Offshore Sailing School Student Proposes on Practice Sail

Engaged in Sailing

In late June, Robert Carlisle and Lisa Rezende engaged in a 3-day Learn to Sail course at Offshore Sailing School on Captiva Island, Florida. On their practice sail without the instructor aboard, Rob asked Lisa to marry him. When they returned to the dock they told their instructor, Mike Dewane, who took a picture and sent it to Offshore Sailing School headquarters where it popped up in Doris Colgate’s email.

“I was thrilled! Not only did Rob and Lisa enjoy their learning experience, Rob apparently thought this out long in advance and wanted sailing to be the backdrop,” says Doris. “So I asked if we could tell their story to all of you.”

It’s Official!

“It is now official,” wrote Rob. “A wedding date is not set yet. But, could be as soon as the end of the year.” Before the couple flew down to Florida, Rob asked Lisa’s mother for her hand. But Lisa had no inkling what was about to happen.

Pilots Who Now Love to Sail

Lisa and Rob are both helicopter pilots for a global helicopter company that primarily supports the oil and gas industry, provides search and rescue (SAR) to foreign governments, and operates several fixed wing airlines. “She and I are both aviation nuts, to say the least, and fly both airplanes and helicopters,” says Rob. They met at work flying helicopters for the same company in the Gulf of Mexico and their next assignment will be in Africa working a six week on six week off rotation. So, according to Rob there will be plenty of time for sailing.

Next Up — A Cruising Course, Then Greece and Croatia

Rob explained their next romantic sailing adventure is to complete the Bareboat Sailing Certification course with Offshore Sailing School, gaining certificates of international proficiency: “Since our rotation ends in the eastern hemisphere, if it’s God’s will, and we live, we will sail the waters of Greece and Croatia!” he exclaimed.

Sailing — A Lifelong Love Affair

Doris can relate to this exciting news, as she and Steve met at a racing course Steve was conducting back in January 1968. “Granted, he was my instructor and we had never met before,” she explains, “but it was sailing that brought us together and sailing that has been our lifelong love affair. It is stories like Rob’s that keep us going after so many years in this business.”

Romance That Starts with a Shared Adventure

Have there been other engagements on Offshore Sailing School boats? The Colgates say two stories come to mind. One occurred in New York Harbor when, during the last day of the Learn to Sail course during the spinnaker is demonstrated, it popped out with “Will you marry me?” emblazoned across it. On another occasion, a student asked the instructor if he and his girlfriend could sit on the cruising boat after the course. They sipped cocktails as he not-so-calmly waited for his soon to be fiancé to finish her drink. She did and was about to throw the ice overboard when he panicked. He had embedded the engagement ring in the wedge of lime in her drink!

To Rob and Lisa, “Thank you for choosing Offshore Sailing School for your sailing education, and here’s to a lifetime of happy sailing!”

If you have thoughts about getting engaged while taking at a course at one of our fabulous resort locations, give us a call – 888-454-7015 or 239-454-1700. We’re here to make it a fun experience!

Coming Up at Offshore Sailing School

Flotilla Cruise in the British Virgin Islands just a few months away, starts December 5, 2015. And then next spring and summer, flotilla cruises for our graduates in the Bahamas and, yes, Croatia!