Enrolling in the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of eighteen, Eric North studied at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) in Kingston, ON. Situated on the St Lawrence River at the eastern end of Lake Ontario with a prevailing south-west wind, Kingston is ideal for sailing. A number of people, Mr. Don Currie in particular, offered to have Eric crew aboard their boats during his time in Kingston. Since RMCC Eric has sailed and crewed aboard dinghies, sloops, catamarans and tall-ships across Canada, USA as well as the Caribbean.