So, if anyone is looking for someone to blame for the rain, look no further than me!
It was Swiftsure #67 this weekend. The start was not without wind or chills. We reminisced through hats, gloves, hoods, leg warmers and long-johns that exactly one year ago Saturday we were sitting in the very same spot on Clover Point enjoying the start of Swiftsure #66 in shorts, T's, flip flops, sunglasses and sunscreen. There was not enough breeze to defeat the flooding tide and boats were drifting backwards in the current unable to sail across the start line... An beautiful morning for us, a frustrating way to start a race! What a difference a year makes...
Our walk from the Blue Fox Restaurant to Clover Point to watch the race start and back the car was a respectable 7.5 km. A good distance with moderate slopes and a short beach walk to boot. Given the breakfast of free range eggs, roast potatoes toast and jam and chorizo sausage for me, the walk was most welcome! And, I guess the dinner before of seafood and wine hopefully factored into that walk as well...hopefully...
A walk in the mist today was just the thing to clear the cobwebs. I was up really early again for a Sunday, but like last week, I got some chores done and still had the day to futz around. I put a new stereo in the Rag Top to replace the so-so factory one and it was well worth it!
Yesterday also saw a meeting of the Captain and crew of SV "Black Dragon", a Ranger 33 sailboat. She's a Gary Mull design and very quick. Mated with a talented Skipper and crew, she's a very winning boat! after a couple of seasons off, we agreed to start racing again in the fall. Loren, our Skipper conceded he wanted to be a little more choosy on race days to maybe not go out if it was really miserable and that we go out more for the fun of it than to pull out all the stops all the time. More music, less yelling!
So, we'll head out probably two to three times a month plus the long distance races for handicapping purposes then enter the new Swiftsure distance race that is fought over two days of shorter distances as compared to the one we normally entered which was a good twenty hours on the boat (fourteen hours of that racing), overnight, in the cold...Oh, who am I kidding, It's a blast!!
All in all a really great weekend...a great dinner and breakfast out and walks and boats with my Best Friend.
Then a meeting of the minds with my great sailing buddies replete with tales from on the water where the passing time has made the waves bigger, the boat faster, the winds stronger, the crew mightier and somehow the sun warmer and the that fibreglass perhaps a little softer...
Just like today's rain, soft on my face. There will be plenty of days for that top to come down...
Peace, Love,
Allan