Getting away and getting out is most certainly welcomed in our hurried lives. With a great deal of external and internal noise vying for our attention, finding ways to be calm can be difficult. When you step onto a Fratelli Aprea, you are not merely going for a ride. It transports you to a slower time, where friends and family gather to experience all the benefits of being together and on the water. The serenity washes over you as the boat glides across the surface.
Fratelli Aprea (“Brothers Aprea”) dates back to the late 1800s. The classic Italian fishing boat, called a Gozzo, was created in its original shipyard in Sorrento, Italy. The Fratelli Aprea of today is a vision adorned with teak and mahogany. You can see and feel the craftsmanship or, more akin to its heritage, the amore that went into building these vessels. As your feet leave the shore and you enter this floating world, you recline, smelling the sea air and soon your body and mind relax.
As Americans, we are allured by the fast-paced life and unending list of things to do. All the while, deep within, many yearn to step off the conveyor belt of life and rest. Through connection and conversation, Michael Sinacola, a friend of one of the younger Aprea brothers, understood this allure as well as the magic of being on the water. Living in Michigan near the expansive Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, he knew the many benefits of the combination of these special boats and time on the water. With his vision and these floating masterpieces, Mr. Sinacola took the conversations with his friend and established the USA division of Fratelli Aprea.
Imagine if a few hours or a day of spending time at rest and breathing deeply could improve your health. In our culture, it seems counter-intuitive to step away from doing to generate results. In light of the link between the planet, the considerable amount of water occupying it, and our bodies, it isn’t a mystery. Our body’s autonomic nervous system has three divisions: sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric nervous system. According to a publication by the Cleveland Clinic, “Our sympathetic nervous system controls your ‘fight-or-flight’ response. Danger or stress activates your sympathetic nervous system, which can cause several things to happen in your body. Your parasympathetic nervous system’s job is usually to relax or reduce your body’s activities. Because of the signals it carries, the rhyming phrases ‘rest and digest’ or ‘feed and breed’ are easy ways to remember what your parasympathetic nervous system does.” The third system is our enteric nervous system. The part of your autonomic nervous system that manages how your body digests the food you eat.
The question each of us is faced with is how do we take the intellectual understanding of how our nervous system works and provide it with the nutrients it needs? Since we are all uniquely made or bio-individualized, it can be a trial-and-error process. A great place to begin is exposure to water. A dip in a nearby lake, pool, river or sea can activate the connection between our thinking mind and our innate knowledge within the body. You can expand on those moments with longer periods of time in and on water, and you will begin to notice reduced stress.
Wallace J. Nichols’s book, “Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected and Better at What You Do” points to the vastness of water and its pivotal role as a primary ingredient in sustaining life. The body is largely made up of water, averaging more than 65% in adults. It makes sense that immersing in water is life-affirming, activating our parasympathetic system and helping with the critical process like digestion during times when you feel safe and relaxed.
At this time in human evolution when the asset of health is priceless, consider a break from the day-to-day hustle, venture to the water’s edge and treat yourself to time near, in, on or under water. This immersive experience creates the opportunity to connect within and with those you choose to be with. This summer, there is a great opportunity for you to step onto a Fratelli Aprea boat at The Delamar in Greenwich, Connecticut (delamar.com/greenwich-harbor). This is a beautiful place with incredible boats and a visceral experience you won’t forget. While aboard, enjoy laughter and an Aperol Spritz, and take in all the healing and wonder water provides.
I am looking forward to summer, sharing time with family and friends and casting off from shore on one of the many beautiful Fratelli Aprea boats. I will be wearing my Riviera Boat Shoe by Sea Star Beachwear (seastarbeachwear.com), as I love how they immediately transport me to Portofino. These fashionable shoes take me from land to deck. And if our paths cross, I invite you to say hello and share your tales from the sea.
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