying sailor’s knots, I found myself in the cockpit of a 26-foot Colgate keelboat with the breeze kissing my hair on one of Marquette’s beautiful August mornings.

Starting that Saturday, a crew of me and four other aspiring sailors were to be taught the conceptual and practical skills necessary to become certified in American Sailing’s ASA 101: Basic Keelboat Sailing course. As someone who had never stepped foot on a sailboat prior to this class, I was admittedly a bit overwhelmed at first by all of the ideas and actions that went into sailing a boat safely and effectively. I didn’t even know what a keelboat was before I attended the first day of class. As it would turn out, a keelboat is a small-to-medium-sized sailing vessel that has a keel affixed to the bottom of the boat – an appendage that balances the boat against the force of the wind on the sails. (The boat is quite safe and surprisingly easy to maneuver.) Under the brilliant guidance and tutelage of Captain Brian VanWieren, those anxieties quickly subsided, replaced more strongly by something I can only describe as a spiritual experience.

We spent two whole days on the water, reviewing terminology and turning sailing theory into reality. Our crew rotated through positions on the boat, completing tasks like trimming (pulling in) the jib (a triangular sail at the head of our boat meant to reduce turbulence on the mainsail’s leeward side, or side the wind isn’t pushing on) and steering through the water by directing the boat with a tiller, or a lever used to control the rudder. Through practicing how to save someone who’s fallen overboard, learning the difference between bowline and figure-eight knots and docking the boat alongside Marquette’s Lower Harbor, I felt a sheer sense of excitement and wonder that can only come with successfully pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. And trust me, there were some moments that were uncomfortable for me. Heeling, or when the wind pushes the boat over into the water, at an almost 90-degree angle definitely didn’t protect me from the cold spray of Lake Superior against my back, nor did it let my heart sit easily in my chest. But, it was also those moments that were the most fulfilling, and the mix of adrenaline and joy while I was on the water was nearly indescribable.

Each night, following two whole days on the water using muscles I didn’t even know I had, I felt more like living ballast than an actual human. I would go home, plow through all of the leftovers in my refrigerator with the fervor of a starving beast, and promptly pass out on the nearest flat surface to sleep for 12 hours straight. All of that effort paid off in the end though, as I passed both my written and practical skills tests and I’m now a certified keelboat sailor. I can say with complete honesty that learning to sail was some of the most genuine fun I’ve had in a long time.

After all of this adventure, can I really call myself a sailor? According to AS standards, yes, I absolutely can. But, I know that there is still so much more for me to learn, and an endless span of sky and sea for me to discover in our wide world. I’ve been bitten by the sailing bug and I’ve got my eyes on the horizon.

If you’ve been putting off trying that hobby or skill that’s at the back of your mind, take this as your sign to dive right in and give it a try. I like to think that author John A. Shedd said it best, “A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

More information about the U.P. Sailing Co. can be found on their website at upsailingco.com. More information about American Sailing can also be found on their website at americansailing.com.