Sailboats Fair and Fine #33 : Read oldest posts first

Nov. 3 Monday

We took in our lines and backed away from the dock At 6:55 AM. There is almost no wind and just a hint of fog. We were both happy to be on our way again. A week of messing around in one place has begun to be a long time. Funny thing how big a hurry I was in considering we didn't have to be any place at any particular time. I guess when your traveling you want to travel. The sky was overcast with a smooth layer of clouds that look e like they had been spray painted up there. One thing for sure with a sky like that I was sure there would be no wind for at least a day. We enjoyed the big houses along the water way and motored along at ease.

Being close to the ocean the trees had that look. They all leaned inland with fewer leaves on the Ocean side. I guess the salty wind does that. Kind of gives the trees the look of a strong wind blowing.

We motored along with sandunes between us and the ocean. Now and then we would get a good look at the Atlantic. There must have been a storm off shore someplace because even though there wasn't any wind the seas were running big. The ocean was beautiful. The clouds reflected their gray color in the ocean. It light up as though it were silver with white breakers standing out on it's silver gray surface.

We were running along enjoying the scenery when we heard a bank and a for sail halyard whistled through the air and hit the deck with a thud.

I walked forward cursing the stupidity that let me put that halyard up there without wiring the shackle in place. When I got there and looked up there was the broken shackle hanging in place with the safety wire still in place.

We went on thinking to find a marina where i could get someone to run me up the mast. We pulled into one at Whiskey Creek a nice little marina with floating dock. This was something new to us.

I talked to the fellow at the gas dock who told me he would not be able to run me up there. He said If I let you fall we'll have to buy the marina back from you. He told me he'd come down and help me at lunch time, and he did..

I at one time would climb a mast with out giving it a second though but I shinnied up. This kid walked up the mast like a Haitian walking up a coconut palm. He grabbed the mast brought his feet up and laid back and walked. Swinging one arm out and around to grab the mast then the other. Amazing!.

The marina had a sign up that said in the event of a hurricane all boats must move as the docks will be taken up. Kind of a strange concept for a guy from a marina on pilings to take in.

Georgene and I never had spent much time in marinas a lot of things about marinas were new to us.

In our earlier years of sailing we would have everything packed when we got home on Friday night and head for the boat eighty miles away. As soon as we got there we took off sailing found us a place to anchor snf spent the night. We'd sail all day Saturday and maybe all night then back to the dock and pack up the car after dark and get home at Midnight

If it hadn't been for hauling and painting we most likely would not have gotten to meet any of the marina tenants. Probably some thought us snobbish but it wasn't so we just wanted to sail. I'll have to admit there was some motivation to get away from people.