For the Record

I mentioned in SPLASHED: In Early May! First Time Ever that I didn't sail at all this year in February, March or April. I can't remember taking these months off for a long time. Or does my memory fail me?

One of the beauties of writing a sailing blog is that blogs have archives and so I can look back and answer questions like, "How much Laser sailing did I do in the early months of the year in each of the last 10 years and have I just set a lifetime record for lateness, laziness, languor, lassitude and general laxness?"



In 2005 I was certainly sailing in April as I went do do a clinic in Florida run by Rick White - "I'm sailing waves downwind with Brad Funk and it's all going to be on video."  And then I sailed in the Laser US Nationals at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina on the way home.

In 2006 I was frostbiting in March and April at Cedar Point YC in Connecticut, even enjoying sailing in the snow and sailing in the rain. Did I really write that shit?

2007 was the first year I went to Cabarete in January to sail in the Caribbean Midwinters. And in spite of selling our house in New Jersey, being homeless for a couple of months, and training for the London Marathon, I still managed to fit in some Laser sailing in Massachusetts with my son in April.

In January 2008 I was back in Cabarete again. "Congratulations Tillerman! You're beating a world champion." In February I was in Australia for the Laser Masters Worlds. In March I went to Florida for a 4 day clinic with Kurt Taulbee. And in April I was doing lots of solo practice in Rhode Island. Now that's the way to start the year!

In early 2009 I wasn't quite as energetic as I was the previous year, but I did go to Florida again in March for another Kurt Taulbee SailFit clinic.

In 2010 I started acting a little strangely and writing posts about how much I was enjoying frostbite racing in January in New England, such as I Love Winter and Brain Freeze. The odd behavior continued in February to the point that I was even asking myself Am I Strange? It was pretty obvious that the answer was YES by April when I went sailing by myself in Bristol and on the Sakonnet.

In 2011 I started acting a bit like a normal person again and not like one of those strange new England Laser fanatics. I didn't sail at all in January, February or March. But by the end of April I was suffering from LSDD,  Laser Sailing Deprivation Disorder, and had to take the Treatment for Crabbiness, a Laser sailing session in the Fogland Total Water Immersion Facility.

In 2012 I had learned my lesson about how bad it was for me to not go sailing early in the year. I went deaf from frostbiting and spent another week in paradise at Cabarete in January. In March I went wild in Florida with some other strange people called Mashers,  did some solo practice in Rhode Island to beat winter hibernation (woo hoo - solo practice in March - a new record) and went frostbite racing in Newport, reminding myself in the process of why sailing is such an escapist pursuit. I was very strange that year.

In 2013 I rediscovered my passion for frostbiting in January and February. "Thanks very much God. If it be Your plan to wipe me out one day with a massive heart attack while I am sailing my Laser, then can You please just do it now? It's never going to get any better than this."

And also in 2013 I broke my own pointless record for earliest solo practice in Rhode Island by getting out in Bristol in February. Brrrr! "Siri, where is the nearest liquor store?"



So it seems 2014 has set a new record for laziness, languor, lassitude and general laxness - at least for the last 10 years. In 5 of the last 9 years I did travel to warmer climes at least once and sometimes several times. But even in the years I didn't travel I was out frostbiting locally or fitting in some cold weather solo practice.

Oh well! I did run a half marathon and have a new granddaughter this April. It's all good.