Friends at Sea - Blueprint Match
Saturday, 30. September 2006, 17:37:04
BLUEPRINT MATCH
This sailing adventure has been a steep learning curve not least of all is bringing the fragile skin of our boat up against the rock hard and unforgiving dockside. As we approach the dock it has been a case of adjust the fender, move this one left that one right a bit. Now the height is not right, untie and redo. Now the next fender but quicker the gap is closing. Rope is knotted and fingers fumble. Still have to organise the docklines so leave fender and coil rope. Now no-one on the dock to catch the line so I will have to jump. One leg over the safety rail. Not yet, too far, too high. Back over the rail. Whoops! Move a fender quick. Jump now. No! Too far I’ll never make it. Go forward. Where’s the rope? Rope stuck, drop coil. Look for end of rope. Jump with rope, NO! Put rope down and prepare to jump. No good, I won’t reach rope from the dock. Step back over rail. Fender too low. Start untying. Throw rope… into water. Recoil rope with one hand while retying fender with other. Can’t do either. Throw fender NO! Jump rope NO! Recoil nerves. We have had moments of sheer panic and it has taken time learning to manage these manoeuvres without too much terror. Having said that each time throws up a new set of parameters for us to deal with, but at least now there is minimal yelling between us.
Way back in February while “Mind the Gap” was high and dry on the hard we watched from the safety of the land as “Blueprint Match” approached the dock. A catamaran with one engine down is even more difficult to manoeuvre and the gusty wind was blowing them onto the shore. Already tied to the dock were other yachts leaving just enough space for them to squeeze into. They had to negotiate a tricky exercise of parallel parking.
Closing the gap to the hard rapidly, and a space where a fender needed to be, it reached a stage when things looked like they could go horribly pear-shaped.
It was at this critical point that he (Paul as we found out later on meeting them) left the steering and without a word walked across the deck to adjust a fender. Michele, over on the foredeck, skipped with the sprightliness of youth and the grace of a ballet dancer over all the deck hardware and called out sweetly “ It’s okay Honey, I got it”. With that Paul went back to steering.
We were aghast! Where were the popping eyeballs? Where was that throbbing vein standing proud on the forehead, the foul language, and other “pleasantries” yelled loud enough for the entire bay to hear? (sound travels so well over water). Where were the stubbed toes and bruised shins? Where was the PANIC? Later we realised they had two under four year olds aboard to boot! Not a peep out of them. Had they been drugged or what!
It was a moment neither of us will forget soon but most of all we learnt a fabulous catchphrase. – “It’s okay Honey I got it”. For all our following tense moments on our learning curve one of us would use these words to diffuse a stressful situation. Admittedly sometimes they were uttered through gritted teeth with an eagle eyed stare and a voice thick with sarcasm and sometimes they were said after the panic but they always managed to lighten the mood. Most of all they always bring a smile.
So, here’s to you Michele and Paul.
Thanks.
Happy sailing
www.gregoadventure.com
This sailing adventure has been a steep learning curve not least of all is bringing the fragile skin of our boat up against the rock hard and unforgiving dockside. As we approach the dock it has been a case of adjust the fender, move this one left that one right a bit. Now the height is not right, untie and redo. Now the next fender but quicker the gap is closing. Rope is knotted and fingers fumble. Still have to organise the docklines so leave fender and coil rope. Now no-one on the dock to catch the line so I will have to jump. One leg over the safety rail. Not yet, too far, too high. Back over the rail. Whoops! Move a fender quick. Jump now. No! Too far I’ll never make it. Go forward. Where’s the rope? Rope stuck, drop coil. Look for end of rope. Jump with rope, NO! Put rope down and prepare to jump. No good, I won’t reach rope from the dock. Step back over rail. Fender too low. Start untying. Throw rope… into water. Recoil rope with one hand while retying fender with other. Can’t do either. Throw fender NO! Jump rope NO! Recoil nerves. We have had moments of sheer panic and it has taken time learning to manage these manoeuvres without too much terror. Having said that each time throws up a new set of parameters for us to deal with, but at least now there is minimal yelling between us.
Way back in February while “Mind the Gap” was high and dry on the hard we watched from the safety of the land as “Blueprint Match” approached the dock. A catamaran with one engine down is even more difficult to manoeuvre and the gusty wind was blowing them onto the shore. Already tied to the dock were other yachts leaving just enough space for them to squeeze into. They had to negotiate a tricky exercise of parallel parking.
Closing the gap to the hard rapidly, and a space where a fender needed to be, it reached a stage when things looked like they could go horribly pear-shaped.
It was at this critical point that he (Paul as we found out later on meeting them) left the steering and without a word walked across the deck to adjust a fender. Michele, over on the foredeck, skipped with the sprightliness of youth and the grace of a ballet dancer over all the deck hardware and called out sweetly “ It’s okay Honey, I got it”. With that Paul went back to steering.
We were aghast! Where were the popping eyeballs? Where was that throbbing vein standing proud on the forehead, the foul language, and other “pleasantries” yelled loud enough for the entire bay to hear? (sound travels so well over water). Where were the stubbed toes and bruised shins? Where was the PANIC? Later we realised they had two under four year olds aboard to boot! Not a peep out of them. Had they been drugged or what!
It was a moment neither of us will forget soon but most of all we learnt a fabulous catchphrase. – “It’s okay Honey I got it”. For all our following tense moments on our learning curve one of us would use these words to diffuse a stressful situation. Admittedly sometimes they were uttered through gritted teeth with an eagle eyed stare and a voice thick with sarcasm and sometimes they were said after the panic but they always managed to lighten the mood. Most of all they always bring a smile.
So, here’s to you Michele and Paul.
Thanks.
Happy sailing
www.gregoadventure.com
That's my Michele! :-) Sweet story. We should all learn from that and realize just how quickly we can impact the world with just our words and tone....
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