Another heavy rain came through in the night. Guess you could call it a heat storm, though the rain was much heavier than a couple of days ago. Stepping into the penultimate longest day of the year had me stepping on a small, quarter size, wet spot under the starboard stern quarter of the midship hatch. It looked soundly closed yet was not latched shut. Mentioning it here as a reminder to bring it up with Hugh, the surveyor, when that day ever arrives. 😎
Did a little HIVE curation over coffee and a chocolate indica. By the time that it began kicking in it seemed like a good time to throw the dirty laundry through a cycle. Knowing it takes 30 minutes my cell came with me to kill the wait on the Marina Wi-Fi.
Once back aboard checked emails to find that Jason, the instructor, had sent me some great links and suggestions on how to prep myself a bit for the upcoming time with him. One great idea was to take a day trip into downtown Toronto's Queen’s Quay area to visit local legend of a bookstore, called Nautical Minds. They have everything paper in regards to nautical, from books to charts. Thought maybe tomorrow would be best day to give it a visit so as to avoid the weekend crowds.
It just occurred to me that with all the talk of sailing instructions that you, the reader, might be getting the wrong impression. Sailing is not new to me, it is just that it has been some time since last on the toss. Some decades in fact. Ok 50 years to be exact. 😆
There is not a time in memory that my Father did not have a boat of some kind. He raced small outboard motored hydrofoils, had small day fishers with outboard motor and trailers and even more conventional cruiser power boats. Not sure if he was having a mid-life crisis or not yet he turned down the very different path of sailing in the late 60's and quickly worked himself up to a 32ft. Acadian Yawl built in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. We sailed each summer during my teen years. My Father had many sea miles logged from his days as a radio operator on merchant marine ships during World War II, and decided he would work on getting an inshore Captain's ticket to be able to charter.
We became study pals and even made him flash cards for all the buoy markings and marine ship lights' coloring and meanings that we needed to know for his exams (not to mentioned entering and exiting ports of call). It is my hope that through instructions that some of those old muscle memories will kick in again.
The only boat that was personally mine was a 16ft day sailer that was bought at an auction as a young adult.
My most epic sea tale happened on my Father's yawl. A Labor Day Weekend race was planned from the Bedford Yacht Squadron to the Armdale Yacht Club which are situated on opposite sides of the Halifax peninsula. The BYS is situated in Bedford Basin and the AYC is situated at the end of the North West Arm. There was a race check point well off the harbor pretty much into blue water which was the midpoint in the triangle shaped race. It was wet heavy weather with a squall, that September day, and very gusty. The owner of the yard, which built my Father's yawl asked if he could use my Father's boat to display his yard's work in the race. We were to join as crew and the Yard owner would skipper.
Obviously the Yard owner wanted to win for the prestige and to give him credit while outbound we were in the lead. Yet he wanted the win too much and left up a full set of sails. Well out of the harbour's protection, while coming up on the midpoint marker, a wind gust hit us hard and heeled her hard to port with water coming over the gunnels and almost the coaming.
When a heavy keel boat heels hard to lee it will reach a point when the wind goes out of the sails and the boat will begin to right itself. With a full set of sails up, as she returned to upright, another gust was awaiting her and the mast let go at the spreader crashing down and hanging off to port.
Source : safe-skipper.com
Needless to say we did not win the race, however valuable intel was learned. A solid keel boat is almost impossible to capsize. It has been told to me (with no concrete proof) that they will right themselves even if fully capsized. It is likely for that reason that Makina jumped off the computer screen and into my heart. She carries ballast of 5,500.00 lb. / 2,495 kg. with a displacement of 17,800.00 lb. / 8,074 kg.. So long as she is ship shape she will take you anywhere on this earth you care to go, with high degree of safety.
A book of interest was found in Chris' onboard library. It's called The Cruising Life by Jim Trefethen. It seems to be an open and honest portrayal of the cruising lifestyle. More than a 'check out this anchorage when in x', he covers more what it takes to get yourself in a boat in blue water and skill sets you will want when there. A good read by a witty author.
By early afternoon, and feeling a bit peckish, headed up to the Marina's Town Square to have a snack. The cook at the Marina's pub does marvelous seafood dishes. His fresh haddock was mentioned in a previous post. Today his shrimp was ordered and deliciously ingested. Smack your lips delightful fare!
It was back aboard for more reading and a little heat induced nap. Later in the afternoon a connection to my daughter and son-in-common-law was made. It appears that the heat wave from here has made its way east. They have moved downstairs to what had been my apartment as it tends to be much cooler than the upstairs which is under a flat tar roof. There is a nice sliding door which opens into a small grove which is our backyard from the downstairs flat which lets a nice breeze blow through. So glad the kids are taking advantage of the full building in my absence.
More internet and reading into the evening. Looking forward to getting off the block tomorrow to visit the Nautical Mind bookstore in downtown Toronto. Also anxious to hear of any movement with surveyor or the marina's yard. Fingers crossed!
May the wind be at your back!
A chronological listing of my sailing posts:
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