My  friend, Dawna,  has begun a new blog about sailing on their craft called Second Wind.  Dawna and her husband David bought a new boat over a year ago  and are out on the water enjoying it at every opportunity.

As I read her first post on facebook this week, I was reminded of our sail on the Eastern Star in Lunenburg Harbour on a trip out east one year. I had saved some hard-earned money helping our youngest daughter with her paper route that summer ( and that’s another story) and thought when we were going on vacation what fun it would be to have a sailboat ride.

The day we were to go for a sail was clear. The skies were blue and there was a breeze on the water. We’d gone to Lunenburg as tourists and so it was the perfect opportunity. When we went by the booth, I checked prices and times.  Then a little while later when my husband and my friend were looking around in shops, I said I was going to get tickets for the three of us to go for a ride.

When I came back with the tickets, Maryann said, “A real boat?”

I nodded and thought Fasten your life jacket.

My husband looked just as surprised. He wasn’t sure about that,  fearing he’d be seasick. The tickets were purchased and we were going. He may have been surprised that I actually went through with my plan.

It was a dream of mine to ride on a sailboat, one we had not been able to manage on earlier trips. Though we had stood aboard the Bluenose II on an earlier trip and in Port Colbourne, Ontario, at the Tall Ships event, in 2006, the Bluenose  was in Ontario while we were in its home harbour.

We boarded and sat in the centre seat, facing out. Maryann and I put on an orange life jacket and buckled them, ready for the sail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fellow passengers on the Eastern Star: Len, Maryann and others

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The skipper asked if anyone wanted to help with sailing the boat. I thought Why not. I may not get another chance for a long while. And so I volunteered. One of the first items of business is putting up the back sail.

With help from the first mate, I pulled on the cords to lift the back sail. Good way to build muscle. There’s a lot of weight there. My husband took a photo of me at this task.

And we set sail. We hadn’t seen Lunenburg from the water before, only postcard pictures of the docks and the town from the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we sailed further out, we felt the wind in our faces. The sail boat leaned to one side so that it seemed we might take on some water on deck, but just as soon, the craft tipped straight up.

The skipper told us of crafts that had leaned so far over that people ended up in the water. He assured us that it was less likely to happen with the Eastern Star because of the way it was built.  We were glad of our life jackets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we sailed out into open water, we felt the wind in our face.  The skipper asked if anyone wanted a hand at driving the boat. I thought, Why not? and so I volunteered again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steering the Eastern Star

Now I understand the zigzag pattern that sailboats take across the waves. We have to steer first one way and then the opposite way. Not like driving a car straight down the highway at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out near the lighthouse, just before we turned back to the dock, I handed over the steering to the skipper.  I’d done pretty well for my first time, with his guidance.

We were soon on our way back to the docks. See the waves? I nearly lost my  new cap to the Atlantic Ocean, but someone caught it.

We disembarked at the dock where we had boarded, not one of us feeling sea sick, not one of us regretting the afternoon sail. I was delighted that we could take the opportunity. I’d love to go again.

Linda Hall, a friend and fellow writer, told me later that I need a hat with strings tied under my chin to wear out on the water. I believe that so I’ll be sure to have the right kind if I go sailing again.

Go  on your own vicarious journey on the Eastern Star

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