Tag Archives: Sailing community

Alpha Happiness

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Sometimes when you’re a sailor you want to get out there and sail fast and hard and just have a good hoot and holler. You want the sailing version of a rock concert. Unfortunately, Galapagos, as great as she is, is more the sailing equivalent of a night at the opera. She is lovely and cultured and refined, not fast and furious. That’s when it comes in really handy to have sailing friends with smaller boats. And that’s especially true when they are young and just getting feet wet in the world of sailing and want to turn all the handling over to you so they can watch what you do. Are you kidding me? Woo hoo! Let’s go!20160917_161231

Thus it came to pass that we were taking a tour of our new friend James’ boat and he mentioned that he’d like for us to go out with him on his new-to-him Pearson 35 “Morgon Stjarna” (Swedish for Morning Star). He is new to sailing and looking for experience. We have a bit of that. All of us had filled calendars in the near future, so we decided to just drop everything and go. Don’t you love that? I really do. I love this ‘spur of the moment’ ‘let’s just do it’ kind of thinking. I mean, we can work on our boat anytime. And we do.  I vote for going sailing on a Pearson 35, especially as there was good wind today.

Sailing on this smaller boat reminds us of what we love about sailing. We like the feeling of the wind and the water, the heeling of the boat, the wheel work, the tweaking of sails. We love it all. And we love how easy it is to take that boat out and get her back into the slip.  Galapagos would have loved being in that wind today, but it was just so much easier to take Morgon Stjarna out, and the experience is completely different than sailing our queenly vessel, so high up off the water, so protected from the weather in our fine cockpit. We love out boat and we are glad to have her. She is perfect for what we want to do.  But we also love James’ boat for completely different reasons. Hey! Maybe we just love boats!fullsizerender

This would be James’ first real sailing experience on his boat and we felt happy to be the people on board with him and his roommate Kelvin, also new to sailing.   Checking the weather, it looked like wind of 11 knots with gusts up to 19. That’s good sailing weather for us but maybe more than the guys bargained for considering their inexperience. On the inside of the bay, the wind was great and we tooled along under full main and jib doing about 6 knots. Loads of fun and the boat was handling well. James and Kelvin were in their element.

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Kelvin and James, safe and sound and still on board the boat.

As we got out toward the channel, we started getting whitecaps and steadier, heavier wind coming from the south west. I’m thinking that 11 knot forecast was, well, wrong. What a shock! Soon we were heeling magnificently, and while that can be fun, it’s not a very efficient way to sail and looking at the fellas, I saw white around all of their many eyes.  It was apparent that we were overpowered. We immediately reefed the jib but even so, there was a little too much heeling action and weather helm for it to be right. It was a brilliant opportunity to teach James about how his boat will head into the wind if you let her, and how if you release the main and spill wind she is going to pop up. Although it was a probably a little too soon in their sailing careers for those lessons, I’ll bet neither Kelvin nor James ever forget them!

We soon decided to just pull the jib in completely, and Mike and James went forward to reef the main as well. “Keep your center of gravity low, and keep one hand on the boat at all times.” It’s the mom in me. I couldn’t help this little reminder. This was James’ first experience really sailing his boat and it was a little bit of trial by fire. He already knows now what it feels like to be on the foredeck in fairly heavy wind. That’s a pretty exciting place to be, and not always in a fun sort of way. He did well, albeit with eyes wide open now to the force of mother nature in action.

You know, we forget how it feels to be brand new at this sailing thing. After years of sailing this bay, we take things like a quick heeling to 30 degrees for granted and don’t even break a sweat. We know the boat will come back up and what to do if she stays over too long. I was so glad for James and Kelvin they could see Mike and I loved every minute and were not in the least out of our comfort zones.

During a more sedate part of the sail. We were too busy sailing to take photos during the squirrels part of the adventure.

During a more sedate part of the sail. We were too busy sailing to take photos during the squirrely part of the adventure.

I remember years ago being taught how to sail our Catalina 27 and how I watched the previous owner who was on board with us. He was just calm and secure in his ability and in the boat’s ability. We had very brisk conditions and I could have been scared if he had shown any worry at all. But he didn’t, so I didn’t. I hope we were able to pass that on to James and Kelvin, in spite of all the joking about wetting one’s pants! The boat was not actually challenged in any way. We know from our experience that our boat can take more than we can. And that’s true of James’ boat as well.

With reduced sail we made good time across the bay, trying to out run a rain system coming up behind us. It was no good, though. It caught us just as we were getting ready to start the engine and take down the sail. By the time we were motoring into the fairway, I was hunkered down underneath the dodger, staying as dry as possible, memories of Moonrise, our old Cal 34, floating through my mind. In the bay, Alpha Happiness stood witness to the wide eyed wonder of new sailors and to the happiness of these kind of older ones. Apropos. Completely. p1100498

James brought Morgon Stjarna  into the slip, his first time docking bow-in, nailing it perfectly the first time. He’s going to love sailing this boat as he gradually gets used to her, learns her ways, and is guided by the many more experienced sailors waiting with open hearts to give him a hand. Sail on, Sailor!

Us. Having fun. Not working on our boat.

Us. Having fun. Not working on our boat.

 

 

 

Bearing Witness

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Graduations, births, marriages, promotions; these are happy occasions where we invite our community to come together to bear witness. There is power in people holding space for each other as we move through important points in our lives. In the boating community, one such opportunity is the naming of a beloved vessel. Thus we were invited to participate and witness in the highest and best, and most entertaining, way the re-naming of S/V Ella Minnow Pea, owned by friends Trish Harkess and Trevor McInnis down at the Foss Harbor Marina. Soon we will be calling them neighbors!

Ella Minnow Pea is a Cape Dory Intrepid 9 meter sailboat. In spite of her smaller size, I’m always a little envious of Ella because of her underbody. She was built with the same robust features that the original Cape Dory’s are built with, but she has a fin keel, making her more maneuverable than the full-keeled versions. Many is the time I wish Galapagos had more of a fin keel. Alas…compromise.

We were pleased as can be to be invited to the renaming party. It was our first ‘marina community’ event and made us feel that when we move aboard, soon, we will have a ready-made neighborhood of people who welcome us into their fold. It’s something we’ve looked forward to for quite some time and lessens the sting of leaving our comfort zone in suburbia.  The marina community gathered together for food and drink up in the common area before heading down to the dock for the ceremony.

Trish watches as Trevor reads the invocation.

You know, sailing is fraught with superstitions. Or, maybe better stated, opportunities to examine your personal belief systems. We like to practice a little thing called ‘better safe than sorry’ on board Galapagos, so we invoke the protection of our gods and goddesses on a regular basis, and we’ve been known to offer sacrifices, even when virgins are nowhere to be found.

As with many things boaty and religious, there is a tried and true ceremony that is used in the naming or re-naming of a vessel. But it’s kind of, well, just a bit patriarchal. And, you know, traditions change!  I loved the way Trevor re-wrote their ceremony to include homage to goddesses of the sea while keeping the historical tone of the ancient words; bridging the best part of the past with the values of the here and now. The sea is our great mother, as part of our earth. We are connected to her in flesh and in spirit. It is fitting that the goddesses be honored and invoked and to leave them out surely would be asking for trouble. Many cultures invoke the protection of the goddess, in many forms. If you want to use her ceremony in naming your own boat, Trevor would be honored. Be sure to write and tell us about it!

The invocation. Photo credit to Kelly MIlls.

Trish and Trevor did the appropriate thing for their vessel by removing from her all references to previous names.  They waited a year for her and for the gods to settle down before going for the renaming. When we named Galapagos, we removed all references to previous names, and then we did the DE-naming ceremony rather than waiting the full year. When the heart is pure, there are many paths to the goal.

On the day of her renaming, Ella Minnow Pea was dressed in her best flag-waving attire. I’ve never seen her look so saucy. It was as though she knew she was special, that all eyes would be on her as she waited patiently for her baptism. We all carried champagne to the dock to toast to the sea as Trevor took her place on deck and prepared to speak the ancient words. The ritual of the speaking of the words, the connection to our hearts, the purity of the desire, and the witnessing of the community. All were present on a beautiful sunny day. Supplied with horns, celebratory leis, libations, and even a hand drum, the party was ready to usher Ella Minnow Pea safely into the annals of Neptune.

Glasses filled all ’round, Trevor spoke the invocation.  Our toasts, ‘To The Sea!’ , shouted loud and strong, we drank. There was, perhaps, plenty of toasting. Champagne was thrown to the winds, and to the sea, and on the decks of the beautiful Ella Minnow Pea. At last, her baptism complete, her name was unveiled on the stern. And that’s when Trish and Trevor won the marina. Could a name and logo be any cuter than this? Could it be any more appropriate for a boat that is saucy, and sea worthy, and spirited, and can swoop and turn like a kingfisher? I submit it cannot.

Here’s to Ella Minnow Pea. Here’s to Trish and Trevor. Long may you sail together.  Thank you so much for inviting us to be part of your world and for helping us feel a connection of belonging to our new community.

Ceremonies make us wax nostalgic. Want to remember with us the renaming ceremony of Galapagos? We toasted to the winds and the gods of the sea out on the Pacific Ocean, as was appropriate for our plans. It was a memorable day where we learned that you can’t sail north from Oregon. And the goddesses? They are represented by my mermaids, hanging around the boat.

 

Hello Goodbye

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Long time cruisers say that other than doing boat work in exotic locations, the cruising lifestyle is a series of hellos and goodbyes. They say you make lifelong friends, spend a lot of serious time with them while you are both in the same place, then have to say goodbye; not knowing when or if you may cross paths again. I think we must be cruising already because this is already happening. This week we were pleased as all get out to host Tate and Dani McDaniel from Sundowner Sails Again. 

Tate and Dani, with our other sailing pal John Miller of S/V Dulcinea.

Tate and Dani’s blog was one of the first blogs we started following when we started our own plan, and we enjoyed every minute of watching them progress from dreamers, to planners, to cruisers with all that entails. They bought an old Westsail 32 and refit her from stem to stern themselves, scraping and saving and doing everything they possibly could to make their dream a reality. They may be young, but they are not trust fund kids. They are just hard workers with goals who are out there challenging the status quo that says you have to give all your best years to a job, and only then can you live your dreams. These are resourceful people and we have learned much from reading their blog and communicating with them over the years.  Daniandmelissa

They sailed for a year, then put their beloved Sundowner on the hard down in Panama. Taking advantage of the low gas prices we’ve enjoyed, they bought an RV and began a coast to coast journey to see their own country before returning to do more sailing. They are truly adventurous of spirit and stout of heart! They’ve got about 3 months to go before they go back to Sundowner, and they have spent less than 1/2 of what they budgeted for fuel. I’m kind of amazed by that.

We were happy as clams to have them join us on S/V Blue Moon for race night.

After traveling across the country, they were finally in our neck of the woods up here in the Pacific Northwest, taking in the big trees, big water and bigger mountains. We invited them to park their RV in our ample driveway for a few days and come see Tacoma, S/V Galapagos, and us! I tell you, it’s pretty darn cool that we met through blogging, and that they know some of the same people we know, all through blogging about sailing and refitting boats. It begins to feel a bit like belonging to a community. 

As we are often reminded, people are so much  more multi-dimensional in person than they are over the interwebs. Of course we have enjoyed reading their blog, and watching the videos they are now making, but you never really know how you will fit together in person. Turns out, there was no worry about this at all. When they pulled into our driveway and stepped out of their rolling home, I actually felt like I had known them for a long time. We just ‘get along’ together.

The fiddler, aboard S/V Joy, a Columbia 50 . Doesn’t every boat need one of these?

We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their visit. We talked long into the night, sat in Galapagos’ cockpit and ate too much food, went sailing on the C&C 40 we crew on, and generally hung out and became fast friends. Having Dani along on my daily walks was such a treat. I feel like we were just getting to know them when they had to leave.  I’ve got to say, it was hard saying goodbye, knowing it will likely be several years before we cross paths again.

As I look through the photos for this post I realize that we didn’t take any photos of their RV, or of all of us together. Simply put: we were having too much fun to remember to do it. Bon voyage, until we meet again, Tate and Dani!

That beautiful S/V Joy. A Bill Tripp design. Could you even ask for a prettier hull shape? I’m thinking after Galapagos…maybe.