Sunday, June 23, 2013

Reapply after swimming, vigorous activity or capsizing

Yesterday Crash and Math Man dusted off the boats and dug all the rigging out of winter storage (and put air in the very, very, very flat tires of the double-decker trailer). Today, my merry men and I headed off to sail at a nearby state park.

Math Man was coming from his morning golf game, so the boys and I got the boats up there, off the trailer, rigged and in the water.  After all that effort the teen-aged team was hungry, so they went off to get a snack and I slathered on sunscreen and took out the Fiat Lux.

The wind was tricksy, puffing here and pooping out entirely there.  But there was a whole fleet of other Lasers out there racing, gorgeous to behold.  Nigh on inspiring.  So inspiring, I thought I'd give a series of racing tacks a fly.  So my first tack of the season, I pushed the tiller over, pulled in the main sheet and tried to come about without losing my wind.  It was a bit rough around the edges, but hey, it was the first tack of the season.

Next tack, the wind puffs as I bring the boat across the wind.  Uh-oh.  The full sail and I are now on the same side and boat begins to roll.  I scramble for the other side, but too late.  The laws of physics have no sympathy, and certainly don't wait on my necessities.  The boat was going over, and I was going in.  Splash, bang.  I'm in the water.

I haven't had to right a capsized boat in deep water in forty years, and never without backup or another person to assist.  I wonder at my age if I can do it.  I make sure I'm not fouled in any of the lines, swim to the back and hang my full weight onto the end of the center board.  Slowly, but surely, the sail comes out of the water and the boat rights itself. Whew.  OK, now to get back in without letting the boat sail away without me.

I am short.  I am so short that the extra three inches of the personal flotation device kept me from being able to reach the inside of the gunnel.  Argh. I strip off the jacket and heave it into the boat.  Bearing more than a passing resemblance to a beached whale I'm certain, I follow the jacket into the cockpit.  I gather the lines and my dignity and am once again sailing.

It's good to know I didn't have to tread water waiting to be rescued by the lake patrol.  I lost neither glasses nor hat in the mishap.  I had brought dry clothes for the end of the day.  I could put more sunscreen on (having both swum and engaged in vigorous activity). It was, as Chesterton would have it, an inconvenience rightly considered — that is to say, an adventure.  If only the bruises didn't look like they are going to be quite so spectacular...

8 comments:

  1. Oh no! But you righted the ship in the end, although it seems a bit scary to me!

    Bruises? Get thee to a local health food store or natural pharmacy, arnica (or the possibly better brand name blend, Traumeel) is needed. Apply to bruises as needed; it is useless on the ego however. Trust me, I have tried!

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    1. Oh, the image of rubbing arnica into my ego is making me laugh, Fran!

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  2. Oh my, Michelle! It's been over 10 years since I went sailing (and except as a very young person when we had a Sunfish in my family), and I was so totally with you the whole way--both amused and horrified and then, just grinning. I don't like the aches and pains of advancing age and I am sorry for your bruises. But there is still something magnificently free and beautiful about an accomplishment like this at our age. Brava!

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    1. That about sums up my reaction, Rosa :)! Amused, horrified and then grinning like a bandit once I got back back in the boat. But for the most part, I just was in the moment, thinking about the next thing, not rushing...and the bruises were worth it the experience

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    2. I left out a piece of a sentence in previous posting--I only sailed in bigger sailboats as an adult. For a while we had a trailerable 21 ft and then a 30 footer so it has been a long time since I was anywhere close to capsizing. Still--very cool.

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  3. Getting up on the boat again - well I can just imagine.... and I also have to think that the water was a bit nippy -- well, for these here parts of the world..
    Thanks for the fun story - and will make for fun story telling in the future.

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  4. What a magnificent story - with a safe and happy ending! That was a great accomplishment. I love it when we step outside the box and challenge ourselves no matter our age - and I'm older than you for sure!

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  5. I'd be petrified! Good for you, turning the boat back over and getting back in.

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