I’ve spent most of my life daysailing and racing sailboats—mainly Herreshoff 12s when I was younger, and then Dark Harbor 20s for about 50 years:
http://features.boats.com/boat-content/2004/07/from-a-dark-harbor/
But I’m afraid I’ve gotten a bit too old for racing. In fact, now I mainly go out in a kayak, since it’s good exercise for the arms.
When I was younger, I dreamed of sailing single-handed around the world, but then I got married, had a family, and didn’t really have the opportunity to do it. But we did used to have a good time sailing with myself and various children, and going ashore with sleeping bags on the Maine islands before anyone else thought of it.
Oh, those Maine islands! We passed some beauties on Penobscot Bay last July, during the vacation of a lifetime with a few days spent onboard the 3-masted schooner Victory Chimes!
But even a morning in a kayak brings back your connection to the sea, I’ll bet!