I've watched the yachts on the water most day since I've been here. Racing, cruising, puddling around, spinnakers flying, water blue with white caps. This weekend I got the opportunity to sail with Pete on Tortimony, a Davidson 28 moored at Port Nicholson. I was so excited, and a little frightened of being out on a much bigger, much deeper and very much colder harbour than I'm used to. I need not have worried, it was fantastic.
My thermals and wind jacket were a match for the weather, a lively southerly at times, a calm one at others. We were out for a long time, cruising through the race fleet, around Matiu Island and around the harbour. It was great to feel the spray in my face, and to work the sails. Remembering a few skills along the way. Pete let me helm for a bit, scary on a new boat in such different conditions. The feeling of being out on the water was amazing as I settled into the rhythms of the sea.
The Wellington Harbour is beautiful. The winds fickle as they bounce off the land and roar through the harbour entrance. The sea was actually calm with minor chop rather than the waves of the North Sound. The bird life is amazing and we saw terns and other sea birds enjoying a large shoal of fish. There were heaps of boats out, the ferry carving it's way through the fleet with it's horn blasting and smaller fishing boats enjoying the day.
As we headed back, there were others coming in too making berthing interesting. along with the southerly gusts. I missed the line the first time and we had another couple of goes before being able to tie up. My job was to bail out the sieve also known as the dingy so my new sailing shoes got christened. That nearly ended in tears, as I balanced my way in. I lost my favourite sailing hat, the one held together with duct tape that has had many swims.
As always after sailing, there was the after match stories and beers. Only it's a bit different in Wellington as people gather outside their boat shed and share a barbeque in true kiwi style. I met some lovely folks, welcoming folks who enjoy the sea like I do. Thanks Pete and Tortimony for a fantastic day out. I know today that I've used muscles that I haven't used in a while.
The pics are taken with my new iPhone. Tortimony is the boat in the middle and the boat sheds are the famous Port Nicholson or Clyde Quay sheds that go with the moorings. They are amazing inside, well set up for storing those important boating things, including the beer fridge. By the time I took the one of the sheds, many had packed up and gone home. When we arrived in, most of the doors were open with people socialising outside. Pics for another day.
My thermals and wind jacket were a match for the weather, a lively southerly at times, a calm one at others. We were out for a long time, cruising through the race fleet, around Matiu Island and around the harbour. It was great to feel the spray in my face, and to work the sails. Remembering a few skills along the way. Pete let me helm for a bit, scary on a new boat in such different conditions. The feeling of being out on the water was amazing as I settled into the rhythms of the sea.
The Wellington Harbour is beautiful. The winds fickle as they bounce off the land and roar through the harbour entrance. The sea was actually calm with minor chop rather than the waves of the North Sound. The bird life is amazing and we saw terns and other sea birds enjoying a large shoal of fish. There were heaps of boats out, the ferry carving it's way through the fleet with it's horn blasting and smaller fishing boats enjoying the day.
As we headed back, there were others coming in too making berthing interesting. along with the southerly gusts. I missed the line the first time and we had another couple of goes before being able to tie up. My job was to bail out the sieve also known as the dingy so my new sailing shoes got christened. That nearly ended in tears, as I balanced my way in. I lost my favourite sailing hat, the one held together with duct tape that has had many swims.
As always after sailing, there was the after match stories and beers. Only it's a bit different in Wellington as people gather outside their boat shed and share a barbeque in true kiwi style. I met some lovely folks, welcoming folks who enjoy the sea like I do. Thanks Pete and Tortimony for a fantastic day out. I know today that I've used muscles that I haven't used in a while.
The pics are taken with my new iPhone. Tortimony is the boat in the middle and the boat sheds are the famous Port Nicholson or Clyde Quay sheds that go with the moorings. They are amazing inside, well set up for storing those important boating things, including the beer fridge. By the time I took the one of the sheds, many had packed up and gone home. When we arrived in, most of the doors were open with people socialising outside. Pics for another day.
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| Tortimony at rest |
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| The boat sheds with evening closing in |
3 comments:
Love that you finally got out there!! And it reads like it was grand. I'm thinking you need a sea-coloured background here on your blog. The black didn't work with a story like that :-) Looking forward to a million more stories of sailing x
Mmmmmm a sea coloured background, Maybe a pic of the paua I have on my hearth might work. The black frames the pics, might just give that a go! Yes, it was lovely, so hard to capture in writing how it feels :)
It was there, the feeling. I was so very happy for you :-)
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