MY WOMEN'S SAILING CLASS THIS JUNE 2026

I always wanted to learn how to sail. Ever since my mother took me out on our family yacht when I was a young girl, sailing had been on my bucket list. I finally decided it was time—after all, you don’t get any younger.

I did my research and found an ASA sailing school in Greece. Perfect! I could cross two items off my list at once: visit the country that gave birth to democracy, with its ancient sites, beautiful islands, sunshine, and sea, and learn how to sail.

I booked a week with Athens Sailing Academy to earn my ASA 101 and 103 certifications. The school is located on Poros, a Greek island just one hour from Athens by fast ferry. 

I flew from the United States with American Airlines. It was a long eight-hour direct flight to Athens, but well worth it. I had arranged for a driver to meet me at the airport and take me to the ferry port in Piraeus. About three hours after landing, I was standing on the dock on Poros Island. I had made it! I was in seventh heaven—surrounded by the Greek islands, glorious sunshine, and the smell of the sea.

I had arranged a lovely Airbnb and spent two days relaxing and recovering from jet lag. It also gave me time to explore the island and find the sailing school before my course began.

Saturday finally arrived, and I reported to the school. They share a dock with Greek Sails, a yacht charter company that works closely with the academy. I was greeted by Laurel and Jonathan, our instructor and the school's owner. By noon, our entire crew had arrived. There were three students aboard a spacious Jeanneau 36 sailing yacht. We each had our own cabin, and the boat featured a large salon and a comfortable-sized head.

As it turned out, all three students were women, making it an all-female crew for the week.

Our first day was devoted to getting to know one another, settling into the yacht, and completing the boat and safety briefings. Jonathan treated us to lunch at a delightful coffee bar where Vanessa, the hostess, was incredibly friendly and welcoming. We would become regular customers throughout the week.

In the afternoon, the real learning began. Laurel introduced us to the parts of the yacht, taught us several essential knots, and prepared us for our first sail the following day.

The day finished around 5 p.m. We decided to create a boat “kitty” to cover provisions for the week. The supermarket was conveniently located only about 100 yards from the dock. After shopping, we all agreed that a swim was in order.

The swimming area was close by and absolutely wonderful. There was no sand—just a series of steps leading directly into the crystal-clear water. A long wooden bench provided the perfect place to leave our towels while we enjoyed our first swim in the Aegean.

It was the perfect ending to my first day as a sailing student in Greece.

Our next day started with a Greek coffee at Perel Coffee Shop, followed by Greek yogurt with fruit and honey—a great way to start the day. Laurel arrived at 9:00 a.m., and after updating her on our adventures, we began our morning theory session. She explained how a yacht moves with the wind, the various points of sail, and how to trim the sails. I am more of a hands-on type of person, so I listened, but I really wanted to get my hands on the yacht and put the theory into practice. I couldn't wait to go sailing. 

After a light lunch, we headed out onto the water. Laurel briefed us on leaving the dock and what would happen once we cleared the harbor. Off we went—life jackets on, sunscreen at the ready, and sailing gloves close by.

That first day is a bit of a blur. So much happened: hoisting the mainsail, taking the helm and steering the yacht, unfurling the genoa, and then suddenly the yacht heeled over! I wasn't expecting that, but we really started to move. It was magical—sailing with no engine, powered only by the wind. I had never realized how much power the wind possesses. We were moving quickly, and this big yacht sliced through the water as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This was where she belonged.

We spent the rest of the afternoon practicing sailing techniques: tacking, reaching, running, and gybing. We returned to the dock around 5:00 p.m. After four and a half hours on the water, I was exhausted. The only things I wanted were a swim, dinner, and my bunk—perhaps with a little studying before bed.

Day three started much the same way, only this time I had a frappé—an ice-cold coffee that was almost like a milkshake, but so much better than a strong Greek coffee. I think I had found my morning drink.

Today's sailing was similar, except that when we returned that evening, we would be taking our ASA 101 exam. We sailed all afternoon in a steady 4 Beaufort breeze, gusting to 5, according to Laurel. I learned how to reef the sails and about weather helm. Sailing is far more complicated than I had imagined. You need to be good at so many things; it truly is a lifelong pursuit. I was beginning to understand just how much experienced sailors have to learn to become proficient in this challenging sport.

I passed! I scored 98% on the exam. I was thrilled—one certification down and one to go. The next level was more challenging: yacht systems, additional Rules of the Road, horn signals, and basic navigation. Ugh!

The following day settled into much the same routine. I had no problem with that; it was comforting to know what to expect. Laurel is an excellent teacher. She is compassionate, understanding, and allows you to progress at your own pace. Even so, this next level was proving to be a little more difficult.

Then Laurel announced that we would be sailing to a different bay and spending the night at anchor before returning the next day. I was so excited—a real sailing trip at last!

We sailed to Perdika Bay, a lovely spot with fish tavernas lining the waterfront and a charming harbor. After arriving, we anchored in the bay and took the dinghy ashore to explore. We agreed to meet later for dinner at a fish taverna that Laurel knew.

The food was incredible: fresh snapper, grilled octopus, and a genuine Greek salad—not the version usually served to tourists. As the sun set over the harbor and the fishing boats gently rocked at their moorings, I found myself reflecting on everything I had learned in just a few days. What had begun as a bucket-list adventure was becoming something much more meaningful. I was no longer simply visiting Greece and learning to sail; I was beginning to feel like a sailor.

The sail back was an interesting experience. Laurel explained that they do not teach sailing directly downwind on a 180-degree course. Instead, they prefer students learn to sail downwind angles and master safe gybing techniques. Her reasoning was simple: for beginners, sailing dead downwind can be dangerous. There are too many things to monitor at once—the wind, sea state, steering, sail trim—and then there is the heat. When sailing directly downwind, there is very little apparent wind to cool you off.

By contrast, sailing on a broad reach is easier, faster, cooler, and often gets you to your destination just as quickly, if not faster, than sailing dead downwind. As a result, we became very proficient at gybing a 36-foot yacht, and it was a lot of fun.

Eventually, we returned to the dock, but school was not out yet. We headed back to the coffee shop for drinks and a review session. We discussed what we had done during the day, how we had handled ourselves, and what we thought we could improve upon. It was a very productive session—although I must admit that a couple of glasses of Greek wine certainly helped the conversation along.

We finished around 7:00 that evening and returned to the yacht for showers before heading out for dinner.

As they say, it was now just "a day and a wake-up" before the end of the course. We all had ferries back to Athens at different times on Saturday. I had decided to stay an extra day in my Airbnb because I simply couldn't leave the island without saying a proper goodbye. I already had the feeling that this was a place I would return to one day.

So we spent the last day sailing.

We met at Perel, our usual base. By now Vanessa felt like one of the crew. She already had our coffees ready, and all she had to do was ask what we wanted for breakfast. I still miss her.

Laurel arrived at 9:00 a.m. and gave us two options: review the ASA 103 material in the morning and sail afterward, or go sailing first and complete the review in the afternoon. I looked outside and noticed there was almost no wind. When I asked when it would start blowing, Laurel explained that the southerly breeze would fill in around noon and that the afternoon should provide good sailing conditions.

So we spent the morning reviewing the course material and headed out around noon. At first, the wind was a comfortable 2–3 Beaufort, making for pleasant and relaxed sailing.

Well, let me tell you—that didn't last long.

Within half an hour, the wind had built to a solid 5 Beaufort, gusting to 6. It was the perfect way to finish the week. Everything I had learned over the previous days suddenly came into play. We reefed the sails—mainsail first, then the genoa. Once everything was under control, Laurel had us steer upwind so we could experience driving a yacht in stronger conditions.

We rotated through the helm. Brenda took over first, steering confidently as we powered along on a reach. The yacht accelerated and really came alive. Finally, it was Suzie's turn, and she handled the downwind gybes like a seasoned sailor.

What a way to end a wonderful week.

That evening, Laurel took us out for a farewell dinner. We laughed and talked about how nervous we had all been at the beginning of the course. The food was incredible. We ate at Taverna Spillada, a traditional Greek taverna with character, history, and some of the best food I had enjoyed during my stay.

Then Saturday arrived.

First came coffee, of course. Then the exams.

Needless to say, I passed again, this time with a score of 97%.

This entire experience has been an eye-opener. It was only my second trip outside the United States, and by far the best. Laurel is an incredible instructor, and the school clearly knows what it is doing. Their focus is simple: they teach sailing—and they teach it properly.

There are no shortcuts here.

Before booking, I researched sailing schools extensively. While there are many excellent schools in the United States, I also found plenty that seemed willing to sign people off as quickly as possible. For the cost of an airfare and the course fee, it was actually cheaper for me to travel to Greece and learn to sail than it would have been to do the same course at home.

Go figure.

I would strongly recommend this school to anyone considering learning to sail. Laurel, Jonathan, and Liam run a professional operation that combines high standards, excellent instruction, and a genuine passion for helping people become confident sailors.

I arrived in Greece hoping to tick a bucket-list item off my list. I left with new skills, new friends, and a deeper appreciation for both sailing and the Greek islands. More importantly, I left knowing that this would not be my last visit. Some places simply feel like home, and for me, Poros had become one of them.