Waves. Vibrations.

Sailing.

It's one of the best things in life, really.  Sailing alone on a little boat.  No motor, no talking, no ... nothing.  Just air.  Just water.

The best BEST part is that magical moment when the boat starts to hum.  It's momentary, and therefore, precious.  All of a sudden, when the wind is perfect and the waves are just so, the mast and the shrouds (the metal lines holding up the mast) start to vibrate together, and the whole thing is like a giant harp.  Hommmmmmmmmmmmm.   Then the wind shifts, or you hit some big waves, and it's gone.

When you're the one with your hand on the tiller and the mainsail line, you feel it before you hear it. You feel the vibrations building.  Then, the hum becomes audible.  Since you are holding onto the boat, you become part of the vibrations too.  And you're directing the boat, coaxing it, finessing the sail just so, like a cellist warming up the sound of a low note.  Hommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Then the wind cuts out abruptly.  The hull rocks back and forth in the waves, and you hear the clankclankclank of the lines against the metal mast, the flapping and luffing of the sail.  You feel and hear the slapslap of waves against the hollow hull.  Then POP - the sail is suddenly full again, and off you go, in pursuit of bliss.  Trying to balance on the head of a pin.