How Sailing in the Caribbean Changed My Life

I have many powerful sea memories, but the one that best captures the simplicity and beauty of the ocean is also a very basic one. I always remember early morning walks. One in particular comes to mind: a time spent at an isolated beach in St. John in the United States Virgin Islands a couple of years ago. I remember walking on dry white sand, the kind that feels like baby powder because of its remarkable softness. I was the only person on the beach, walking toward the ocean, and when I reached it, a small wave brought the water close enough to touch my feet. I remember how it felt soothingly warm. The water was a very transparent, almost imperceptible, blue color, and it folded back rapidly, reuniting with the ocean and leaving my feet and the powdery sand behind.