My rant of the week, accusing all my readers of apathy, has provoked at least one person to write an entry in our Bucket List Group Writing Project. Captain JP has definitely entered into the spirit of the challenge in his Sailing Bucket List which includes some ambitious ocean journeys he has in mind to complete before he kicks the bucket.
Among other things, the good captain has a yen to "sail high latitudes". Which reminds me of a former colleague of mine who had a similar ambition. In 1997 he and his wife retraced the paths of the Vikings by crossing the Atlantic in a 37-foot sailboat via Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland. Along the way they visited Viking settlements, as well as having various other high latitude adventures such as an encounter with a polar bear. After the voyage my friend wrote a book about his voyage, which is sort of a combination of a cruising log and Viking history. If sailing high latitudes is your thing, check out the book To the Lands of the Vikings by Trevor Hodgson.
There are still a couple of days left if anyone else is inspired to enter the Bucket List Group Writing Project.
3 comments:
Sometimes people are too distracted or harried to take on something called a "writing project". But here's what I get with a cross of my sailing "to do" list and sailing dreams...
* replace electrical harness on first doubled Sunfish trailer and mount replacement right rear light
* install inspection ports in rest of Sunfish fleet, do fiberglass repairs on Sunfish hulls and install replacement traveler bridles, get most of Sunfish fleet functional
* replace and re-locate through-deck turning blocks for Etchells traveler car and re-run traveler lines, replace Etchells upper shrouds, replace through-console vang turning block, replace port spinnaker cam cleat, other cleats as needed, apply Easypoxy to hull dings
* complete Safe Boating instructor hours and plan Safe Boating class for next summer at Heron Lake
* get in shape for swimming requirement for dinghy instructor class, complete first aid and CPR, get in a lot more dinghy time on the water
* organize dinghy class for Dale's daughter's troop
* propose Optimist Sailing Club trip to birthday regatta in Arizona
* update regional race officer application and do more race committee gigs in new areas; help out on a race committee at one of the really huge regattas
* get Tillerman to show up for a regatta in the southwest US
* write "Cruising Guide to the Southwest"
* do a moderate-distance ocean race (Newport-Ensenada, Galveston-Corpus Christi, etc.)
* learn celestial navigation, be able to work sights to within 5-10 nm
* sail or do race committee in 4 new venues in 2009
* revive raft-ups at Rio Grande Sailing Club and establish dinghy racing fleet, get participation up in all events
* re-establish Olympic Circle at Heron Lake and host a regional event within New Mexico; possibly revive Buccaneer Rodeo or invite another class to do a mid-size regatta
* sail San Fran Bay, Tahoe, Pacific NW, Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, Miami/Kew West
* visit several Etchells fleets and collect more club burgees
* become more sensitive to the "feel" of proper trim and more instinctively able to anticipate conditions and make trim adjustments; learn to feel boatspeed better
* retire someday to cabin near Heron, sell house in Albuquerque, buy a 10-15 year old 40' to 45' cruising boat and keep it in an easily accessible place where year 'round sailing is possible
I'm just happy to have the self-confidence to take my little boat out on my own again this summer. Shot nerves are not a fun thing to live with, especially when it comes to small-boat sailing/pottering-about on water.
Cyalayta
Mal :)
Thanks for the book tip - I've added it to my amazon wish list.
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