Brent Meeks received the 2015 NauticEd International Sailing Certification prize when original prize winner, Michelle Renee was unable to make use of NauticEd’s online classes. This was Brent’s first involvement with Summer Sailstice, and he 'thoroughly loved it.'
As a 'life-long lover of the sea,' Brent would like to live his retirement years spending as much time as possible on the water with his wife. However for Brent and his family, sailing isn’t just about the obvious benefits. Brent’s mother was recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and as a special gift for her 76th birthday Brent and his wife chartered a sailboat in Harbor Bay, San Diego. This one day on the water has given more to these sailors than any of them expected or could have hoped for.
'We chartered a 42 foot boat with a skipper to take us out. Frank, our captain, couldn’t have been a better fit for this excursion. He was my mom’s age and they got along great. The fact that her ex-boyfriend was also a skipper named Frank made it all that much more special. Well Frank got us underway on one of those spectacular days that San Diego has far too many of, in my opinion. He immediately gave her the wheel. She seemed a bit overwhelmed, so she gave it over to me. We spent the next 4 hours sailing the bay, and actually were at the tail end of a sailing regatta race. The boat was able to pass a number of those boats in the race. While I was at the wheel, my son was busy being directed by Frank on working the sails. The exhilaration of sailing this ship, my son and I, was beyond special.
'A side story to all of this is my 22 year old daughter is deathly afraid of the ocean. She loves the beach, but boats do not thrill her in any way. At the dock, we almost had to leave her because she refused to get on the boat. Frank noticed this and was all to kind to make sure that she stayed comfortable at all times. About midway through the sail, Frank noticed that she was actually smiling and joking with the family. He commented that seeing her going from hysterical tears to having fun on his watch was one of his top 10 moments on the water. Well, after this trip it ranks much higher on my list.'
Brent Meeks and his mother sailing in Harbor Bay, San Diego.
We’ve been saying this for ages, but we’re happy to say it again - 'Sailing is for everyone.' Sailing will cast its net and captivate people from all walks of life and often in unexpected ways. The Meeks family has discovered some of the unexpected joys of sailing and will no doubt being spending more time on the water after Brent completes his online training with NauticEd. And who knows, perhaps one day Brent will be the one at the helm, taking other new sailors on their special journey.
