Catamaran Sailing

Laura and I got back yesterday from a week's worth of sailing with friends on a chartered catamaran. Initially, I was "commandeered" into being skipper of this vessel, but Coopers (the charter company), didn't like the fact that I had no experience on a cat whatsoever. Good call on their part, it turns out. They're different.

We had a skipper/instructor (Marla) for the first three days of the charter, and she got to show me the differences in cat sailing as well as tuned up all the bad habits I've accumulated. She also got to certify Dave (the reason for this whole adventure was Dave's 50th birthday - a party that has gone on for an entire month) for his PCOC and CYA Basic Cruising Standard, as well as administer the practical half of his Intermediate Cruising Standard as well. Dave is a natural at the helm, and truly loves the sailing - it was a real treat to see him so enthusiastic and energetic! Marla even commented on how quickly Dave assimilated all the new information (although I doubt much of it was new to Dave - just that now it was important to remember it all). Our itinerary included stops at Silva Bay, Clam Bay, Montague Harbor, Pirate's Cove and Snug Harbor. Two days on a dock, one on a mooring buoy, and two anchoring (three days without a shower is some kind of a record for me).

Joining us were Duane and Bev, neighbors of Dave and Sherri, as well as Kelly - Dave's sister. The weather was awful until the afternoon of the last day, but the sailing for the most part was pretty good. Fair winds (10-15 knots) for most of the trip, and it seemed to stop raining after we finished sailing for the day. Duane, Bev and Marla departed the boat at Montague Harbor on Galiano Island via seaplane - and Kelly joined us for the last three days. She and Dave are so alike it's scary. Hyperactive, too, so that makes cleaning up a spectator sport for me.

I can now say I've spent some time on both a multihull and a monohull sailboat, and I'd have to say that my preference is the monohull. There's a real sense of motion on the monohull, where doing eight knots (as we did quite often in the cat) would be exhilarating - or terrifying. Much to my surprise, the cat was really quite uncomfortable when the chop picks up - Marla explained that they do their best when there's lots of wind and very flat water. Neither of which BC has a surplus of.

I'm also not used to the idea that when you put a tumbler on a table, it's still there eight seconds later. I relish the idea that the utensil drawer is supposed to fly across the cabin, and that anything not tied down will be quickly washed away. Call me a romantic.

The girls loved the light, the level, and the room of a catamaran. It was an RV that floats. I think that's the market they're after. Having now done it once, would I do it again? Maybe. If you guarantee the weather....

At last - some sustained progress on the sleep front..

It has been almost two years of dealing with the incredibly debilitating affects of insomnia, but I now think the worst is over. It first became apparent when I could get a pretty decent night's sleep whenever I wasn't in my own bed (on a boat, for example). For the last month, I've been drug free (for sleep) and have regularly logged five or six hours a night of good quality- don't remember your dream, snoring, unconscious, have no idea what time it is - sleep. Most of this rest seems to come irrespective of the "ritual" I have before heading for the bedroom; for the longest time I would ensure I was up at 6:30am, into bed at midnight, no TV within an hour of bedtime, no reading in bed, and on and on. Now it seems that if I go to bed when I'm tired - whether that is at 10pm or midnight, I mostly sleep through until 6 or 7 the next morning. If I do wake during the night, I get back to sleep quite easily.  I know I've claimed victory over insomnia before, but I've never had a stretch of more than one or two nights where I felt truly rested. I'm very glad indeed if this episode in my recovery is now behind me. Now if only I can re-learn to swim...

Is it closer to Toronto or by bus?

We just got back yesterday from an eight-day adventure in Toronto. Laura has never been there, and I have never been there for more than a few days at a time. I sarcastically remark to anyone who'll listen - especially those that live there - that to me Toronto is a big American city, that happens to be in Canada. Our friend Jaccee reminded me that, unlike an American city, the ethnic neighborhoods in Toronto have their own, very distinct, non-assimilated culture. We tend to embrace multiculturalism, while our southern neighbors like it best when you are "one with the Borg". It's pretty safe to say that in our larger cities (I'm thinking Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal) you could quite easily live your entire life and not speak a word of English or French.

We were there for a wedding - the son of good friends (divorced, but with new partners and civilized towards each other). Amber, the bride, was of the new, empowered breed of young married people. The wedding was in a brew-pub, there were only two very short speeches, and she refused to feed her new husband a piece of wedding cake - for fear it would turn into a food fight. I found it quite refreshing. I was a tad under-dressed, there being only three men at the whole event (of about 65 people) without suit and tie - but I'm sure I'll get over it. I plan on starting a trend of wearing casual clothes to every possible event.

After the wedding, Laura and I spent several days exploring Toronto - including a Blue Jays game in a very sunny and hot Rogers Stadium. Good friends that had moved there 17 years ago - from Calgary - put us up at their place for three nights. Not only did Brian and Jaccee arrange a wonderful dinner with other mutual friends, Jaccee took Laura for tea at a fancy hotel in York and drove us to Niagara on the Lake, Iniskillin Winery, and Niagara Falls. I told them if they ever come to Vancouver I can show them all the highlights of Port Coquitlam - like where the local serial killer lived and where Terry Fox is buried.

In all, it was a nice break, and it was nice to have Laura experience for herself the city I have loathed all these years - deserved or not.

Photos are on Picasa.