On April 27th, 2019 I set sail with The Oceans of Hope challenge from Dubrovnik Marina with Trogir as my destination. Having MS, I did not feel it was something I could do, I felt anxious, apprehensive and worried about sharing a Yacht with 5 other people and a skipper I had never met. These feelings were soon washed away and by the end of the week I had made 6 new friends and experienced Sailing which has made me fall in love with my new hobby. Sea sickness was something I was a bit worried about, but after spending time up on deck and steering the Yacht it subsided and I did not feel it again. I learnt many things from this experience but one thing that stood out from it all was how my confidence had shot up by the end of the week, and that just because I have MS I am still able to enjoy the experience of sailing a Yacht through the Dalmatia Coast.
If I could go back tomorrow and do the whole experience again, I would make no hesitation and be on the first plane out there. Sailing to me gave me a chance to throw my demons away and become a better person by learning to be patient with people I did not know very well and face my MS with a more positive upbeat approach to life. I would strongly recommend sailing to anyone with or without a disability, It is a whole new world, feeling the wind blow through your hair, Heeling the boat and most importantly having fun.
By Trish Smith
Comments