This summer is as nautical and riverine as we can make it. So far, Hooman and I have gone out on the water twice. The first time was on the Hudson River with a J/24 that ran beautifully, and the second time was in the bay at Harvey Cedars, on a catamaran whose sail was rigid and plasticky and didn't create enough lift. Both times, we were in relatively safe places, where there was little danger of being swept out to sea. Both times we were with more experienced sailors. We almost went out a third time by ourselves, in the Montreal habour, but the Lachine rapids looked daunting and we left it for another day (or maybe never).
On the catamaran that didn't sail, we floated aimlessly for what seemed like a long time and eventually ran aground in the middle of the bay, where the water was extremely shallow. I slipped out of my t-shirt and shorts and jumped off the boat, and, feet poised on the slimy bay floor, pushed the stubborn craft into deeper water, in the direction of the dock. Hooman and Scott stayed on the boat to man the tiller and manage the sail. I didn't push for very long, because I weigh 106 lbs and don't have very much power. Also, I discovered the water was filled with jellyfish, propelling their diaphanous bodies artfully around me, making being stung something of a great possibility. More to the point, I would have been stranded if the sail had indeed caught wind. So after I had pushed the boat a few feet, Hooman pulled me back up and I spent the next half hour in my swimsuit drying out on the "deck", if you can call it that.
The catamaran we were on had a large piece of blue netting pulled taut between the two hulls, forming a sort of hammock. Being 5 foot 1 was an advantage in that I could lie lengthwise on the netting quite comfortably, but staring at endless blue sky made me restless, while turning over and lying on my belly would have left me staring at nothing. After a while, I gave that up and sat up on the rubber cushion on the hull where the guys were sitting, and the result was that I didn't get quite as dry as I wanted.
We chatted and let out feet dangle over the side of the boat, and eventually made our way back using the tiller as a paddle.
20 August, 2008
Floating, running aground.
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4 comments:
nice pic!
I like the part especially when the white sky rise above the sea and the through to the big blue sky.
postcard moment!
This was taken from the back yard of my friend's childhood summer home. It's possibly one of my most favourite paths in the whole world, because it holds the promise that beyond the sand dune is the ocean.
the more i look at it, the more i think the word nice is an understatement.
gorgeous shot would be more like it
Glad you like it. Yes, everything looks gorgeous when you're at the beach! The light is marvelous. Also, everything seems to be telling a story.
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