Sailing Story: Barry White
While some sailors have been comfortably climbing aboard sailboats since the time they could walk, many more find this wonderful sport much later in life.
That was certainly the case for Barry White. Barry found sailing when he was on the hunt for fun retirement activities. “I’ve been doing masonry for going on 30 years and I was looking for something I could slide into before retirement and go do anywhere,” he explained. Sailing perfectly met those requirements.
He began his sailing journey in Missouri but it wasn’t long before he branched out beyond the Ozarks. He soon found himself exploring the seas beyond the contine
ntal U.S. “We’ve always been attracted to the US islands,” Barry said about deciding to travel down to the USVI. “It’s pretty easy getting there— you don’t have to have a passport.”
Barry’s first time ocean sailing in the USVI did not disappoint. “I went with a buddy who had done it before on a monohull,” he explained. “That helped me get confidence and I think I ran the boat more than he did honestly!”
Soon, the one time adventure turned into a yearly trip. “We go down at least once a year and spend about 10 days,” Barry said. “We always enjoy the US [Virgin Islands] because of the parks and the ocean life.”
Even though Barry has now been sailing for years, he remains in awe of the amazing ocean life he sees on each and every trip. “You can see some sharks and the colorful fish but also this last charter we took we went to the Spanish Islands and there were massive stingrays, sharks and turtles,” he said. “We saw a lot!!”
While Barry always welcomes sailing with friends and family, he’s also found a love of sharing his sailing passion with others. Barry is an instructor on the Go Sail team and takes pride in making sure everyone he teaches has an unforgettable experience.
“We want them to learn sailing but a lot of times it’s about the trip, the vacation, getting the enjoyment out of it,” he explained. “The qualifications are just a bonus.”
Hopefully you’ll be able to set sail with Barry yourself this summer, hear the rest of his sailing story, and begin making your own!