To see the Malibu tide surge referred to in Arc-Angel666 's diary, go to the bottom of this page.
Oh, Say Can You CChapter 3 of 4 being the third installment where Nicim takes her new Hobie 16 out as a skipper � in preparation for the Frostbite Regatta less than a month away.
Please go HERE for a cool primer on sailing terms.
Let me preface this installment with my pre-skippering, dictionary-according-to-Nicim definitions of two important sailing terms. To wit:
SKIPPER: Loud, occasionally obnoxious and usually irate individual found on the back end of a Hobie (see Figurehead)
CREW: Bright, intelligent, hard-working, patient individual whose timing and expertise wins races.
I dreamed of a beautiful fall day, my Hobie and I skipping across sun-dappled wave. What I got was a scene from a Stephen King novel, as directed by Alfred Hitchcock; and me in a rubber suit (anything that advertises �wet� and �warm� in the same sentence should be suspect).
We were shrouded in fog, cold and mists. My old skipper (now volunteer crew) Dave mentioned something about a lack of visibility and my never having skippered before, but I assured him I�d been steering cars through all kinds of weather since I was 16. I�d watched HIS every skippering action carefully, I�d read ALL the books, and it seemed to me nothing could be easier than sailing by his code: skipper talks, crew listens.
Textbook-perfect, I shoved off the beach and pulled in the mainsail. I asked Dave if something was wrong with the steering. He informed me that whatever was wrong would be corrected if I put the rudders down. He seemed a little pale, but maybe he had missed breakfast. Where did those other boats go?
I sailed with confidence, randomly ordering tacks and jibes. Glancing at Dave for approval I noticed that in addition to his pallor, small droplets of sweat had formed on his face. I concluded he must have been feeling worse, perhaps a little seasick. Wasn�t the beach over there a minute ago? Or was it over that way?
At one point, judging by the horns, I think we passed between a power boat and the hull of a tanker. It was hard to tell in the fog, but hearing no sound of scraping gelcoat, I assumed I�d accomplished the maneuver with style and grace. I did notice that Dave�s countenance now seemed tinged with green.
I gave my crew the final order: head home. Would you believe he had NO IDEA where we were? AND had not thought to bring a compass or chart! Fortunately for him, a boat appeared out of the mist. Taking matters in hand, I simply followed it home. Land must have cured Dave�s indigestion because he immediately headed for the keg of beer and drank several mugs without stopping.
That sail certainly gave me a new perspective on definitions. To wit:
SKIPPER: Bright, intelligent hard-working, patient individual whose timing and expertise wins races.
CREW: Bow ballast.
Stay tuned for the final episode of �As the Hulls Fly� coming soon. Nicim�s ad for a crew bears fruit � er � beef, and the new two go for their first regatta win.
To read all episodes in this series:
9/17/05 Surf at Malibu Beach. Yes, that is a guy actually trying to surf that wave.
 |
| Get Your Own Map | View Larger Map |