waving

[Troy Scott]

Leonard,

We're about done with it here. It's been quite warm these last few days.

[Joe CD MS 300]

Leonard,

I'm surprised you brought this up as ian issue. I think the boaters (sail, power and loberstermen) up in Maine are pretty good about waving. I attributed it to the feeling that when you have issues and need assistance up there it can be a lot more serious than down in a warm water area. At least it was not something I ever noticed. They are much better about it than what I recall of the Chesapeke. Maybe because of the volume of boaters. Your arm could fall off waving at everyone around Annapolis.

Joe

[Big E]

Lotsa waving goes on in & around Salem harbor, great community... Unless you stumble into Old Marblehead Harbor -- Talk about hoity toity. If you wave at most (not all) of those "sailors" at the Corinthian & Eastern Yacht Clubs they look down at you as if you just impregnated their dog. You know these guys, they're the ones with the 50-60 footers that only sail once a year. Most of the time they're just hanging on the mooring entertaining CEO's & various dignitaries. How sad indeed.

[Mathias]

This past summer, I took a wonderful tour from Lake Champlain, down the Hudson, across LI Sound and up to Caisco Bay, and back. 1,300 NM and two months.

One of my most memorable days was trying to get out of Point Judith in fog that would roll in and out. I was single-handing but I had radar and figured I should be able to handle this, so I cast off and set out. As soon as I got to the end of the inlet, I couldn't see more than two boat lengths. Out of the nothing, a motoring sailboat appeared. I hollored over: "How is it out there?"

One of the crew shouted back: "Can't tell because we couldn't see a thing, so we're heading back."

I motored on a few dozen more yards before deciding to turn about and follow them in.

Once more that day, the fog dissapated just to the point where you could see a mile or so. I cast off again and headed out. But once again, I turned back as soon as I hit the pea soup of the outer Harbor of Refuge.

A third time the fog receded. And a third time, I cast off. This time, the inner harbor was clear, but my mind was not. I was just abaft to the port side of a lobster boat. We were both following the narrow channel out of the harbor. I looked over to the lobsterman and he was waving at me. I was pleasantly surprised that a hardworking lobsterman would take time to wave to a pleasure-man such as myself.

I waved back.

He began waving more insistently and suddenly I realized that I was outside the channel. I put the helm hard over to starboard, just narrowly fetching the red nun and leaving it to port.

This is the sea, I thought. I was so grateful that at sea even the working men might take pity on a humble pleasure sailor such as myself. None of us are so perfect that we don't need a reminder from a fellow seaman that, "hey, idiot, don't you realize you are about to ground?"

I made it half way out of the outer harbor of refuge that time before the fog thickened once more. I decided that the lesson in humility was already delivered for that day. What was I still trying to prove?

I turned about once more. I knew there would be some shame in a repeated public radio request once more that day to the marina for dock space. But when you think about it, shame is a fair currency for humility. And besides, I dread to consider the currency of stubborness.

I will always remember that anonymous lobsterman.

-Mathias

[Paul D.]

I drove a VW Rabbit diesel for almost ten years. I always waved to other Rabbits, it was all we had. In the later years most would just stare at me though. Perhaps it was because I was going so slowly.

Now, in our CD, we get both waves AND stares! I reckon it's the beauty and envy of so many.

Paul

[SeaBelle]

I always wave and most reciprocate. For those that don't I have 2 internal responses: for lobstermen I know they're busy and they get a pass, for others I remind myself it's about me not about them. I enjoy being friendly even if some others don't.

I treat lobstermen as respectfully as coasties; they are always out there (and closer than coasties) and while they may not all stop to wave they'll stop working to help if needed. As a group they have earned the respect I feel.

When I graduated and got a job I bought my first car, a red '62 MG with wire wheels, the last of the A's. We always shared a comradely wave. After I moved to Boston and had my side curtains stolen for the 3rd time I swore I wasn't going to supply every poor student who would trade his morals for side curtains and gave it to my youngest brother. He lived in Jersey City where they may not be morally superior but at least there were fewer MGA's.

[winthrop fisher]

hey john and ever one,

we had an mini austin before we got the MGB's and after that we had 914 porsche it was real small car...

but try to put two adults and three small children into these cars...

thats ok sea hunt....

[Len]

I find it quit curious that so many CDers had MGs . What does that mean ?

[Troy Scott]

Len,

It probably means that we are folks who like tooling along at relaxed speeds in vehicles that are more soulful than practical. We are also folks who enjoy looking at and tinkering with classic things. I used to go sit in my MG just to read. I've done the same thing many times in a Cape Dory.

[Oswego John]

Len,

Although some will tell you that MG stands for Morris Garage which evolved into Morris Group, there is a band of diehards who insist that MG stands for Mucho Gusto, the way these cars are driven. (If you can still find one).

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Cars-Trucks ... pZ1?_rdc=1

http://www.cartalk.com/content/testdriv ... /mgtd.html

These autos, not unlike our Cape Dorys, are not being made anymore. They are a perfect example to answer the question if our CDs are worth less with the economy as it is today.

For what my little MGTD cost in the early 1950s, depending on its condition, it might cost five times or more than that today.

In 20/20 hindsight, what a fool I was to get rid of it early on. But then, I had a family to raise. Oh well.

Ah, memories
O J

[John Danicic]

Why so many MGs? Free spirits we are. Since we never drove with the top up, we got to feel the air temperature change when zooming down valleys and climbing up hills. Like in sailing, one is very connected with the weather and the surroundings in an MG. That car gave feedback to every little adjustment to the wheel and the throttle. You felt essential, part of the vehicle. Not just along for the ride. They were special little devils for our devil years.

Like with our boats, you needed to tinker with those cars....in my case, a lot. Its diminutive size gave me the courage to tackle complicated projects. I learned most of what I know about engines, repairing and fixing things because of that green car. What I remember the most was the little smile on my normally practical dads face when I announced that I was getting a very unpractical vehicle. He knew then that getting this car was tantamount to applying to technical school to learn a trade. I thought I was getting a chick magnet. Ah......we were both right.

When I got rid of it. I bought a bicycle and eventually had a series of boring dependable cars. Chick magnets they were not. But because of that technical training, I could keep them going way beyond their normal life span. It is all applied to the wiring, sheet adjustment, the oil changes and beating into a north east gale. Spray on your face, top down, hands on the wheel and laughing the whole time.......


Sail on

John Danicic
CD36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior - The Apostle Islands
CDSOA # 655

[wingreen]

I find it quit curious that so many CDers had MGs . What does that mean ?

I means we know more about boats than we did cars... mine spent more time in the shop than it did on the road... @#$%$ British SU-2 carbs and electrical system.

[Neil Gordon]

... mine spent more time in the shop than it did on the road...

Did I read somewhere about sitting in the car and reading a book?

[sealark]

You guys are making me feel bad - my 1973 MG Midget is sitting in the garage and currently listed for sale on Craigslist. I am starting to have regret. But then again - the whole family can fit in the CD 28 - but not the MG.

[mike ritenour]

After having bashed for almost two days into a bad northerner we pulled into Cooly's Landing on the New River, in Ft. Lauderdale.

Exhausted and popping the first beer, after tie-up, we looked up from our stern and here was a HUGE tour boat passing by. Perhaps 300 people on it.

A little girl on deck waved at us and we waved back, only to have about 150 people wave back at us, at once.

What a nice buzz when someone yelled out, hey I know where Olcott, NY is! (our home port)

Sure put smiles on our sailing bones.

Rit