While on board the Beneteau 6.5, on a 45-minute sailboat ride to the port of Mandwa, I could imagine what it must feel like to in globetrotting TV journalist Samantha Brown's shoes. The photo-ops were ideal -- sea gulls chasing us, and luxury yachts bobbing around the harbour. You'd be forgiven to believe this was Santa Monica Bay. We were on our way for a day of sailing, surfing and kayaking with Aquasail, as their powdered-white powerboat cruised past the Arabian Sea's waters, leaving Mumbai's foggy skyline eight nautical miles behind.u00a0

Along the way, we dropped off our co-passengers on to a Beneteau 7.5s; this family wasu00a0 on their second lesson in introductory sailing. As I settled into my windswept avatar, Director Aquasail Zia Hajeebhoy, filled me in on why they wanted to be more than just another boating company. "Shakeel (Kudroli; champion sailor and multiple-medal winner) and I wanted to create a base of people who not only buy good boats but also learn to enjoy and experience boating. We ensure that our clientele stay informed and gain the confidence of sailing their own boats; it's all about developing a hobby," she said.

Just then, our sailing instructor Abhishek invited me to take over the controls. Gulp. After a crash course in the safety measures and instructions, I was actually steering a powerboat for three full minutes. This is how Daniel Craig must feel while on a rescue mission? A fast-approaching passenger boat rudely disrupted the joyride, and the controls were swiftly handed back to the expert.

As many as 3,000 people went sailing between January and May 2009, said Zia, who's been sailing for over 20 years. With a fleet of nearly 30 boats, including more than eight types for windsurfing, kayaking and sailing, she is positive that Mumbaikars will warm up to this new hobby. They are a team of 30, comprising instructors, tindalls (seafarers from the fishing community nearby), maintenance staff, marketing and administration personnel. The instructors are trained from the Sea Cadet Corps (Training Ship Jawahar, a voluntary non-government organisation that provides sea training to Indian youth).

By now, Mandwa's shoreline surfaced in the horizon. Sunday class beckoned. We proceeded to the Aquasail centre, nearby. A presentation section with training manuals, sailing flags and charts greeted us at the well equipped base where we wolfed down our dal-rice-roti-chicken masala lunch, before heading back to the beach.u00a0