Since time immemorial man has been fascinated by the great unknown and what lies beyond the shore.

The sea has attracted writers, artists, and adventurers to produce some of their best work or discover unchartered territory for millennia. While little remains to be discovered nowadays from a geographical perspective, the nautical attraction for modern-day adventurers of all kinds remains. Indeed, sailing is one of those activities that bring together the natural and human elements in a special way that transcends conventional definitions of time.

This short video manages to capture some truly mesmerizing imagery that embodies perfectly the magic of sailing. Through it, director Jacopo Fant presents the highlights of his personal journey across the Atlantic ocean in January 2013 coupled with footage shot around the Greek Islands. This project proved to be so inspiring for him that he decided to document more stories about the sea and people who sail.

What is Sailing? from Jacopo Fant on Vimeo.

The video aptly quotes the author Ursula K. Le Guin when she states that “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” We couldn’t agree more with the notion that sailing enables you to break away from your limitations and instead discover what you’re truly capable of achieving and what your personal strengths are. This is doubtlessly at the core of all sailing adventures, big and small alike: the journey was undertaken, the lessons learned and the memories made are those intangible things that stay with you.

However, this is not only relevant for those who sail but it is an important guiding principle for life in general. Indeed, while it is always important to have a goal, it is even more important to truly appreciate the moments along the way that ultimately make us who we are.