Peristera - Skipper thoughts

What is being a skipper for me? I came to think of it tonight, when the disharmonious movements of the boat woke me up. I went out, rolled in both the main and the genua a bit, rolled out the genua again and trimmed Aina, my Hydrovane windvane. Named after a Swedish woman who travelled around Europe, in the 1940s, in a wooden boat with an old outboard.
I said to the crew having the watch, that I loved doing that. Standing there, sensing the wind, the waves, blending together the speed and the course so the forces work together as much as possible.
That is sailing to me. Creating a harmonious route that will put as little strain as possible on the boat, and the crew. I love the feeling of the boat just opening the waves, for us to come through.
/Linda