I had the opportunity to go sailing for the first time today. Long ago, back in 2008 at a silent auction, I bid on a sailing trip offered by a friend of mine and we finally made good on it today. My experience with riding in airplanes did translate somewhat to this form of transportation. As long as there’s a place to plop down my ventilator and me, I’m usually good to go. And it was pretty great. My brain is usually a hamster that never gets off the wheel, but the combination of sun on my face and the sway of the boat somehow managed to take my higher cognitive functions offline for a while. Not a bad way to end the summer.
Photographic evidence is below. My nurse and my friend took turns supporting my ginormous melon of a head, which was no small feat.
Looks great. San Francisco has an excellent group (with a great moniker) BAADS — Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (www.baads.org). I take my son now and then. He’s too young to navigate, but when he’s older he can take advantage of the boats they have outfitted with joysticks and other devices so he can both go for a sail and sail himself.