While I was doing some research on the internet for a story I was writing, I came across the YouTube post of a young woman who is in the middle of doing one of my unfulfilled fantasies. No, it’s not what you may be thinking.

Remember the photograph of me holding the model sailboat I made in the 7th grade? Well, building that model started me thinking what fun it would be to spend who knows how long sailing solo around the world. Particularly throughout the South Pacific. This young woman, Holly Martin from Round Pond, Maine, is in the middle of circumnavigating the globe solo in a 27’ sailboat she named Gecko. She is documenting this adventure with photographs on Instagram, and videos on YouTube.  She can be found by Googling “boatlizard” or “Wind Hippie Sailing.”

As for me, that adventure was destined to remain a fantasy—although it has always been lurking in the back of my mind. While I was in high school I even purchased several magazines about sailing and building wooden sailboats. I guess I settled for building a ten-foot cedar kayak in my 20s, which is still leaned up against my shop wall even though it hasn’t felt the water in 50 plus years.

I did sail a 10-foot Laser sailboat a few times on Lake Pend Oreille with a friend, Keith Sheckler, who owned The Windbag Marina at Sandpoint, Idaho. That little boat was fast even in a light breeze. What a blast, but that has been the extent of my sailing career.

Now, at my age, I have to settle for grand sailing adventures vicariously with Holly. 

Oh, how my life and that of those around me would be different had I succumbed to that sailing siren. 

Ken Kaiyala
12-30-2023