My very first GoPro-documented adventure!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out!

This is what sailing in Long Beach, California at sunset is all about, y’all!

Soooo…….. awhile back…….. I enjoyed a Groupon excursion with Pacific Sailing.

This is our captain. I wish I could tell you his name.

But I can’t, because I have been the worst slacker EVER……….. this sunset sail occurred seven (gasp) months ago. Horrendous, I know. I’m sorry. I promise the next few months will be better!!!

 We bought a deal for a 90-minute sunset sail with a bottle of wine for only $99!!

After buying the Groupon we just contacted the company to set up a date and time. The company was a little difficult to get ahold of at first, took a couple tries on the phone.

But once we had the details down we were all good to go!

On the day we drove to Long Beach’s Shoreline Village — a collection of shops, restaurants, and fun activities (including a carousel, arcade and bike path)!

This is where we parked, just a few steps away from the meeting place down on the marina, where we checked in and waited to set sail.

A couple from Burbank were the only other passengers to join us.

The passengers were allowed to sit back and enjoy the ride while the captain took care of nearly everything. We were only asked to change sides of the boat once to help with positioning the vessel to better turn around.

During the trip around the stunning California coast we learned tips and tricks about sailing, history of the area, etc., all while sipping on a bottle of wine and enjoying the last of the sun’s warmth.

The view of Long Beach was stunning as we exited the harbor.

We could see the famous Queen Mary ship, which always reminds me of Titanic. Yes, I just brought up Titanic in a post about sailing. Get over it.

TIPS

I do have some random general advice for sailing if you don’t have a lot of experience. Some of this may seem obvious, some might not, bare with me.

Out on the ocean, the wind can pick up a bit….. after all, wind IS required to sail.

1) Naturally, I would recommend bringing a coat or light jacket. Even on beautiful days during spring and summer.

Being freezing might ruin the ambiance a little. Be prepared. If you get cold easily, bring a blanket, a scarf, whatever it takes to keep you comfortable.

2) Take your hat off and be careful with your sunglasses. That wind/mildly bumpy ride could cause you to lose loose items fairly easily. And good luck getting them back if they fly off.

3) Ladies… don’t bother styling your hair. If you leave it down it’s going to become a crazy tangled mess. Just bite the bullet and throw it back into a ponytail. You’ll be able to SEE and you’ll save yourself from some nasty split ends. So come prepared with something to tie it back with!

4) Use the restroom before you board the sailboat. 90 minutes is a long time to be wishing you had.

5) Take some pictures!

6) But don’t just be experiencing the view from behind a screen or lens. That’s why I loved bringing my GoPro. Taking pictures with it was discrete and it meant that I was looking at the view with my own two eyes!

7) Enjoy yourself! Because who doesn’t love the ocean?? If you don’t, we can’t be friends. It’s that simple. I’m kidding. Kind of. Not really. Yeah, I’m not kidding.

But seriously… Sailing is incredible way to get back to nature. Relax and leave your troubles on the dock. And when you get back kick those troubles into the water and watch them drift away. Unless your troubles are a person. Then please don’t kick them.

I’ll end this post with ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE QUOTES EVER by Mark Twain.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Also, before I sign off, you should know that Pacific Sailing also offers sailing lessons — something I’ve been dying to do!

I highly recommend checking the company out — especially if you can get a deal on Groupon — whether it’s for a romantic date night (or anniversary, birthday, graduation celebration and so on), or just to get out and do something new.

*** I did not receive compensation of any kind to write this post. This is my honest opinion and was written purely for your interest/entertainment/knowledge.