I used to have a favorite one liner that I used at every opportunity. “I had fun last summer, I went sailing both days!” There was a time here in the Scappoose – St. Helens area that that could be literally true. When we first moved into the area in the mid seventies, we could never get ripe tomatoes out of our garden. Only little green tomatoes and even hanging the vines in the garage only produced little green rotten tomatoes. That is no longer true.
What is true, is that we have just been sailing for the last two days with friends and family. The winds on the Columbia River, here in St. Helens Oregon have been dead steady from the north-north west at about 10 knots. Our Aquarius 23, sailboat, called Regal Jug, is perfectly suited to these winds. She grabs a bone in her teeth and leaves a boiling wake under her stern. You will recall that on Thursday evening we took Ed Daugherty, a long time sailing buddy, along for a galloping sail with full main and the number one Genoa. The three of us, all experienced sailors, had our hands full, but what an exhilarating sail we had.
On Saturday, our daughter, Renee, and her hubby, Neil, joined us for an evening of sailing. This time we took a single reef in the main in consideration of Renee’s advanced state of pregnancy, and again we had a beautiful evening of sailing. At the end of our romp we found exactly one spot left on the city docks in front of the court house here in St. Helens. We parallel parked Regal Jug with about two feet to spare on each end. This is one of the joys of having a small sailboat.
On Sunday we announced to our church family at Plymouth Presbyterian Church that we were inviting anyone who cared to come down to an afternoon sail. One of our rules is that everyone gets a job on our sailing adventures. The Schoonovers joined us for the first adventure. Every one got a chance to steer and also to handle the jib sheets, (the lines that control the Genoa jib sail.) As expected everyone had to come to terms with steering with a tiller. I think Mike had the best helmsman ship, but Hiram was very good also and mother Yvonne was better that most beginners we have given the job to.
We barely pulled back into the floats when our Pastor, Marilyn Allen and Al and Audry Sinner, our compatriots from the Canada trip, arrived for their adventure. Al and Marilyn took turns at the helm while Audry contented herself with handling the port jib sheet. Sherbert, the Sinners Pomeranian-Shelty dog, only got himself stepped on once before he learned to stay close to Audry.
One thing that thrilled all was close encounters with the various nesting osprey’s along the river. We have never seen this many nesting on the pilings and day markers along the channel. Each nest had a pair of fledglings in residence and in full voice.
Judy and I always enjoy sailing and we have become a good team, able to handle just about anything Regal Jug can throw our way. I think, however, that we enjoy introducing new people to sailing even more. From a distance sailing looks serene, perhaps even boring, as the boat glides silently and effortlessly through the water. When you are in the cockpit on a lively sailboat in a fresh wind you will find it is anything but boring.
If you get a chance to go on a sailing adventure, I hope you will jump at the chance. Just be careful, the sailing fever bug can bite pretty hard.
We send love to all, Gary and Judy Dinsmore
