Learning to Sail While Pregnant

By Sofia Ernst

Pregnancy planning did not originally include me getting my Skipper’s license—but life, and pregnancy, are unpredictable.

My husband and I love being on the water. He’s an avid rafter and kayaker, and I’ve taken up rafting as well. We had always talked about expanding our watercraft knowledge and sailing “around the world,” but we had never taken concrete steps toward it.

Then, a few months into my “geriatric” pregnancy (I’m 38), we were invited by a friend to join a private sailing course in Baja, Mexico.

Fear, Opinions, and the First Leap

Deep in the throes of my first trimester, I was skeptical. I had never spent multiple days on a ship at sea.

We had done a weekend raft trip while I was a few months pregnant, and it had been lovely. That trip left me wanting more time on and near the water. But as I considered learning to sail, the opinions started rolling in.

People warned me about nausea. They told me it was safer to stick to activities I already knew. “You wouldn’t run a marathon right now,” my doctor joked.

But if I’m honest, my own fear was the biggest obstacle.

Still… I love an adventure.

Researching My Way to Courage

I dove into research.
What would the wind be like?
How much wind is too much?
Where exactly would we be sailing?

Being from Colorado, I have limited knowledge of the ocean. I also reached out to a moms group to see if anyone had sailed while pregnant. A few people responded and they were encouraging.

At some point, I realized I could only know so much.

So we signed up. Booked the tickets. One week at sea, learning to sail in the stunning Sea of Cortez.

Life at Sea

Before we left, I stocked up on every possible anti-nausea and food sickness remedy I could think of (spoiler: I barely used them).

On the drive to the marina, we spotted whales in the distance and I knew I had made the right choice.

Our teaching captain was surprised to see me. He told me he had never taught a pregnant woman before. Nice to be the first.

Sailing was more work than I expected.

We learned how to read the wind, raise and lower sails, tack and jib, and diagnose a broken engine. We practiced docking, anchoring, mooring, and general boat maintenance. We even learned navigation—using a compass, slide ruler, and the stars.

Our days were long, and I was exhausted each night. I’d fall into bed, open the porthole above my head, and drift off under a sky full of stars.

Moments I’ll Never Forget

Mornings were spent swimming in the warm sea. Evenings were filled with fresh fish and stories.

On the first day, we swam with a playful sea lion who came to check us out. That same morning, I followed a sea turtle, diving alongside it as it grazed.

We explored coral reefs filled with eels, pufferfish, and schools of bright blue fish—and I got stung by what felt like a thousand tiny jellyfish.

On our last night, we swam in the brightest bioluminescence I’ve ever seen. With a new moon above and stars overhead, the ocean itself became a sea of light.

The Hard Day

Not every moment was easy. On our toughest day, we sailed for eight hours straight, running drills. I felt nauseous. It was cold and windy, and my body struggled with the temperature. But I took care of myself.

I spoke up about what I needed. I leaned on my husband and our crew. I kept snacks in my pocket, a windbreaker close by, and water within reach. I accepted my limitations—and kept going.

Each night, we completed a written test. I passed every one. By the end of the course, I earned my Skipper (captain’s) license.

And yes… I got the hat. ;)

A Bigger World, Not a Smaller One

No longer is our dream of sailing with our child a distant idea. It’s something I can actually see—and feel.

Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean shrinking your world.

I know my life is changing, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting smaller. I want my son to grow up exploring this world, so I keep exploring it too.

Listen to Your Body… and Your Desire

Everyone says, “listen to your body.” I completely agree.

But I want to add something else: listen to your desire.

What do you actually want to be doing?
How do you want to experience this season of life?
What’s truly available to you?

Preparation was everything for me. Research, support, planning ahead... those things made this adventure possible.

Held by Something Bigger

While swimming in the sea, I kept thinking about my baby floating in his own small ocean.

Both of us held by something vast.
Both of us suspended in life itself.

The ocean. The womb. Mother Earth.

All of it connected.

About Sophia

Sophia lives in Boulder, CO with her husband. She works in healthcare and is a facilitator and somatic Pain Reprocessing Therapist. She loves dancing, rafting, hiking, trail running, and weightlifting, and is a former handstand and acrobatics coach who also plays the fiddle.