An archipelago treat!
Bolgerados,
Today was to be spent sailing around on my Micro and taking full
advantage of the unusual southeasterly winds that have frequented us
of late.The fact that this type of wind also accompanies manna from
the sky in the form of life giving rain is but a slight nuisance to
someone desperate for fun.
The magic of this wind is that it allows one to virtually sail
all the way up river and back on a single broad reach.No frustrating
tacking back and forth against an ornery river current that usually
allows progress on one tack and takes it all back on the opposite
tack.No sirree!Today,my pesky crew and I would cover some serious
ground.
We arrived at the club early enough to do some boat cleaning(lots
of Mayfly carcasses covering the deck and cockpit) and enjoy a
pre-sail cup of coffee fresh from the coffee mill.As Pesky and I
enjoyed the warm comfort of a dry cabin with our coffee,we reminisced
about the fun we had last year while laying out some plans for this
coming season.
Our plans were suddenly interrupted by the hollow,dull,wet-wood
thumping of approaching feet.We had a visitor on our quay.Peeking out
the starboard portlight to investigate,I spotted my friend Paul
approaching with a somewhat determined look on his face.
Giving the customary rap-tap-tap on my deck,he quickly boarded my
boat,peered in through the open companionway and announced,"They're
in!" As he said these words,his face broke into one of those
my-future-is-so-bright-I'm-gonna-need-sunglasses type of smiles that
leaves you smiling right along for no particular reason.Without a
moments hesitation,I was out of the cabin,quickly urging my crew to
follow.As we made our way along the puddle spotted road leading to the
parking lot,Pesky kept up a barrage of questions designed to either
produce an immediate answer or drive me stark raving mad.Fortunately
the parking lot was not too far away and I got off easy by replying
simply,"Its a surprise."
Once in the parking lot and standing around the back of Pauls car
like we were up to no good,he opened up his trunk to reveal a large
plastic tub filled with chopped ice and,miracles of miracles,lobsters!
Without waiting,he produced a plastic grocery bag and began to
drop lobsters into it.As he did this,he explained that his brother had
just arrived from a trip to Les îles de la madeleine and had brought"a
ton"of fresh lobster back with him.Not believing my good fortune and
secretly thanking God for friends like Paul,I asked,"How much do you
want for these?" Looking back over his shoulder as he reached for
another lobster,he replied,"Nothing at all.Besides,I have all summer
to make up for it".This was said while giving me a knowing wink of the
eye.Right away I knew this to mean that my cooler would be raided on
the really hot days and liberated of an odd number of space robbing
bottles.
Finally closing his trunk,he handed the bag to me and wished me
bon appétit as he got behind the wheel and drove away.No doubt
on his way to continue playing Lobster Claus or else engage himself in
one hell of a solitary feast!
Throughtout the bag filling operation,Pesky had remained
silent.She finally broke down and began to happily go on about how
nice it was of Paul to do this and asking,"when do we eat?"
Happily,I did not have to think too hard about an answer to this
last question for the skies were beginning to let fly a few early
messengers of the approaching deluge.Quickly making our way back to
the Micro and setting up the boom tent,we almost got away with
it.Had we just done this 5 minutes sooner,we would have been spared
the soaking we got or should I say,I got,since Pesky had safely ducked
into the cabin and hid herself from my soaking misery while preparing
stuff for the imminent feast.
Once the boom tent was set up,it did not matter how hard the rain
fell for we could keep the companionway hatch open.This greatly
relieved any sense of claustrophobia that some may experience in tight
quarters and allowed Pesky and I to tear into these little
critters,far from prying eyes and drooling mouths.
Our travail,however,was not entirely discrete for as each tender
little shell was freed of its precious cargo it was launched up
through the open hatch and on a shallow enough trajectory to just
clear the bottom edge of the boom tent as it sailed on into the water.
I must confess,that we were so busy enjoying this little treat
that I neither noticed nor cared that the wind had all but died
away.There would be better days ahead!
Sincerely,
Peter Lenihan,lobster-burping his way through the evening with a warm
glass of Port,dry clothes and a happy crew on the shores of the
St.Lawrence....................
Today was to be spent sailing around on my Micro and taking full
advantage of the unusual southeasterly winds that have frequented us
of late.The fact that this type of wind also accompanies manna from
the sky in the form of life giving rain is but a slight nuisance to
someone desperate for fun.
The magic of this wind is that it allows one to virtually sail
all the way up river and back on a single broad reach.No frustrating
tacking back and forth against an ornery river current that usually
allows progress on one tack and takes it all back on the opposite
tack.No sirree!Today,my pesky crew and I would cover some serious
ground.
We arrived at the club early enough to do some boat cleaning(lots
of Mayfly carcasses covering the deck and cockpit) and enjoy a
pre-sail cup of coffee fresh from the coffee mill.As Pesky and I
enjoyed the warm comfort of a dry cabin with our coffee,we reminisced
about the fun we had last year while laying out some plans for this
coming season.
Our plans were suddenly interrupted by the hollow,dull,wet-wood
thumping of approaching feet.We had a visitor on our quay.Peeking out
the starboard portlight to investigate,I spotted my friend Paul
approaching with a somewhat determined look on his face.
Giving the customary rap-tap-tap on my deck,he quickly boarded my
boat,peered in through the open companionway and announced,"They're
in!" As he said these words,his face broke into one of those
my-future-is-so-bright-I'm-gonna-need-sunglasses type of smiles that
leaves you smiling right along for no particular reason.Without a
moments hesitation,I was out of the cabin,quickly urging my crew to
follow.As we made our way along the puddle spotted road leading to the
parking lot,Pesky kept up a barrage of questions designed to either
produce an immediate answer or drive me stark raving mad.Fortunately
the parking lot was not too far away and I got off easy by replying
simply,"Its a surprise."
Once in the parking lot and standing around the back of Pauls car
like we were up to no good,he opened up his trunk to reveal a large
plastic tub filled with chopped ice and,miracles of miracles,lobsters!
Without waiting,he produced a plastic grocery bag and began to
drop lobsters into it.As he did this,he explained that his brother had
just arrived from a trip to Les îles de la madeleine and had brought"a
ton"of fresh lobster back with him.Not believing my good fortune and
secretly thanking God for friends like Paul,I asked,"How much do you
want for these?" Looking back over his shoulder as he reached for
another lobster,he replied,"Nothing at all.Besides,I have all summer
to make up for it".This was said while giving me a knowing wink of the
eye.Right away I knew this to mean that my cooler would be raided on
the really hot days and liberated of an odd number of space robbing
bottles.
Finally closing his trunk,he handed the bag to me and wished me
bon appétit as he got behind the wheel and drove away.No doubt
on his way to continue playing Lobster Claus or else engage himself in
one hell of a solitary feast!
Throughtout the bag filling operation,Pesky had remained
silent.She finally broke down and began to happily go on about how
nice it was of Paul to do this and asking,"when do we eat?"
Happily,I did not have to think too hard about an answer to this
last question for the skies were beginning to let fly a few early
messengers of the approaching deluge.Quickly making our way back to
the Micro and setting up the boom tent,we almost got away with
it.Had we just done this 5 minutes sooner,we would have been spared
the soaking we got or should I say,I got,since Pesky had safely ducked
into the cabin and hid herself from my soaking misery while preparing
stuff for the imminent feast.
Once the boom tent was set up,it did not matter how hard the rain
fell for we could keep the companionway hatch open.This greatly
relieved any sense of claustrophobia that some may experience in tight
quarters and allowed Pesky and I to tear into these little
critters,far from prying eyes and drooling mouths.
Our travail,however,was not entirely discrete for as each tender
little shell was freed of its precious cargo it was launched up
through the open hatch and on a shallow enough trajectory to just
clear the bottom edge of the boom tent as it sailed on into the water.
I must confess,that we were so busy enjoying this little treat
that I neither noticed nor cared that the wind had all but died
away.There would be better days ahead!
Sincerely,
Peter Lenihan,lobster-burping his way through the evening with a warm
glass of Port,dry clothes and a happy crew on the shores of the
St.Lawrence....................