My Experience
I had no idea what to expect especially when it came to etiquette and life on board. But as soon as I stepped aboard what to me felt like a treasure, I was amazed. Below deck, I discovered a cozy, complete space I never imagined could exist in something that seemed so small.
Captain Alessandro welcomed me and patiently introduced me to the ways of sailing how to respect the boat, the other guests, and above all, the sea. It was all new to me, and I absorbed everything like a curious child. Small habits and unwritten rules that offered an unexpected sense of freedom.
We left the port of Muggia and headed for Croatia. At first, it didn’t seem particularly exciting but the moment we reached open waters, everything changed. The sails were hoisted, the engine shut off, and silence fell. Only the sound of the wind and the sea remained. That’s when I truly understood why people fall in love with sailing.
I’d had moments with the wind before during long-distance hikes or paragliding but sailing turned it into something almost sacred. It had names, it had rules, and it shaped the way we moved. Even the lightest breeze had meaning. And when the real wind came strong, invisible, but deeply present it pushed the boat into a powerful tilt and filled me with an indescribable emotion.
I had assumed sailing from point A to point B was just a matter of planning. But I quickly learned that everything "depends." On the wind. On the weather. On conditions out of your control. Sometimes you're completely still, speed at 0.00 knots, and time itself seems to stop. And that’s okay because you're no longer ruled by clocks. You follow the sun, your hunger, the water temperature. It’s a different kind of rhythm one where time becomes fluid, shaped by what you feel
Info and References
It is a beautiful experience (to be included in the BucketList) that however ironically do not recommend to those who are chronically hyperactive and can not appreciate a true full relaxation (totally in contrast to the emptiness of boredom).
There is another 'funny' contraindication: in the following days, once back on land, I felt on several occasions the feeling of being still in the boat with the ground swinging under my feet, I had to concentrate on the fact that instead I was planted on solid asphalt. Nothing so fluid!
In these few days the refrain that I was told by all the people I met was the luck of having met Captain Alessandro and his wonderful boat White Eagle. I must say that this combination has been increasingly appreciated now and then, both for the nautical skills given by his many years of experience in racing, both for the predisposition to explain and cordially entertain its guests, both for the willingness to comply with our requests.
Alessandro is available to study your individual needs, but you can find ready itineraries at the agency BeBlue (www.bebluesailing.com) with which he collaborates and .... ask to sail with the White Eagle and its Captain!
