After a series of delays, we finally arrived last night at the Mill Pond in Chatham, Massachusetts around 6:00 pm (also known as 1800 hours.) The sun was just starting to set and it was nice to get to see one last sunset over the pond before our journey west. The first order of business was to get our luggage and supplies that we had brought from home out to the boat. Since our dingy is currently tied to the cabin top, Joe had to row us out to Cygnet in the FirstLight row boat. After nearly 8 hours in the car, I was worried about what that meant for…
-
-
Anatomy of a Boat
The first thing you learn when entering the world of sailing, is that sailors have a whole different language than the rest of us. Things that have one name on land have a different name on a boat. For instance: you don’t go downstairs, you go below. It’s not a kitchen, it’s a galley. It’s not a bathroom, it’s a head. And never mind when you get into navigational jargon. More on that later. For now, let’s start with the basics—the anatomy of a boat. Bow: It’s not called the “front” of the boat, it’s called the bow. This is the end of the boat that faces into the wind…
-
We Have a Sailboat
We have a sailboat. Often times when I tell people this, they look at me and say “Oh? Do you sail?” I respond: “I have sailed. Like… I’ve been on a sailboat while it’s sailing. But, no, I have no idea how to sail a boat. My husband is the sailor. But he’s going to teach the rest of us.” I’ve been saying this for four and a half years. Over the past four and a half years, I have slept on the boat, eaten on the boat, argued with and amused my kids on the boat. I have worked on the boat—in the sense that I have done manual…
