Docked on a rainy day.
I’ve taken up sailing.
It came about after a comment was made by a co-worker on an assignment I was on. She mentioned that her boyfreind had a 33′ sail boat which they race on Thursdays. The boat is located on the Columbia River. I was interested! I had planned to learn how to sail when we lived on Lake Washington, but I never made time to do it. So here was this opportunity and all I had to do was show up. Or so I thought. I naievly agreed.
The photo above was from the first day after we had gone out. It rained the entire time. I don’t do cold and wet very well. There was no wind to speak of so we motored around the area where the race was to take place. Learning was going to happen on a very steep curve from that day on. No time for photos on this assignment.
The following week was my first day of racing. I had just barely learned the terms; lines not ropes, starboard and port, winches and blocks, main sail and foresail, heeled over, etc. Metaphorically speaking, I had jumped in – head first.
I was assigned to the main sail. This is where most of the power of the boat comes from. My job was to make sure that it was catching wind at the right angle. I also had to move it when we turned and it had to be moved fast or we lost power. I threw myself to the task, literally. I had to be in the moment, on that line at all times! On the first major turn, I had to move that sail smoothly about 15 feet from one side to the other. I cranked and pulled until I was gasping for breath and the sail had moved. I’ve never had to work so hard in such a short period of time! I was so full of adrenaline. My senses were all on high alert (it didn’t help to know that if I failed at moving the sail in time, we could tip over…). But it was exciting! I hadn’t had that kind of stress in a very long time. My legs are covered in bruises and scrapes from having bumped into the deck.
The current and the wind are unknown shifting factors. So even on an easy day, which the next set of photos are from, you need to be alert. On the river, there are barges and logs as well.
Captain Brent on the Mo B Dick
Spinnaker on the left and the mainsail in the right. The spinnaker can take off like a kite and you have to ready to let it go!
One of my mates.
The main sail winch.
Eric comes out now as well. Racing is best done with a crew of five.
Captain Brent and Dawn. He’s bees sailing since he was 16. He knows our skill level (zero!) and won’t push us past it.
It was actually pretty windy that day.
This was a good opportunity to just feel the boat without the added stress of time. It was a pretty nice day.
Most everything I’m doing requires the same level of commitment. I’m learning to commit first, figure it out later. I am still scared of tipping the boat. But I will go anyway and face this fear. As I will do for all of my other plans. I have learned that it takes being in present time and the belief that I will prevail. This sailing is a live demonstration of that process.
