Today would have been my grandfather's 103rd birthday. My amazing Pops who loved nothing more than to be out on a sailboat. He is my hero--and I hope I've done him proud over these past 5 years, obsessively racing on a bunch of sailboats. Last night was the opening race of the Wednesday Night Series on the West River. So glad to be back out there. As I looked around at the scenery (rare when so focused on getting the boat to go faster), I also recognized in me that same feeling: There is no other place I'd rather be than sailing.
Four years ago almost to the date, I met Xing Fu for the first time down on the West River. My son & I used to drive down every other Wednesday to race & I remember the first time we went down there (also because I mention the time in a blog post) & I saw Xing Fu--it was cold & wet & he had on his foulies with a knit cap--too cute. Granted, never thought too much beyond that for that season but look where we are now. And last night we sailed together again down there & I also realized that there is no other person that I'd rather be sailing/racing with. So a tribute to my Pops & a tribute to the West River where I found my passion renewed. I also recently revisited past posts about sailing--I have learned a TON from that first post & the first race back out--reading about my Miles River experience on the Catalina 27 & how handling the kite was really baffling at the time & how the set & douse were beyond me. Even my vocabulary has changed as well as my knowledge of the tweaks in the sail trim. I love how I've grown into the sport again & I love that I have a partner who loves it at least as much as me. Yup, being a nostalgic sop but someone's gotta do it!
Maybe I need to change my blog focus....or not. Actually I've recently been very obsessed with racing. It seems to have overtaken my desire to date...or not. But at least with racing I feel like I'm going somewhere (of course I am--I'm RACING!!). What I mean is that I'm moving forward, learning & getting better at sailing every time I'm on the boat. Which is massively satisfying. With this whole dating thing I feel stagnated, frustrated & at a loss. The dearth of appealing men out there--WHERE ARE THEY???? And where are the ones who sail? Bleh! What I find fascinating is last night's race & how that relates to dating....how, you may say...well, I'll tell ya'. Of the crew on the boat four of them met either crewing on that boat or on another one from the same racing group. So, as I said to one of the women who was 6 months pregnant (& still out there racing!), "There's hope for me yet."
Last night was amazing, though. It was rainy, messy & cold but my son & I put on our foul weather gear, sailing gloves, smartwool socks, & drove down to the West River to crew on an SR-33. My son was a trooper--I was so proud of him. It is tough to go out on a boat & crew for the first time in fair weather, but in the nasties, well...tons of props to my kid! He was part of the foredeck crew--he handled the downhaul for the kite this time. I was in the pit. Pit duties include the jib halyard, the main halyard, & the spinnaker as well. I also have to grind too. I liked being in the pit just as much as I enjoyed being on the foredeck of the J-42. It was a short race, but the captain & regular crew (of which I hope my son & I get to become part) were great. Particularly the sailmaster--he was so patient with my son--explaining everything & helping him do his job effectively.
After the race, which we lost, we all go over to eat at the place that sponsored the series: Pirate's Cove. They are set up for all of the sailors--and there are a lot--there's a buffet, etc., & everyone gathers to watch the video of the race & hang. It was a lot of fun--a great community. My son loved that part as well & it was too bad we had such a long drive ahead of us or we'd have stayed longer. The best part was that we will be back again in two weeks to race again. Both of us can't wait.
My cousin, who is also a sailor, pointed out to me on facebook that the last race I was in fell on my grandfather's birthday--April 18th. What a great tribute. Pops is no longer with us, but he was my hero--he was the original sailor. He would be so happy to see his greatgrandson out there like that. My son, for his part, finished the race with such great happiness & enthusiasm that I knew Pops was somewhere smiling, knowing that the sailing tradition continues.
