When I was about thirteen, my aunt took me to Radio City to see the movie Swashbuckler. The movie was not a hit, but I was enchanted. Maybe it was Genevive Bujold. All I know is from that day, I wanted to sail. Wooden ships, palm trees, white sand beaches, dolphins, storms at sea, adventureI wanted it all. But as a middle-class kid from New Jersey, I never really saw a way to make that fantasy a reality. Sailboats are expensive, sailing takes some skill, and I dont remember a lot of palm trees and dolphins in New Jersey. So I put the fantasy away and went on with my average suburban modern life. Somehow, though, without ever getting rich or becoming an expert mariner (and always keeping a day job that had nothing to do with boating) I have been able to have a lot of good times and adventure sailing over the years. Small boats, bigger boats, tall ships, boats of my own, crewing on boats I didnt own, in the tropics, across the North Sea, making lifelong friendships, and having as much fun as ever I imagined while watching that movie. This is not a how-to book, but it does illustrate that if one has a desire to experience all of that, it really isnt impossible or even exceptionally difficult to make it happen. It is my fondest hope that some readers, at least, will be encouraged to give it a try. I think that if they do, they may find that they can make their fantasy a reality too. Fair winds, following seas, reaches and runs to all, and a great big Yarr!