Dream a Little Dream

Had the strangest dream last night--got me thinking about interpretation, etc. So here goes:

I was somewhere out with my sister & I apparently met two guys. Both seemed interested in me & I ended up talking to one that I knew wasn't right for me. The other one sort of faded into the background of my dream. Time passes--dreams & time are quite nebulous so who the frig knows if days, minutes or seconds had passed....anyway, the one guy apparently turned out to be a jerk or something--again dream vacuum, so I meet up with my sister again, must've been a party or something. Did I mention it took place next to the Chesapeake?--important bit of info for later.

So my sis tells me that Guy #2 told her that if I was ever interested in pursuing something with him he'd be waiting. He told her that he left me a little gold music box & if I went to get it & brought it to him he'd know I was serious. (how fairy-tale!) Turns out he'd put the box on a square dock with no access other than swimming off the shore about 500 yards or so. Apparently I'm game because I tell my sis that I'm off to get the music box. Details are so interesting in dreams--I had to climb over a low barbed-wire fence to get down to the water--there were very lush marsh grasses growing up around the fence & I could see the flowers, bees & insects buzzing around (I guess the setting was the summer...) as I climbed over the wire. I take off my shoes & dive into the water.

The Bay was glistening in the sun, no wind, calm & clear. As I near the platform, I begin to see huge, dark, reddish-brown hulks floating in the water, coming towards me. I can't figure out what they are until I reach the ladder to climb up. A big, beef carcass is floating closer & closer, followed by 100's more. They all begin to bump into one another and then into the platform. I barely scramble up onto the deck before they start floating around, under & surrounding the platform. I call out to my sister onshore that there are these carcasses that are fouling the bay & that she'd better watch out. I see the music box glittering in the sun, pick it up, but have no way to get back to shore....I wake up.

Dead in the Water

I was really looking forward to the Leukemia Cup regatta today. It would've been awesome but there was absolutely no wind. One of the skippers from the Catalina 27 fleet said that we couldn't even move backwards that's how dead it was out there.

It was actually pretty funny if it hadn't been so hot--the start was the most entertaining. There were 5 of us starting at the same time: PHRF A0 & A1. Three of us got across the start line nicely albeit slowly as there was only about 4 knots of wind at that time & that was pretty much the best it got. The last two were highly entertaining to watch as they struggled to even get to the start. One of them made it just before the start for the J105's gun. The second one, a poor, hapless boat sat dead as the gun for the 105's went off. He just never made it to the start-apparently couldn't even set the boat to find the little air there was & for that matter by the time they figured it out, the 105's had stolen the good air anyway & they were left with the dirty stuff....

So as we were attempting to sail to the mark, we were on the rails watching the water for wind. Of course we could see the current but even that faded to nothing and became "slick-cam". This is Smith Island waterman speak for what the Bay looks like when it is a glassy mirror. In other words: dead calm. The race was called & we all puttered around back at the RC boat to see if we'd try for a second race later. A lot of people dove into the water to cool off. I wished mightily for my bathing suit just about then because it just got hotter & the wind was just.........

A bunch of boats retired from the race & called it a day. The RC attempted for a second race, thinking that wind was building, but eventually that was called too--well before any start gun went off. We were hanging by the RC boat & saw the blue & white "Abandon Race" flag go up followed by the three gun blasts. Motor on--we were heading home. After grabbing a bite & a Margarita with a few of the crew, I decided to go to the party at the sponsoring yacht club.

I met up with a few folk from the Catalina 27 fleet, but I think the party was much smaller because of the lack of wind. People were hot, frustrated & tired & just decided to go home instead of drink rum. I picked up the requisite T-shirt, hung out for a bit listening to the band & chatting about the Miles Race & how drunk we all were, & then headed for home. Of course anyone who sails on the Chesapeake knows how it gets in the summer: no wind....so of course just about the time I pulled up to my BFF (A)'s house, the wind began to blow....better luck on the West River on Wednesday.

Miles, BayBay!

So I will be racing in the Miles River Race this weekend. I am so psyched about this opportunity. The Miles is a beautiful river where one can find St. Michael's--another gorgeous town on the Chesapeake. The race is from Annapolis to the Miles on Saturday & then a race back on Sunday. In between there is, of course, a party.

I am racing on a Catalina 27 this time & the crew will be sleeping on the boat--hmmmm...close quarters here especially with all the racing gear--sails, lines, etc. Most probably NOT the most comfortable. But at least we can hop off & use the head onshore when we arrive. And a shower in the morning before we leave. This is my first time doing a multiple day race over a longer course. Eventually I'd like to be able to do a Newport/Bermuda Race so this is a good start. At least on the longer tacks we can relax--sort of. It won't always be a crazy rush with the sails & riding the rails. Also different is that I'm racing in a class of all single types--in this case all Catalina 27s. Before I was racing in a PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) class. For those who are interested:

PHRF Rating System
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) ratings are based on the speed potential of the boat, determined as far as possible on observations of previous racing experiences. It is the intent of PHRF handicapping that any well equipped, well maintained, and well sailed boat has a good chance of winning. Handicaps are adjusted as needed on the boat's performance so that each well sailed boat has an equal opportunity to win. This is the fundamental concept. PHRF ratings are not intended to reflect skipper and crew capability. Ratings are not adjusted to encourage a poor or careless skipper, and conversely, no rating adjustment is made to penalize proficiency. Intensity of competition and the influx of new and aggressive sailors require each skipper to maintain consistently high performance in order to place well.

I can't wait--my head is not on current events but somewhere out there near Annapolis. It is massively exciting as well as a super opportunity to continue to hone my crewing skills.

Hoping for fair breezes....