In former times, boaters relied on the wind to get them where they were going.
Some of us still do.
The sailboats were out in force on Sunday, and we were among them. But even though the weather was perfect, the motorboats were absent. I think I saw one for every five or six sailboats.
With the high price of gas, many people at our marina use their motorboats as summer homes but rarely go out on the water. One October a few years back, we filled our tank to replace the four gallons we had used getting into and out of the marina during the season. At the next pump, a man with a fancy motorboat watched the numbers rise into the hundreds of dollars.
Sailors don't understand motorboaters any more than Cubs fans understand White Sox fans, and vice versa.
It's the difference between a slow but peaceful ride and a fast but noisy one, and between an afternoon on the lake and an afternoon at the dock.
It may take us longer to get somewhere, but at least we go.
Because our fuel is free.
Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts
Summer's Over
Monday, October 11, 2010
After school let out on Friday, Roland met me at the marina for our last sail of the season. Fortunately, the weather cooperated. It was also beautiful on Sunday, as we gazed with longing at the sailboats out on the water while we were stuck at the dock taking our sails off. But Freizeit is scheduled to move to her winter home (in the marina parking lot) on Saturday, and, since only one of us is "retired," we have to get things done when we can.
It was a disappointing sailing season in some ways, primarily because the month-long cruise we had planned refused to fit itself into our busy schedule. Then there were the always-to-be-expected days when the weather didn't cooperate or we had other commitments. Still, it was a fun summer.
And I don't mind that it's over for this year. Putting the boat to bed is a sign of the changing seasons, and the variety that comes with those seasons is one of the things I love about living in the Midwest. In fact, Fall may be my favorite season (at least while I'm in it).
More about that next week.
It was a disappointing sailing season in some ways, primarily because the month-long cruise we had planned refused to fit itself into our busy schedule. Then there were the always-to-be-expected days when the weather didn't cooperate or we had other commitments. Still, it was a fun summer.
And I don't mind that it's over for this year. Putting the boat to bed is a sign of the changing seasons, and the variety that comes with those seasons is one of the things I love about living in the Midwest. In fact, Fall may be my favorite season (at least while I'm in it).
More about that next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)






