MADISONVILLE - Nestled along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain lies a cozy marina, home to both seasoned sailors and landlubbers alike.

The Pelican Yacht Club offers lessons, memberships, and even access to boats — perfect for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of sailing.

“It’s a sport that lets you get out and be in the environment,” Seals said. “It creates a lot of adventure opportunities.”

Adventure is exactly what you’ll find once you take sailing lessons, whether you’re gliding across the glassy lake or catching a gust of wind that sends your sails soaring.

The first lesson in sailing is learning the lingo.

“When you’re facing forward, the left side of the boat is port, the right side is starboard,” Rodger Seals, longtime member and local sailing expert, said. It sounds easy enough until you grab the tiller!

“If you push left, it goes right. Pull right, it goes left,” Seals said. It's opposite day at sea, apparently!

However, Seals said the sport has lost some of its wind over the years.

“I used to race, and races on Lake Pontchartrain would get 80 to 100 boats out,” he said. “Now, they may get 40.”

Still, he’s determined to bring back the breeze one sailor, one lesson, and one perfect day on the water at a time.

“You don’t need to know anything,” Seals said. “You just have to have the right attitude and interest. You’ll learn as you go.”

So set sail and book a lesson or two because this One Tank Trip proves that when adventure calls, it’s all smooth sailing.