Complete rookie eager to learn

[RookieSam]

Hello fellow travelers,
I am a complete newby but I would love to learn more!
I can say I've been sailing before but never for more than a day and I would hardly know what vessel I was on (except that it had a sail on it and I learned how to turn it from side to side).

I come from a rather small island in Southern Brazil and love to be close to the sea when I am not of course in the sea. But I have been on a trip around Europe, Middle-East and Africa for the past 2 years (mostly over land, hitch-hiking) and I've been plotting my routes mostly out of intuition. By that I mean that I go where it feels right, but keep to a certain direction. I have arrived by plane to Europe and cruised through it in all directions finally making it to Turkey where I am now. From here on I make my way South towards Egypt and from there make my way to Western Africa where I hope to find a boat sailing over the Atlantic.

I have travelled manly over land and want to find a way home over the Ocean. Oh, yes and I'm doing all of this with absolutely no money (it's just how I've chosen to go since Sept. last year and I have ben very successful thus far).

I have been told by other travellers and sailors to just head to a port and be a helpful guy in the hopes that someone might take me out and help me either by teaching me or giving me a ride to the next port. But any advice from you guys here would be extremely helpful.

[Auzzee]

Most cruisers will gladly help anyone who shows a genuine desire to learn, and who offers to help with boat maintenance. That can be a bit of a waiting game all the same. If you go to the local yacht clubs and offer to help with race day rescue boats, and post notices on the club's notice boards saying you are a novice, but looking for crewing opportunities, you should pull a gig. Most clubs have casual sunset races, usually on a Wednesday night when enthusiasm and good company trumps solid experience.

Learning will not be difficult as long as you present boat owners with opportunities to use you. Best of luck and keep us informed of your experiences.

Cheers