Vivian and Amber assume
the "babe" positions on either side of Captain
Mike.
I've always wanted to learn
how to sail, but never had the opportunity before. Then
Mike bought a 30 foot Catalina Sloop.
Mike has always been my brother
Rusty's best friend (and like a brother to the rest
of us) so when he was ready to take his boat on it's
shakedown cruise he called on us to be his crew.
As it turned out, "shakedown
cruise" was more than just a figure of speech.
We brought
steaks to grill and set off early in the morning
to sail on the InterCoastal Waterway. We
followed the channel markers out of the marina
and headed south.
The first thing
we had to do was to clear the Titusville bridge.
I have been in the position of waiting on a bridge
while boats passed, but this was the first time
I had ever been on a boat going through the bridge.
Since our mast was 48 foot and the bridge was only
about 30 foot high, Capt. Mike radioed ahead for
a bridge opening. It was very interesting to watch
that huge thing pivot on it's center.
The Titusville bridge
pivoting open for us.
A variety of birds
sit on the bridge pilings. They weren't disturbed
in the least by the movement of the bridge or by
our passing.
They didn't
even pay any attention when the bridgekeeper sounded
a loud airhorn to signal that the bridge was closing.
Vivian, on the
other hand, nearly jumped out of her skin.
We didn't quite lose Vivian
over the side, but she did jump pretty good when the
horn sounded.
Capt. Mike taught
us about the boat, charts, navigation and sailing terminology
as we sailed south. We learned about jib sails,
and jibing and coming about and tacking and all kinds
of interesting things I never knew before. The crew
was totally inexperienced in sailing, but our captain
was brave and bold (or just not too bright) and was
willing to teach us, so off we went.
