 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Day 1- 2005-07-30
Trip to Saskatchewan means 8 hours of monotony. CDs with some political discourse in mp3s help pass the time. Same old, same old...We are more excited about sailing than talking heads lately. In Swift Current a kid is trying to hitch a ride. Destination: 'Anywhere but here'. With every trip we are becoming better organized. It takes only 40 minutes to get ready for launching in Rusty’s Marina and we are not even tired. I had some objections when Maciek announced that we were going to spend two weeks on the lake. One of them was: ‘We are not going to meet any fellow sailors’. Well, it's ironic, but we come across some chatty people at the launching dock on our first day. The older couple has been sailing Diefenbaker for 20 + years. Funny thing, they are the ones who gave Ian and Sonja cruising directions for the lake years ago and remember them well. We find Crossfire, a boat from Ghost Lake, parked by the lake. Apparently, his boat was vandalized at Ghost so he decided to leave. Maybe our paths will cross as he is going to sail here next week.
Maciek requests a berth close to showers and I am not really surprised when at 11:00 PM we are jump-started by ear-splitting music coming from big loudspeakers. Well, it's Mary Lou, the party barge, and its usual docking place is, yes, a few births from ours. Fortunately, the weekenders run out of steam around 12:00 so we can sleep. Mosquitoes make an appearance as soon as the sun goes down. It’s the first opportunity to try our new bug screen that I got from the MacGregor Owners site. It works!
Day 2 - 2005-07-31
Man, it's hot!!! I am not complaining, but after the kind of summer we had in Calgary, it will take some getting used to. At 0800 it’s 30 C in the cabin. After a few last morning chores the lines are out and we are off for the first day of sailing. Winds are westerly, about 12 knots. It doesn't take long before we absolutely have to jump into the lake to manage body temperature. Diefenbaker is a man made lake on South Saskatchewan River. Water level is currently very high rising several feet above the average. We are a little concerned that beaches may be gone. Water temperature is a bit above 20C, nicely refreshing. The first check on the closest beach to the marina reveals that and there is a little bit of sand left. We are heading towards Elbow, running with the wind at 6+ knots. There is a marina there that we want to see in a day or two, housing 150 sailboats. After that we have to come back to Rustie’s to hook up with Duck Too. Not much traffic on the lake, clothes are optional...That is until a sailboat comes close to us - it's a long weekend after all. It will get better on Monday. We are in pursuit of sand dunes and beaches before we turn west towards Saskatchewan Landing where Sonja and Ian want to go...
OK...Who needs the tropics when we have Saskatchewan? That's what Maciek says, anyway. It's 42 C in the cabin, 35 outside. Deep blue skies, no cloud in sight. We nose into a little beach of about 15 feet of sand left from what usually is a nice, long stretch. Some swimming and frolicking goes on for a while. I am like a puppy that's has been taken off leash. I smell the wind and want to run in circles. What I have trouble with is staying still. Work has been hectic this last few days; it's tough to switch gears. We end up in Sage Bay and tie to poles twisted into the ground. This coulee is interesting as it cuts down about 1 km into the lake, twisting and turning. It's so quiet here. Jays and the wind. We find a fire-pit with some wood lying around. It's too hot to cook so we jump into the lake (24 C water temp), chill and wait for the evening. Suddenly slight blackout, nausea – did I just have an 'episode'? Does that constitute for sun stroke? I figure, if I throw up, I'll start worrying. Another dip into the lake gets me in shape. Our secluded spot turns out to be favorite destination for some motorboats. At some point there are five of them in close proximity. Must be a good fishing spot! They disappear around 9:00 PM leaving Maciek with no competition. There was definitely something in the water making enticing splashes when we cooked dinner.
Coyotes are howling, crickets are, I don't know, chirping (?), we are finally alone...I am reading 'The Mind of the Sailor'. What makes a good skipper? Well, some of it is pretty obvious: most importantly he/she has to be 'expressive' and sensitive to the feelings of others, positive, able to delegate, discuss but also command with authority. Like Shackleton. Treating people right invokes loyalty. Some personalities are better suited for single handing than managing a crew. Captain’s authoritarian attitude and difficult behavior are often responses to stress and anxiety of inexperienced skippers. That’s how perfectly normal people, given command, turn into real pain you know where. Captain Bligh never learned. He was a capable skipper and an excellent navigator. Physical needs of his crew were well taken care of; he was also considerate towards indigenous peoples and not intentionally cruel. All that meant nothing with the absence of emotional intelligence. Bligh was foul mouthed, arrogant and rigid; had trouble delegating, didn't trust anyone but himself and didn't even realize how much he was hated. Bounty was just one in a series of mutinies that he brought upon himself. He is an excellent example of personality completely unsuited for being put in a position in power.
There is a questionnaire in the book to determine if one will make a good captain or crew. A question: Could you survive a week without alcohol? Hmm...
Day 3 – 2005-08-01
Ok, so I have a grudge...against mosquitoes! Little buggers kept me up half of the night. It was 19 C and going under cover was not an option. Too hot for pajamas. If bugs could talk, I am sure bzzzzz would translate into 'Yes! It’s too easy!' Maciek left a bit of the bug screen open after his unsuccessful attempt at fishing and voila. I am not sure I like my captain today. Have to use the questionnaire on him, see if he qualifies. I am grumpy when I wake up. A dip into the lake makes it all better. It's still 30 C but clouds are building, some relief is in sight. I am at the helm most of the day, close hauled to 15-18 knot north easterly wind. Bugs may be a nuisance but sailing is exceptional. We move at over 6 knots on one tack, adjusting course as wind changes direction slightly. What a delight! Lots of boats pass us on the way - most of them coastal vessels, 30 feet and longer. The plan is to anchor overnight in Studebecker Bay, north of Elbow after exploring Gordon MacKenzie arm. It's a vast expanse of water that stretches almost 2 km wide and 30 km long. The farthest shore is not even is sight. Too bad we cannot explore Thomson arm which leads to the longest earth dam in the world. It is 15 NM away and there is no time to visit. Wind dies down a bit so we turn back after viewing some nice beaches and sand dunes of Douglas Provincial Park. It’s true, some of the sand is under water and we see campers squeezed into narrow stretches with their chairs and sun umbrellas. There are no overnight shelters here, so we cannot stay. The boat glides smoothly wing on wing as we watch a thunderstorm brewing in the West. Winds are light before the storm so we turn towards Elbow marina. It's a nice place, very tidy. The boat is soon tied to the dock and the two of us walk in the rain to the marina office. We find out that they are showers in the golf club. The first storm barely makes an appearance when another one approaches. We are sitting in the cockpit; waiting for nature to unravel, smelling the wind and dump air, enjoying a great evening with a chilled glass of sangria. Nothing is lacking, a perfect moment in time. As soon as dinner is over, the storm unleashes, bringing very high winds and a lot of rain. It is followed by a few rainbows and spectacular, red skies. A delight to our eyes and the camera...The sky is so intense, the pictures turn strange. Are we in hell? It rains on and off so an evening of music and rum follows, combined with hunting for mosquitoes. We want to sleep well tonight!
Day 4 – 2005-08-02
We kill most bugs; some manage to hide in tight spaces. There is another hunting session around 5 AM. We've heard this is the usual pattern. The boat is on the outskirts of the marina and we have a good view on the Gordon-MacKenzie Arm. It's blowing hard, between 25 and 30 knots and the rollers have impressive white manes. Wind is supposed to decrease to 20 knots later so we take our time looking at the pretty boats in the marina and plan to visit a grocery store which is located about a mile away. This low brought cooler temperatures (23 - 25 C) and the pattern will continue throughout today and tomorrow.
We walk around the docks and pay close attention to nonsuch rigs, which are a bit of an interest to us. While we wander aimlessly, we meet a very friendly older couple on a Finnish motorsailor, Nauticat. It's a beautiful boat, teak decks, wide and beamy, but not an ocean cruiser. Hank and Johanna are Dutch, in their seventies and the loveliest people ever (they are docked close to a nonsuch). They give us a lift to the store in Hank's diesel truck. It's funny to watch them interact with locals - they've been in the area for 25 years and know everyone. Back in the marina, we meet Bruce Powell who is on his way back to Calgary after two weeks at Diefenbaker. We chat and drink some beers with him. A boat from Ghost is wrapping up their two weeks here as well (North Star). Johanna is so sweet -she gives me sheets to sleep under after learning about the mosquito problem. We exchange addresses. Talk about friendly Saskatchewan...Too bad I never knew my grandparents. Maybe I could adopt these two?
There is no greater pleasure than throwing the lines and thinking about next destination! I always look forward to this moment. Everything falls into place, pace gets settled, and everything is as it should. We are off at 2 o'clock. Winds are not as crazy as before but still, we brace 20 knots gusting to 25. We ride close hauled but tacking is not required as the wind is not exactly on the nose. Maciek handles the boat while I have a cat nap to make up for mosquito wars. It's bliss. Water gurgles outside the hull, it's a bit cooler inside, and I am dreaming of some far away places. Maskeptoon Bay is wide, with nice, deep coulees. Nobody in sight, we are swimming and tanning without any interruptions. Maciek complains that his hoochies suck. What is his problem? We listen to music, have a great dinner. Back to my book...
Donald Crowhurst – a disaster waiting to happen. There was a history of mental illness running in his family, a lot of proof of his own instability. Crowhurst had a habit of taking on projects that he couldn't handle, was unreliable, undisciplined. Charisma alone will take you to the start - the rest of the journey requires consistency. Stress of single handing combined with guilt contributed to his final unhinging. All signs indicate that he was manic-depressive.
Single handers - alone with a wide range of emotions. The intensity, mood swings, introspection...
'You are alone, yet not alone. The others need you, and you need them. Without them you wouldn't get anywhere, and nothing would be true." (Moitessier, the mystic)
'They are brilliant, but sometimes you can have too much communication - you do have to manage it when you are single handed. Because if you are not careful, you have so much contact that you don't get the opportunity to actually make that final break and to become a single-handed sailor - it can trap you in the no-man's land in between the two." (Pete Goss) Interesting.
Day 5 – 2005-08-03
Evening half of mosquito wars for the night has been won. Bug screen is deployed early; lemon candle is glowing warmly in the cockpit. No hits in the evening, a few in early morning. How can I be bitten through a sheet? A mystery. I check the bites to make sure I am not imagining them and go back to sleep. Maciek goes fishing and catches a nice pike. He is a happy camper today. Well, he is jolly every day as long as we are on the water, fish or no fish. We are planning to take a mooring in Three Finger Bay for the night. Sonja and Ian are to arrive in the evening. It’s a bit cooler today, empty blue skies and quite a bit of wind. 15 C through the night feels quite comfortable. Forecasts on channel 3 WX predict no more than 20 knots from North West. They have been accurate so far. Well, I wrote too soon. We are on fuller close reach but the boat heels a lot. Average speed 6.3 knots, maximum 7.8 knots throughout the 10 NM of distance. Yippee! We are flying. What a ride! As we approach the fish farm, the wind increases to gusts of 30 knots so we give up on the sightseeing tour. We've got our fish for dinner. The moorings in Three Fingers Bay are gone. You never know which amenities are still present between one year and another. We find a nice sandy shore and tie to a pole. Air is warm, but it’s still windy even in this sheltered spot. We are comfortable. NOW they are predicting 60 km/h (37knots) winds for today. We are going to swim, drink beer and relax. Fresh breeze continues to blow through the evening, water is only 19 C. Cool swimming, hehe. We are in about 12 feet of water. Plum soup and delicious fried pike for dinner. Nothing tastes quite the same as fresh fish caught the same morning. I am seriously filling up my sleep banks falling into a two hour nap. An insomniac for life is really relaxed when she can doze off like that. Maciek disappears for a walk while I sleep and I am wondering what the heck happened to him. No mosquitoes tonight!
Day 6 – 2005-08-04
Duck Too arrived at 8:00 last night. We had a brief chat on VHF planning to meet next morning. Maciek catches another (bigger) pike at 7:00 AM. The slimy sucker is going to be delicious grilled with curry. We sail off to Rusty's marina at 9:30. It's another hot and cloudless day; winds are light at about 10 knots. Not too hot, not too cold, very comfy. While Duck Too is getting set up, we help out a little and depart around 2 PM. Another run to the store is done before departure. Darn! Heat has an effect on our beer consumption. Back to my book...How do you define 'joy of sailing'? The common theme, the key word appears to be 'freedom'. 'Free to the right, free to the left, free everywhere "(Moitesssier). 'Free of the land, free of society's silly, petty rules. It's real out there. You can't just press a button and change the programme because it gets rough. You've actually got to deal with it, you can't escape it - it's that freedom to run your own life and make your own decisions, with rules that are made by nature, not by man; that's what I like about it.' (Robin Knox Johnston). Doesn't this say it all? Nature's rules are pretty lax today. It's a hot day with just a little bit of wind. We move slowly, trying to trawl for some goldeye, jumping overboard to cool down. A couple of pesky motorboats disturb peace and make us run for our clothes. We are too close to the marina. Duck Too is ahead of us. It's sporting brand new sails. Today's 'race' is lost. Our 150 % genoa is not the best configuration for light head winds. Sonja and Ian anchor while we nose in to the shore. There is a lot of driftwood by the shore and a nice spot for a fire. Home made float house is parked on the other side of Enfield Bay. Two old timers are chatting, joking around, fishing, throwing a huge floater with a loud splash, catching a whitefish. Crickets sounds, beavers dives, coyotes' howls, a distant moo and twigs crashing under hoofed feet. You can sit in the boat and still know what is happening outside. That’s courtesy of the two grumpy fellows who run a never-ending commentary: ‘Did you see that damn beaver? Here it goes...Oops, it dove right in...’ Sonja mentioned that they weren’t happy to find us in ‘their’ bay, but who cares? We have one fire on one side of the bay, they are trying to burn the grasses on the other side. Territory has been divided. Mosquitoes are scarce as we sit by the fire. Sonja and Ian put kids in bed and we chat until midnight. It blows like crazy overnight. Maciek wakes up a few times to check our lines.
7 - August 6th, 2005
We have another pike for dinner. I am out of meat, so from now on it's fish or Glayva's 'stores'. I like that - I am happy when I have to deal with less using my imagination. Bread is getting moldy after a few hot days - off it goes overboard. Wind dies down in the morning – we should have been sailing at night when it was howling. It feels like another scorcher, 30 C early in the morning. Compacting garbage, we start a little fire and burn whatever we can.
My book is done. When will I go and see for myself? Pick me, pick me...Like in Indigo's song - everything in its own time...
Damn! We are not moving! Cows are mooing across the lake; water is a sheet of glass. I am hiding inside. Maciek takes a few dips to cool down. Finally we drop the sails (that’s when wind usually comes) and play in the water. Jumping head first, Maciek puts a line around his waist and starts to pull us. Duck's crew is swimming, diving and jumping as well. Breeze comes after a while. Not much, but just enough to move us along at 3 knots running wing on wing, I lie flat in the cockpit, with my eyes on the windex. Sun umbrella provides a bit of shade. It’s fun to helm when you are horizontal.
Another book to enjoy...’Sailing the Pacific’ by Miles Hordern. My kind of guy! I think I am going to enjoy this one! He is trying to understand the sea and himself, the ‘Moitessier’ way.
A few more swims and wind dies completely. We motor for a few minutes before reaching Reed Bay. It is really hot! Hunter family is playing in the water, we jump in as well. Ian takes the kids 'belly boarding' while we chat with Sonja. Maciek has his turn at boarding, comes back a little bruised. Rum stings like hell on these scratches...See, Ian/Sonja: that is why we have so much rum aboard (at some point we have four open bottles)! It's multi-purpose. ‘You people surely eat well’, says 11 year old Eric. Another pike for dinner - grilled with lemon juice, tomatoes, onions and peppers. Some spring rolls from grill and a salad follow. I wonder if you could spoil a fresh fish dish. It always tastes good. Fish for dinner, fish for breakfast...Cool! Maciek and Ian go to catch more when sun goes down. I wish for more variety than pike but I am not really picky. Rum, breathless skies and an inspiring book. The time is my own. Ian catches a big goldeye. Fellow cruisers come over for an evening of conversation, rum tasting, champagne grapes, cheese and olives.
8 - August 6th, 2005
It's a great feeling to wake up to a slice of blue skies in the open hatch. I could get used to this. Another perfect day in paradise... Mosquitoes are not bothering me anymore; sleep is uninterrupted for the last few nights. Basic precautions such as installing the bug screen in early evening, using bug spray and so on are paying off. Also, there doesn't seem to be as many bugs around as during the first few evenings...Bruce and Hank/Johanna were advising us to gas the cabin with Raid. Lock it up and go for a walk for half an hour before the night. The bugs are all dead when you come back. Well, that seems a bit extreme, we have food here, I don't want to smell Raid for hours...I think not...Don't let the suckers in is a more natural approach.
Ian, Eric and Maciek go fishing in the morning and come back with 6 fish: a few walleyes, a goldeye and a big rainbow trout. Eric caught most of today's catch. We are delighted with the walleyes, which have been our favorite fish in Poland. We brought 'Fishing for Dummies' (Maciek's birthday gift, hehe) which helps identify what is what. It's going to be a feast! Time to put some white wine in the cooler...
We have light (about 10 knots) but steady following wind. The first thing you do after the sails are up is to jump overboard to cool down and then sailing can continue. The boat glides smoothly at 4 knots of speed, wing on wing. Duck Too is flying a spinnaker again. There is campground within 5 NMs from here where we can get rid of garbage and sewage and get ice. In this heat it takes about 2-3 days before ice melts completely. There is a little store in Prairie Lake campground as well. Sonja and Ian had a great experience there one time. They inquired about beer and the owner said they had none, but asked 'what kind of beer would you like?’ What does it matter if you don't have any? Surprised, they answered and the guy jumped into his truck and drove to the nearest store to get their order. Saskatchewan! My sheets from Johanna are great! It is too hot for a sleeping bag.
Maciek is at the helm, sitting under a beach umbrella exclaiming every so often that it is as good as it gets. The store is offering ice and water. That's it. It's fortunate they have water, as the wells are contaminated and we filled our porta-potty with the remainder of our good water. Idiots! A 10 liter jug is purchased; that should be enough. Chores are done quickly and around 2:00 PM we are off to...Who knows? Wind will determine how close to Saskatchewan Landing we get. Again, we are on broad reach or wing on wing, wind pushes us at 5 and at times 6 knots of speed. Sailor's orgasm! Sun is ahead of us, sails provide shade. Perfect! The lake stretches wide, surrounded by high grassy hills. We are now running with Force 4 winds, speeding up to 6 knots. Wind is increasing as we run along. The boat is sometimes pushed at close to 7 knots. Wow! This is such a spectacular sail! We approach Swift Current Bay around 6:30 after covering 25 NMs. The bay is wide, opens with a big island and is surrounded by high hills (we laugh that this constitutes mountains in Saskatchewan). It is very picturesque but unfortunately frequented by motorboats (damn). Some teenagers are playing Eminem from huge loudspeakers. We poke and prod and cannot find a spot to nose in. It's too steep, rocky or shallow. Sonja and Ian give up and anchor out and we tie in 4 feet of water, somewhat exposed to the wind. Maciek did not take enough chain for our anchor, we have a Danforth and I am reluctant to follow Duck Too's example in this wind. It funnels into the bay and whirls around. Duck Too looks like it's on some merry-go-round. I am also not swimming in weeds and stepping into mud, so I pour buckets of water over my head to have my evening shower. Soon Ian picks us up and we have our sundowners on their boat. The fish book says that rainbow trout has been reclassified and belongs now to the salmon family. Ours goes on the grill in the company of the lonely goldeye. Walleyes are expertly filleted by Ian then covered with spices and flour by Maciek and fried in oil by me. We do not expect to eat 6 fish, but when dinner is over, there is nothing left. Today's long run has sharpened our appetites. Wind is warm as we sit on deck, watch colorful sunset, sip rum with tea, then look at the Milky Way and stars. As we approach our boat after the party, northern lights shine in the east. Ahh...
9 - August 7th, 2005
I wake up early; surprised to see a few clouds, then fall back into sleep to stir to my usual slice of blue. Saskatchewan blue. It was a quiet night. Wind died but I had tiresome and strange dreams. I hope everyone is ok with all the loved ones, I know I am not psychic but I still worry. My premonitions were right a few times.
No fresh catch today. We will stay in Saskatchewan Landing marina and have a chance to re-supply there. We have 9 NMs to go and a promise of a front approaching, bringing lower temperatures (in 22 C range) and maybe a bit of rain. Maciek, Ian and the kids go fishing while Sonja and I take separate routes up the hills for fossil (Sonja) and photography hunting sessions. By the time we leave the bay, wind dies. That is our clue to have a swim and cool down. An hour later a predicted north-westerly kicks in. We will be tacking on this leg. As is often the case on Diefenbaker, the wind starts slow and then builds and builds to the point that we need to reef. The maneuver is still a little awkward, I am at the helm trying to keep the course while Maciek is fighting with the main that has a life of its own. We should have run a line to an outside ring so that I can help and tie one end and steer at the same time. We will practice to make it smoother and not waste so much time. Going under the power lines is an unnerving experience. They seem so low to me that I am waiting for a huge short when the mast snaps. It looks as if we have no more than 3 feet of room, Maciek says it is more. Maybe my dreams unbalanced me. Marina in Saskatchewan Landing has three fingers that accommodates mostly motorboats. Sailboats occupy one finger. Some friendly people on the other side of the dock tell us to pay attention to our motorboat neighbor who is known for going all over the place when docking. We help him out once but then, to our annoyance, he goes out again and the watch has to be kept again. We all swim and play around the dock even though the signs say it is prohibited. Water is deep (24 feet) and clear. Kids are trying to dunk us. There is a new golf course with a restaurant close by. It’s nice to add some variety to daily meals and go out. We stuff ourselves; Logan helps a bit with nachos and potato skins. She is just lovely, eats with delight. Evening is quiet, Maciek fishes, I read. Wind dies down for the night.
10 - August 8th, 2005
Wow! Clouds! What an unusual sight...It even drips a little and a few thunderstorms are swirling around. Another adventure is planned for today, meaning visiting a store at the campground. You never know what supplies you will find. Maybe a few onions and a cabbage, some cans, perhaps just ice and water. Services are in a state of flux. Our daily routine starts with a check on veggies and fruits, discarding whatever goes bad. Just like on a passage, except we are tied to a dock. It's all kid's mind games. We are down to a few tomatoes, a cucumber and a cabbage. Hope we can get at least some onions at the store. Maciek buys a dinghy anchor to attach to our anchor chain. We will use the weight at the coast and Dief will give us a chance to practice. The perfectionist in me was not satisfied with yesterday's reefing procedure so we have a little talk in the morning about the crew-captain dynamics. The rules are being reevaluated.
There is barely any wind today, thunderstorms are all around us. We motor for awhile but get tired of it quickly. Silently, we glide at 2-3 knots while Duck Too is motoring. We follow suit when the wind refused to comply. It starts to rain and with rain comes wind. On jib alone we make 5 knots, then close to our destination we slow down to 4. At 3:30 we arrive at Swift Current Bay again. Perfect timing. As soon as anchor is set, it starts to rain heavily. We are cozy in the cabin. I am baking a sponge pudding in pressure cooker, and Maciek makes some chili. Diefenbaker is one of a kind. Soon rain dies down, sun comes up and we jump off the boat. Sponge cake is done and seems yummy. Baking in pressure cooker is no longer a virgin territory. Maciek sets up the weight in the middle of our anchor line. It is quite heavy and we are curious how it will do. It's so quiet in the bay, so warm. The good thing about this place is, when the front comes, you can still wear your light clothes. Bugs are still not an issue. I make some wild rice; chill a bottle of white wine to get ready for Sonja's chicken. Where is Maciek in his little inflatable thing ($14 at Canadian Tire)? The lake is like glass, the yellow thingy is nowhere in sight. Turns out he was exploring the island and talked to some cows. Supposedly if you moo to them, they ‘talk’ back.
It feels as if we left everything behind. It’s a total mental separation from regular life. It does not take long to shed some layers of the onion skin. What are the others? I will not stay long enough to find out. Not this time, anyway. The day is lazy enough that I play some solitaire...My book is a good read. A drifter, who could never focus on anything while on land, finds structure, discipline and fulfillment on long, single-handed voyages at sea. This is story of Pacific circumnavigation, starting in Auckland, NZ, taking the sailor through the vast emptiness of Southern Ocean to the coast of Chile, then off to Juan Fernandez archipelago, Easter Island (he came into the anchorage only to turn the boat around and continue with the passage - complexities of sailor's mind, eh?). Voyage became more important than land attractions. Something happens out there when solitude lasts for long stretches of time. Some people just thrive on it.
We have a gourmet dinner aboard Duck Too: grilled chicken, fresh garden salad and variety of rice followed by my cinnamon apple cake. Shots of rum in our teas or on the side as sun goes down follow. And what a sunset it is! Shades of orange and red turn into blues and pinks before the spectacle is over...Mountains are inverted in still water. I wish on a shooting star. A couple of herons decide to land on top of Duck Too's mast bending the windex. What is the attraction, especially when it's dark? They get shoed away.
11 - August 9th, 2005
It's a bit cooler today with a few clouds are building here and there. Ian catches a goldeye in the morning and gives it to us as it is not enough to share with a family of four. We are planning to anchor by Beaver Flats village and check out the store. We were told that the one in Saskatchewan Landing campground had no fresh veggies so we didn't bother to stop. There is just a little bit of wind so genny is up. Duck Too is flying the spinnaker but there is not enough breeze for it too. Slow sailing day. It's hot again as we follow the wind. Pelicans are flying; cows are making weird sounds, as if crying in distress. I know nothing about farm animals. I studied crops and had to know every part of a tractor and other agricultural machines many, many years ago, when I was someone else. I was good at it. Why do we fill our memory banks with so much useless information? I wonder, if put under hypnosis, tractor parts would emerge from the deep. Do I have too much time to write all this nonsense? Yes. Vacation = messy mind.
The store is a nice surprise. There is bread, meat, limited number of veggies, dairy, lots of odds and ends needed for camping. No liquor but the owners are trying to get a license. Maciek gets of a rickety dock onto someone's property to ask for directions. 'I hope I will not get shot', he remarks. I tell him that rather than that, someone will give him something. The owner of the store sells us his own beer. They wish us happy sailing and off we go. The wind is steady and following. Our boat is running under polled genoa, Sonja and Ian take no time to raise their yellow and blue spinnaker. We check out Sphinx Bay and decide to nose in. What looks like a nice beach is solid only for a few feet, then it turns into mud. It's too shallow to swim. Getting on land and coming back brings tons of sticky mud aboard. Sonja and Ian are smarter and anchor out. We decide to follow suit even though this space is not that wide and we will be exposed to some wind. Oh, well, a good test for our new anchoring system. We have a breaded and fried goldeye (thanks Ian!), grilled new potatoes and a Greek salad for dinner. We live well. Beer is supposed to break apart fat particles (it is a fatty kind of fish, excellent when smoked). Maciek, who is a connoisseur of tastes, is savoring the moment. We've got a bit of a fixation with food in our family. Add some rum to the equation and he even forgets that he is not feeling well. I am cramped and crappy as well so we are a match made in heaven. We cannot believe that he's got a bout of shingles in the middle of a relaxing holiday. Usually it coincides with spring vitamin deficiencies and stress. It's a mystery affliction...Oh, well, what can you do?
It’s not that easy to catch a day's end on film. The hues change so quickly...Like everyone else, I like sunsets and shiny Christmas trees. Bright, warm oranges and yellows, pale greens are the tone for tonight. Come on, give me more...The sun hides behind clouds. Maciek, Ian and the kids go fishing. Ian got it to a science and is using a fish finder today. I guess they are still full of memories of the big fishing the other morning and want to make a new record. Hunters catch a few fish, Maciek has no luck. We have a long, leisurely evening before turning in a little earlier than usual. We have our usual wake up call around 3:00 AM. Check on the anchor, listen to the wind that has picked up quite a bit (it likes to do this on Diefenbaker), go back to sleep. I am dreaming of being in some kind of yacht racing event, we are sailing a catamaran, having no idea how it works. It's a bit tiresome, this dream of mine, but at least I am not inventing code samples.
12 - August 10th, 2005
As every morning, Maciek floats away in his little yellow tube to fish. Suddenly I am woken up by a crash - he is back with a walleye. The inflatable is not big enough for the fish and him so he is towing it on a hook to the big boat. I have the opportunity to admire the spikes and sharp teeth...Doesn't look like much but tastes delicious...I could do without the sound of the fish being killed though. I find that we don't require as much food as I predicted. I succumbed to temptation again and bought a bit of meat in the store - we will have trouble consuming it before cruise's end. I haven't used that many of my cans either. We really are not big eaters when I think about it. It is a learning experience and every cruise is different when it comes to supplies. I still have some corners to cut to travel lean. Same with clothes - we barely used any.
It is the first day for wearing shoes and maybe socks. Sun is hiding behind the clouds, it's cooler and the wind blows hard enough for reefing. We bump into the waves, sailing against a force 4-5, easterly wind. When dark clouds arrive from the West, wind settles down and it starts to drip. We sail by some interesting sand formations by Mounties’ Hat coulee. This is our first bad weather day. We've got drizzle, but also good winds. Mix a bit of rum into this combination when skipper gets cold, and we are quite content. A stop is made by Prairie Lake Provincial Park, where we do the usual maintenance chores: get rid of garbage, buy ice, empty porta-potty, etc. Today we think hot showers may be a good idea as we are going to anchor in Beechy Coulee for the night. Shower after a week and a half feels kind of nice, but if it's hot, you do nicely without. It rains like cats and dogs and we are tied to a dock at Prairie Lake. When you try to listen to the forecast on VHF, sure as sin the French version is on and you have to wait for 5 minutes...Really annoying in the middle of Saskatchewan. I am sure there are crowds of French speaking people around this lake. Damn political correctness! And so it rains for a while, we almost take a nap when Sonja and Ian knock on the boat announcing their departure. We check Beechy Coulee which turns out to be too exposed. The decision is made to sail another 7 NMs to Reed Bay. The only issue is that it is 6:00 PM. It will be a late evening. Boy , I am hungry when it's cool outside! Wind is not bad, at some point we have to start tacking. It is good sailing but we will be too tired for any socializing. Sailing takes precedence over boozing. That's the way it should be. Reed Bay is the place where most of the walleyes were caught. There is a flat, sandy mountain at the entrance leading into a couple of winding channels. We hide in the westerly coulee, tacked behind a turn, nosed in to the grassy shore. It's 7:30, we are cold so the first thing to do is make some hot soup. After that we can think about the rest of our dinner. Fried walleye with some fresh made coleslaw is delicious. It's a day for Jessie Cook's music. Another quiet evening of reading and music follows. Sonja and Ian looked a bit tired so we don't push for more socializing. They've been sailing slowly, their tender has a leak and is deflated, working like a drouge. We covered 15 NMs agaist the wind so that we can be in Rousty's marina tomorrow to pump the dinghy (another 12 NM). Maybe we will go to the store as well - get another bottle of rum. AA is just around the corner...Marina's are pretty inexpensive here, a berth at Rusty's is $7, Saskatchewan Landing $9, Elbow $8. No showers, except or Rusty's. Supposedly there are paid showers at the golf club in Elbow marina but we never checked - we swam so many times that day that we did not need them.
13 - August 11, 2005
It's quite cold in the morning when guys try to catch more walleye. No luck. Companionway hatch shows grey sky, but the blue is back when we finish breakfast. It will be a sunny and cool day (20C). Wind is fresh, gets into our coulee and moves the boat around. Another day of reefing. Maciek mentions they could see big rollers on the lake when they were fishing. Ian measures 20 knots from the hill and forecast calls for gusts in excess of 30 knots. Fortunately the wind has turned and is following us today. The take the jib down and sail on reefed main alone. Average speed 5.5 - 6 knots with occasional glide of 7+ knots. Wow! We are in the trades! Sailing is amazing. Waves are building and every glide down the wave accelerates the boat to a max of 7.8 knots. At some point we are over canvassed and Maciek looses control over the helm, going to windward. Then winds settles down a bit and we are back on track. As we get closer to Rusty's, it is blowing close to 30 knots. Waves remind us of the last day in San Juans. They are big and rolly. If we were going upwind, the boat will be shaking off spray like a wet dog. We approach the dock on sails. Sonja and Ian arrive 15 minutes later. We are so excited about the wild ride that we have a beer/rum/appetizer party in our cockpit and end up relaxed and happy. Ian is not conditioned to high rum consumption and at some point is lying flat on that dock laughing his head off. Ian and I drive to the store to get a few supplies. Luckily the roads here are very straight. Thunderstorm is hanging over the horizon, bringing some showers, but the eye passes in a distance. Our drunken state determines that we stay in the marina for $7 bucks per night, with a shower. The boats are moved to their berths, we take a bit of time to relax and start cooking. The kids are with me, helping with enthusiasm. I make some gnocci with parmesan - Eric and Logan taste them with delight. Logan remarks: 'It does not get any better than this.' after another helping. We serve chicken and sausage from the grill, new potatoes, Greek salad and rice pudding with various fruit (and rum) for desert. Life is good. It's a cool evening and the first night when I sleep buried deeply in my sleeping bag.
14 - August 12th, 2005
This front is really cold. Wind is a strong north-westerly. Sun helps just a little bit to warm us up. We are planning to do some October-like sailing and anchor out for the night. It’s the last night on the water - so sad. Tomorrow is the day for taking the boat out and our traditional evening dinner at Mainstay Inn. Halyards are ringing like crazy as we sit at the main dock, filling water tanks. Oh, boy! Another forecast of 50km/h gusts. Just like yesterday, but cooler. Oh, well... There is a frost warning for tonight.
Wind is crazy, we are close hauling, waves are sprayed on the deck. Duck Too disappears from view. Ian says on VHF that the dinghy is getting airborne and they need to tuck in behind an island and wait this out. We are quite a distance away and decide to plough ahead to Three Finger Bay. Hopefully there is enough time - a dark, rain cloud is fast approaching. Wind picks up and we get battered with drops pounding on our cheeks. Water looks white. The bay is close and by the time we reach it, rain subsides and sun comes up. 15 minutes of tanning and another cloud is with us. It rains again. We are nosed in a very nice, sandy bay with high shores. One short step from the bow and you are on shore. The spot is sheltered from North and West. We've seen locals tied here so we know it must be a good place. And so it goes: 15 minutes of sunshine where I shed my clothes, then a downpour bringing coolness again. Duck Too is still on the other side of the lake. A leisurely day...I must admit, this place has grown on me. It's wild and secluded, fish are abundant. You get your fill of all types of sailing - fast and furious, strong and consistent, running down the waves with big winds, calms when swimming is the activity of the day and water looks like a sheet of glass. It never lasts though, if you wait a few hours, the winds will come. The landscape that seemed so barren and forbidding before now looks familiar and inviting. Like with a good friend, we exchange a wink - yes, buddy, between you and me, keep people away from this place so that we can have you to ourselves. The Hunters arrive in late afternoon and anchor close by. As soon as they are settled in, they pack the kids, beer and pretzels and join us in the cockpit.
Turns out that my provisioning is on the mark, after all. We did not get any fish for a couple of days, hehe. I need practice in managing 'resources'.
The day is quiet - reading, music, food. Winds rage through the day, calming down in the evening. Maybe tomorrow we will squeeze in more sailing before the boat grows wheels. It's always such a sad moment - the end of a cruise. No more destinations to pick and exhilarating rides to get there, no more blue slice above my head. A breath of fall is in the air. We suppress the sadness with songs that remind us of our puppy years. A little bit of this, a little bit of completely new material reminding us that we are not stuck in the past. A candle on the table, a toast...Cheers, mate! To future journeys...
Sentimental evening is wrapped up by a fire made out of fireplace logs as there is no driftwood anywhere around us. We open the sun umbrella to protect us from the cold wind, the logs are emitting quite a bit of warmth. We sit quietly while the half moon is rising. It's the coldest night of all. It takes a long time to warm up in my sleeping bag. The weather has turned cool and is here to stay for the next week. I am turning my thoughts to coming home.
15 - August 13th, 2005
The morning is sunny but very cold. I've been told that it was 3 C at night. Ian, Eric and Maciek try their luck in fishing and end up frozen and disappointed. The fire under the kettle helps to warm the cabin. I am not sure if sailing cold waters is in my blood. Wind is battering our burgees. Perhaps flying them on Diefenbaker is not such a good idea. They make an unnerving sound, as if it's blowing more than it actually is. The day starts cold as we make our sailing run in the proximity of Rusty's marina. The wind is strong; perfect conditions to tune our reefing. As soon as we are reefed, wind picks up even more - good timing. Suddenly, as we are on a broad reach, sails are flung violently from starboard to port. What was that? We were just opening a beer! A little white squall is running through the water, churning like a tornado and picking up spray. It's quite local and we are exactly in its path. It came out of nowhere; the clouds above us don't look menacing. We've never seen anything like that before. A little microburst? The day is becoming sunny, sailing is pleasant and fast. As always, it is tough to leave waters behind and go back to the usual routine. After an hour the boat is ready for towing. We can sit, relax until it's time to go to Main Stay Inn for farewell dinner. Raise a toast to one adventure spent and more to come.
End of Diefenbaker 2005 'chronicles'.