The Spiritual Sailor

I am currently reading The Tao of Sailing, written by a sailor naturally and being a student of the Tao and a fan of Tao Te Ching I find it interesting how the author ties it with the art of sailing, perfect sense to me. Of course in the Taoist/Zen thought/mind everything is tied together. I just recently finished reading a book called Journey of a Hope Merchant an excellent book for those of you interested a sailors adventure of life, death and love struggles. If it was movie ( and it maybe at some point) it would be a good date movie. I had the chance to ask the author a personal question about his spiritual ideals before and after his voyages. I was pleasantly surprised at his willing openness to share his thoughts. Then there is the sailing Zen master in Japan who teaches his advanced students elements of Zen he came to understand whilst doing his ocean voyages. Another simple yet gratifying brief contact moment of even getting a reply from him. I have touched here before in my verbal ramblings about my feelings on Zen/Tai Chi/Feng Shui /the Tao and Sailing
I understand that being a sailor does not make one naturally spiritual any more than it makes one an environmentalist. I was only slightly shocked to recently read an on-line newsgroup posting about yacht clubs and Black members. One person in NY stated it was their clubs unofficial policy not to rent slip space to Blacks for obvious reasons. I did not understand what the obvious reasons were, nor did I get an answer from the poster. I do know that obviously this was not a spiritual minded club. The sea, the earth, the wind does not discriminate. The wrath of nature will take everyone whose time is up, or does something very stupid, with no care to race, color or creed.
Now, understand when I refer to spiritualness I am not talking about religion. Religion and Spiritualness are different. The KKK is full of religious people, wars are fought over religion, Baby Bush is religious. Religion does a fair amount of separating humans, Spiritualness brings us together. I believe God/the Universe/The Great Spirit/ The Creator/Jah/The Force whatever limiting name mankind places on Him/Her/It is more concerned, if one can say that, with humankinds true heartfelt Spiritualness than, the bible thumpers who preach fire and brim stone versions of "their true brand” of religion. I think the true message of Jesus / Mohammad / Buddha the like is about true Spiritualness.
Back to sailing, is there something in the act of sailing that touches some people to the degree that they get a spiritual enlightenment? Perhaps it is some type of trigger for those who are already of that mindset. I know there are many many more sailors out there than I have or will ever encounter, and many of those are far less than spiritual. However those that I have encountered all for the most part share the same basic spiritual awareness that we are but a small part of the greater whole and should respect each other as such. To disrespect a part of nature is to disrespect ourselves. So are sailors on a whole more spiritual? I guess that would depend on who and what it is compared to, however I think on a whole the very act, the need to sail, the desire to connect to the wind and water, to achieve that Feng Shui Harmony, Yin Yang balance, without the noise & pollution of man-made propulsion is, even if not seen/recognized as such, a calling of the Spirit, ...even perhaps, the desire to be one with God.