I’m only a sailor in the sense that anyone, if actively participating in causing a boat to sail, is a sailor. You might be thinking, “yeah obviously, you unoriginal moron”.

First – layoff, dick. Second, what I mean by this is:

• I have not grown up sailing.
• I have limited experience sailing.
• I do not enjoy the taste of rum.

I have not grown up sailing.

For as long as I can recall having reasonable thoughts about future ambitions, I’ve wanted to one day sail around the world. It was a naive thought, based on zero practical information regarding what’s needed to fulfill it.

It was nonetheless one that I seriously intended upon accomplishing.

In 2014, through my now ex-girlfriend I met a man named Stefan Adamek. He was from Sweden and by all accounts a sailor, even though he hadn’t stepped onto a sailboat in years (decades?). When living in Sweden Stefan’s life was consumed with sailing. He was heavily involved in yacht racing, and at one point even built his own using the molds rented from a designer. But his life eventually led him towards America and away from sailing.

Meeting Stefan transformed my abstract thought into the foundation of a plan.

Months after our introduction, Stefan was dead. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take Stefan on one last sail, and the day I found my first sailboat (which so happened to be the same day Stefan died), I resolved to name it ADAMEK, after the man that put me on this path. It was fitting then, that the Albin Vega is also from Sweden – and that it was from the same time period as the one Stefan sailed through.

I like to believe that Stefan was aware of the Albin Vega (as the most successful sailboat to come out of Sweden, it would make sense that he was), and that he’d have approved of it as my choice.

So here I am in 2016, writing this from the cabin of ADAMEK II. Another Albin Vega, even more vintage than my first (2018 UPDATE: I’m now onto my 3rd Swedish vessel, a Hallberg-Rassy 33 Mistral). The timer counting down to the initiation of my circumnavigation is ticking away; only a few months remain. With two years of involvement in sailing behind me, I’ve learned a lot but still have the majority left. And to that point…

I have limited experience sailing.

What is my experience, you ask? Well, before I purchased ADAMEK I took a “Sailing 101” course locally at OCC’s School of Sailing and Seamanship. Generally speaking I’m not really one for courses. However, I was astounded with the utility I derived from the 20 or so hours combined on-the-water and in-class training. It would have taken me months to attain the knowledge I received from that class, and could not recommend it more. Had I not purchased ADAMEK shortly after the conclusion of the course, I probably would have taken it again just so I could keep sailing their Lido 14’s around Newport.

And thus concludes my formal training.

Of course I have many days out on the water sailing the ADAMEKs around my homeport of Long Beach. More than this, I have sailed up twice from San Diego (I purchased both ADAMEKs down there). I have also made the trip to Catalina a number of times, but even this is probably less than ten, the longest one being about a week.

And thus concludes my informal training.

Thoughts? Feelings? Some say with such limited experience, that I am in no position to embark upon what is basically a top tier sailing ambition. Others say ‘go for it, you’ll be fine’. And the last group will tell me that I have no idea what it’s like to spend such a great amount of time on a small boat, and that I’ll probably call it quits before the end.

I don’t pretend to know better than any of the naysayers or yeasayers. Maybe my trip is overly-ambitious. Maybe I’ll be fine. Maybe I’ll quit before the end. All viable possibilities. But unless I attempt the trip, I won’t really know where I stand. Which brings me to my last point…

I do not enjoy the taste of rum.

Do I even like the sailing lifestyle? I’m not in a position to make that determination yet.

What I do know is that on the multi-day trips I have taken, the novelty of sailing wears off, generally on the first day. And when it does, the real question becomes: Will I enjoy being alone for weeks, sometimes months on end?

During my time traveling throughout the world, I often found myself alone. As it turns out, I’m actually a pretty social guy. I never knew this about myself before. I always saw myself as reclusive. Looking back that may be because, due to my being social, I was often in the presence of others. So when I finally had solitude it was a virtue.

With that said, I know for a fact that I can tolerate my own company. I enjoy writing. I enjoy thinking. I enjoy reading, working with my hands and I even enjoy sitting quietly, contemplating on how great it is to be sitting quietly. Are these pastimes enough? Yet to be seen.

And for the record no, I don’t enjoy the taste of rum.