As each year is added to my life, I find deeper and deeper connections with people through their stories. So many stories represent so many lives yet there seems to be a common thread that weaves us all together.
I heard one such story when I recently set sail on the Red Witch II. The Red Witch II is sailed and owned by Captain Andrew Sadock. She is a first-generation, “12-meter” replica of a 1916 America Cup Sailing Yacht. When the boat sailed into the south side of Kenosha’s marina, I found myself pulled back into another time. With its style and goliath-sized masts, I could imagine life when the Red Witch II sailed for the first time. As soon as Captain Andrew and his crew got us all safely tucked away in our seats, he began by telling us the history of the boat, and as he expertly sailed us out of the marina, he also began to weave together his own story. His story, like all of ours, has been filled with the wins and losses it took for him to be where he is today. The common thread? Life isn’t an equation. An awarded rugby player with an education in psychiatry, from Kenosha to California to Chicago back to Kenosha, Andrew has honed his sailing expertise both with his experiences and in his education.
A brilliant reader of people and groups, Andrew customizes each outing to the group he is currently captaining. Are you a homeschool parent taking the kids out for a day of fun and education? Ask Captain Andrew about the difference between "civil twilight" and "navigational twilight". Is your new hobby astrology? Ask Captain Andrew how long-ago captains learned the sky to direct their ship. Are you sailing with your love? Then the Red Witch II is a perfect spot for snuggling together to watch the sunset, stealing a kiss or two under the stars, and maybe even snagging one of the libations offered on board.
As for me, I love the water. I love every chance I get to see it and experience it. Lake Michigan is my therapist, my friend, and my confidant . . . she knows more things about me than most people. The night I sailed on this beautiful ship, I was feeling some anxiety about some upcoming decisions, but after feeling the wind ruffle my hair, after taking big gulps of the balmy, lake air, after chatting with one of my best friends, and hearing Captain Andrew speak of his passion, the tightness in my chest loosened. Perhaps Andrew summed it up best when he said, "The true beauty of sailing is that it stills the mind." I will be a regular on the Red Witch II.
The Red Witch II is only sailing for a few more weeks so be sure to book a tour with Captain Andrew before he closes for the winter!
Book a Day Sail or Sunset Sail:
