Blue Water Sailing — June-July 2017

(^30) BLUE WATER SAILING • June /July 2017
able to properly and predictably posi-
tion ourselves to take advantage of the
change from the ebb to the flood tide.
A NEW TYPE OF MOORING
“Over there,” Michael declared from
his perch on the bow and pointed to
a floating log boom some 300 yards
from the entrance to Dodd Narrows.
“We can tie up to that boom.”
“We can’t tie up to a log boom,” I
sputtered. “There’s nothing to tie to.
There.. .there are no cleats on a log,”
The growing anxiety already present
in my mind and body was now becom-
ing amplified by this new adventure.
“Eh. I’ll figure something out,” he
said. “Ready about.”“Wait. What?” I
clamored. The tension produced in an
average day of sailing was an exhaust-
ing experience for me. Still relatively
new to ocean sailing, I had happily
assumed the position as helmsman
in our two-person crew and from my
post in the aft seat of the cockpit at
the tiller I found the perfect spot to
practice my transition from the “rail-
meat” crew member role during gentle
summertime sails of my youth on
southern British Columbia lakes to the
full scale reality of blue water sailing.
“But Michael. We can’t.. .”
“Ready about!” he called out again.
Though it’s typically the helmsman
that calls out to alert the crew of a
change in point of sail, Michael as-
{ WORLDCRUISING }