Currently reside in the US Midwest (the prairie) and have a blue water sailboat on the lower Chesapeake (the pelagic).
I grew up sailing in North Carolina but sadly my sailing ended by the time I left college. Picked it up again three decades latter in the midwest. Curiously it rekindled my desire to sail on big water.
Many years ago I was a submarine naval officer and that exposed me to the sea life, watch standing, navigation, and some seamanship. I have completed a few ocean trips, one I paid to join, and others I volunteered as crew.