Kids Who Sail

It started with a blog that The Captain started to follow. A couple and their son were sailing the Mediterranean. Emails back and forth with comments and questions about mutual anchorages and boat issues made the boat named “Time Warp” a familiar name around the boat. (yes, the boat is named after the movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show)

Then, our paths crossed. Both boats were going to be at Mahon, Minorca at the same time! A great time to meet and since the boys were about the same age, a time for some kid time, something rare among kids who sail.

Soon after that meeting, a dinghy pulled up with an American couple who noticed kids. They had two boys and would love some kid time. An invitation to their Catamaran named Azure II was all it took. Soon a British couple who Azure II had met earlier on a boat named Revolution and had a son showed up. Six kids, 3 couples, my married Captain and me; the single one.

All boats were on trips ranging from one year to four years or more.

The adults, as you would expect from sailors, turned out to be great and interesting and fun. The kids, well they ran wild on the enormous Catamaran complete with ropes to swing on, the trampoline to jump on and a big (for sailing) screen TV.

We lingered a few days extra because of the pure joy the kids were having. Ages were eight, ten, ten, twelve, thirteen and thirteen. Then all but Revolution decided to travel on together.

We found two anchorages together before we parted ways with Azure II and then Juno and Time Warp continues on.

The idea of kids who sail is an interesting catch 22. For one, they are seeing the world and gaining incredible experiences that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. On the other hand, socialization at an important age is being sacrificed, especially for the kids that are the only child.  But so far, I've observed that the kids on these voyages seem profoundly more mature, the families seem incredibly bonded, and the world around them seems more real, not something to be read about.

We rarely see kids on boats that are not Charter vacation boats, so our meeting of 4 traveling boats was truly a special coincidence.