night sailing on CHEESECAKE aka Jolene

Night Sailing

There is a certain magic in night sailing. Starting with dusk and the anticipation of sunset, the senses take on a new perception. The sun, seems less hot. Not the god of war and destruction now but a soothing light enveloped in all the hues of love. The moon will now be visible and eternal lovers will encounter each other in the heavens. Stars light up the evening sky and the world readies itself to start the night shift. Like all creatures, we welcome the change and prepare for it.

Ever since I started sailing the Sunfish back in Puerto Rico, I enjoyed the dusk sail. On the Sunfish it was my custom to sail around the Fajardo waters, arrive at Icacos Key beach for a short lunch and beach time and then lazily sail back in the afternoon hours to enjoy my dusk sailing back to my launch area of Playa Sardinera on Puerto Rico’s East coast. On big boats, the same applies. As dusk approaches, I prepare for the night watch in two ways. Always safety minded, out comes the harness, the life jacket, the extra flashlight, flood lamp, etc. Inside, I also prepare, settle the mind down, contemplate the sunset, ponder the gentle rotation of our planet as we fly through the cosmos, appreciate being alive as the stars light up my soul. And before I get mushy, let us turn to Laser sailing.

My laser’s name is CHEESECAKE, ‘cause she is so sweet to sail. Lately her name has acquired a very appropriate and fashionable “aka”. CHEESECAKE is aka Jolene. And like a biker trash friend of mine would say, “if I have to explain, you would not understand”. I try to race as many Thursday nights as I can on the laser. As the season progresses, the last Thursday nights have us finishing in darkness. This make finding rounding marks tricky, especially since we do not carry GPS or chart plotters on the lasers. We all manage one way or another and there are always big boats around so you can pick up marks by following the parade of running lights.

These last Thursday night races provide me with wonderful sunsets on the water and my beloved dusk sailing. Racing aside, there is certain awareness that only happens at night.

Perhaps not being able to see the puffs or the waves, incoming wind lines or lulls in our path, we automatically augment all the senses. The heaving water has a pattern that needs to be felt, the sheet in your hand, taught as it is transmits the gentlest information about the wind’s behavior. Suddenly, you instinctively feel the pressure on the tiller and even if the tiller extension is not yet crowned with a jade knob, you come know the ways of the sea. Alone as you may be on that cathedral of creation, dimly lit by the night lanterns of stars, moon and other heavenly bodies reflecting the sun’s light beams, there is peace to be found. “You ARE a child of the universe, no less than the trees or the stars, you have the right to be here and whether or not it is clear to you, the universe is unfolding as it should”….quoted from DESIDERATA.

Solace is found.

If you have never sailed at night, I invite you to try it. Just go sailing on a regular day and refuse to come in until the sun has set and dusk is upon you. Then, enjoy the moment.

Dry notes department: for night sailing on a little boat as the laser or sunfish, the Coast Guard Minimum Safety Requirements call for having a flashlight on board. I have found that one of those that you charge up by shaking, serve well and being sealed, they hold up fairly decent against the water environment; also not having to deal with trashed batteries is good. I also tie a glow stick to the webbing on the top of my sail. At that height, I am showing a light all around that reaches well above the water to be seem by passing boats in the area.

Tiller Time and a jade knob on my hiking stick

Tiller Time and a jade knob on my hiking stick

It seems that with all things in life, doing it often produces the best results barring the natural talent some folks are born with. The musicians tell the joke of the tourist who asked the cab driver, “how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” and the cabbie (perhaps a musician himself) answered, “practice, practice, practice” Thus it is obvious that in order to master something we must serve that something first. Surrender to its allure and give ourselves to the magic pull of the practice. Force ourselves to trudge in failure and surmount the obstacles with courage in the knowledge that enlightenment sometimes occurs in subtle rays of light as we open our morning blinds or it strikes with enough force to knock you off a horse.

My sailing is certainly full of romantic passion, I know about laminar flow and my nautical exploits cover racing and cruising the Caribbean, Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Isla Mujeres and Key West. Many high performance platforms have I sailed. Even though we do not carry one on the laser, I even know what a triatic stay is. Yet, I am not there yet. Mastering sailing takes a lifetime of doing. On the Laser, on the Lippincott 30, on the J120, on every boat, every outing teaches us some nuance that brings even more value to the experience. If only our senses would always be open to the teachings of the sea, the winds, the currents, the immense cathedral of creation. And I continue to ask, “would the waters remember my wake?”

The story about the jade novice and the jade master comes to mind. With credits to whom they belong as I do not know the author of the story and I affirm I read it many years ago.

As I remember it, the story loosely goes like this….

In the ancient Orient, Jade is considered primal matter. Jade is assigned virtues and powers as honest, true, longevity, god like. Hence, it is not a rock but a state of being to accept Jade as this valuable element. So, a Jade novice is said, wanted to learn everything there was to be known about Jade. He had already studied its composition, the many variations of Jade, the way to carve it, the way to present it, the many ways Jade could touch the soul, still he wanted more Jade knowledge. In his quest he was directed to the door of the Jade Master castle. There the honorable Jade Master received him into what the novice thought was going to be the apprenticeship of a lifetime. That first day, the Jade Master placed a piece of Jade in his hands and proceeded to talk about the mysteries of life. At the end of the day, the Jade Master wished him a good evening and left him alone. The second day, the Jade Master received him again, placed another piece of Jade in the novice hands and proceeded to talk about the wonders of nature all day long. Like the day before, when evening came, the novice was left alone. Every day went the same, the Jade Master would place a piece of Jade in the novice’s hands and proceed to talk about animals, the sea, religion, politics, etc. Our novice though respectful was becoming irritated and some desperation was affecting him. He had been respectful, he had been attentive to the Jade Master, day after day he had heard the Jade Master speak about wonderful topics but not one secret about Jade, no Jade magic, no Jade cryptic origins. He was ready to tell the Jade Master how disappointed he was and that either the Jade Master started teaching him about Jade or he would quit. Set this way in his mind, the novice went to sleep.

The next morning, gathering all his courage and determination he presented himself to the Jade Master. As all other mornings before, the Jade Master placed a piece of Jade in his hands though this time the Jade Master had replaced the piece of Jade by a rock that just look like Jade. Before even thinking about how to address the Jade Master about his short comings, the Jade Novice feeling the impostor in his hands exclaimed, “this is not Jade!” Thus the Jade Master told him, “now you know everything there is to know about Jade”. It was obvious to our Jade Novice now that he so intimately knew Jade that he could tell by the touch of his fingers the structure of real Jade. With a deep bow he honored his Jade Master and went home.

Hence, Tiller Time is what we all need, an open mind, friendly competition, a willing heart and a trusting soul. “We are the children of the Universe, no less than the trees or the stars we have a right to be here and whether or not it is clear to us, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should” quoted from DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann).

So, if you spot a Jade knob at the end of my hiking stick, now you know the rest of the story…good day. Quoted from Paul Harvey.

Arriba los viejitos

Arriba los Viejitos!! Or I’ll rest when I die.

Arriba los viejitos is a popular “saying” in my dear Island of Puerto Rico. It loosely translates to “up with the old guys/gals”. Los viejitos can when they do. We all have the will and the spirit, it is typically the body that gives in before the spirit does. It is a great spirit which pushes and carries the body pass exhaustion and pain into glory. The results column invariably misses the struggle, the clawing, the unyielding character of those who choose to battle until the battle is done or until the last breath escapes our bleeding lungs. The ones that strive and push beyond the limits of what is expected are always praised and admired. Secretly, we all appreciate those who refuse to go quietly into the night.

Laser masters come in all sorts of shapes, colors, sizes, etc. but they all share those characteristics embodied by their many colorful bumper stickers. “Cheat the nursing home, die on your laser”; “too old to hike, too young to die”. As we prepare for one more regatta, that cautious but challenging Spartan farewell comes to mind, “e tan, e epi tan” almost translates to “return with the laser or on the laser but not without the laser”. Another quote that comes to mind was used by Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves) on the movie The Replacements, “pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever”. And so we dress up for one more. In the company of kin minded friends we launch our lasers into the eternal waters that saw our birth and will remain after our passing. Will the waters remember our wake?
And so I call on you as I call on myself, strive, fight, struggle, refuse to yield, roar like the storm. We can all hike more, point higher and better our lot. There will be plenty of time to rest when we die. But we are not there yet sailors. So while there is will, let’s make a way.

SunCoast-DIYC Inaugural Laser Regatta

SunCoast-DIYC Laser Fleet’s Inaugural Regatta

Based out of Davis Island YC, the newest SunCoast-DIYC Laser Fleet is certainly up to something big. This last Saturday, June 5th, was our first event. 12 sailors from this area including some that travelled from Lake Eustis, Sarasota and Orlando enjoyed a fantastic set of 7 races. Conditions varied from a light air start to a slow building wind which topped the 15 knots for the last few races.

Our race committee performed an outstanding job reconfiguring the starting line to adjust for the afternoon sea breeze. And before we get any further, let us mention the R/C volunteers by name as without them none of our racing could happen. The signal boat was Sofa King, skippered by Captain Robi Robinson, serving on the signal boat was our PRO Mike Dawson and his enthusiastic assistants Del Palmer and Louise Neuburger; both coming from the ranks of our Dinghy Dames. The mark boat was our venerable club launch Guardian which was smartly operated by Tom Turton and his assistant Jack Whitwam.

Our own Buzzy Heausler left us with a template to follow as he posted nothing but bullets across 7 races. Way to go Buzzy! The rest of the competitors fought hard and well as the appended results will show. What the results will not show is the tenacity and dedication of all the sailors to do well and better their skills. In a class where you are considered a Master at 35 years old, it takes a lot of stamina and will to go around the course in such a tippy and high performance boat. We had 9 standard rigs and 3 radial rigs. After the racing was done, quick friendships were made at the Tiki Bar and promises for more Masters and regular Laser racing out of our Davis Island YC. The competitors commented on what an active membership we have and were impressed by how welcoming our members and facilities are. They will be back with their friends to help us continue to be the sailingest club in the South.
Rounding up the event we had a trophy ceremony amongst much laughter and some serious commitment for more of the same. Jackie (our bar tender) kept the Tiki Bar and the sailors in very good spirits. The goodies included US Sailing decals and bumper stickers as well as Laser Class decals and bumper stickers which included handing out the much celebrated “Laser Master’s” bumper stickers. One reads, “Laser Master – too old to hike –too young to die” and my favorite which reads, “Laser Master – cheat the nursing home – die on your laser”

Here are the results:
DIYC Laser Suncoast Regatta June 5, 2010

Race Race Race Race Race Race Race Base Throw Final
Place Sail# Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pts out Points Prize

1 18 1131 Buzzy Heausler 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 -1 6 1 – Davis Island YC
2 18 5456 Jeff Olson 2 3 2 3 2 2 2 16 -3 13 2 – Sarasota Sailing Squadron
3 18 4547 Eric Robbins 4 4 5 2 4 3 5 27 -5 22 3 – Davis Island YC
4 19 1963 Dave Hillmyer 5 2 3 6 7 7 3 33 -7 26 – Sarasota Sailing Squadron
5 16 4806 David Olson 7 10 4 4 3 5 6 39 -10 29 – Sarasota Sailing Squadron
6 19 1581 John Poulson 3 7 6 5 dnf 6 4 44 -13 31 – Davis island YC
7 15 5481 Kevin Ratigan 12 6 8 8 5 4 11 54 -12 42 – Sarasota SailingSquadron/Orlando
8 17 5556 Anthony Scott 6 8 9 7 6 9 8 53 -9 44 - Sarasota Youth Sailing Program
9 5 6566 Alejandro Illera 8 12 7 10 8 8 9 62 -12 50 – Lake Eustis Sailing Club
10 15 5456 Antolin Rivera 9 5 10 9 11 10 10 64 -11 53 – Davis Island YC
11 17 6267 Donna Steele 10 11 11 11 9 11 7 70 -11 59 – Sarasota Sailing Squadron
12 19 1959 Carrie Greene 11 9 12 12 10 12 12 78 -12 66 – Davis Island YC

As the SunCoast-DIYC Laser Fleet captain, Antolin Rivera acted as Regatta Chairman but my job would not have been possible without the assistance and guidance provided by Eric Robbins and Carrie Greene. The regatta fairies worked really hard to make this one possible, thanks so much Eric and Carrie.

cheat or fair is fair or mom really did a number on me

Cheat or “fair is fair” or, my mom really did a number on me.
Mom never heard the famous sailing quote of Mr. Elvstrom, "You haven't won the race, if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors." Neither did she ever sailed a Laser or any boat for that matter except day sails aboard Shipajoy I in Puerto Rico and Shipajoy II here in Tampa Bay. She in fact only went to the beach occasionally or at least far less frequently than the average Puerto Rican. I for one could have been a remarkable beach bum but that is another story dear Linda Litke.
She, the one that I remember as a lion with a woman’s face, had a different upbringing. She worked hard all her life, unabatedly strove to better her lot and refused to yield no matter the foe. Her tiny frame contained a huge heart and if the spirit had mass, hers would have been the proverbial unmovable object. Yeah, you could say she was bull-headed too but in a nice way. Mom hated falsehood above all other human faults. Her soul was open to all in the most sincere of ways but cheats were branded as such for life.
There are so many examples about those life lessons that I could fill tomes and manage to bore you out of this blog. Growing up with her meant a strict adhesion to the principle of fairness…”what is right is right and that is that”. To find a wallet full of money and credit cards meant an immediate call to the owner. Being deceitful to get and advantage was beyond her understanding.
Growing up with her meant these precepts were a fact of life which brings us back to Mr. Elvstrom. "You haven't won the race, if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors." How many times have you witnessed a guy in front of you ooching downwind repeatedly or rock ‘n rolling or worse yet, rolling and fanning the main with a tug on the tiller effectively “rowing” the boat? He may be a better sailor but he is also ahead because of his deceitful ways. Is he beating you? Perhaps, but not really. He is not competing like you, he is cheating. He is the kind of guy who may “rub” a mark and not do his turn unless somebody protests him. But, you can tell that if the infraction occurs and he perceives that nobody saw it, he will smile and keep going.
Our sport is too precious to spoil it with that conduct. Life is too precious to go through it constantly thinking in terms of “The Art of War” chapters. If anything, we should go through life in the terms of “Desiderata”. All except the part that goes, “Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth”. There I believe we should “cheat” the nursing home and die on our lasers! And I quote, “Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

Sailing CHEESECAKE

Sailing CHEESECAKE
To my friends and readers it is pretty clear that I LOVE sailing. There are so many reasons whilst at the same time, no particular reason at all. I just love being on the water.
I envy my son and all those “youth sailing program” kids that I have coached through the years. Being exposed to sailing at such age. Bewildered every single day by the new emotions you feel commanding a little pram about. Contemplating nature by being part of that nature. When you see a dolphin surfacing close to your vessel for the first time, when you hear the loud puff of their breath as they reach for life giving air; they too are seeing you, you too are part of their environment. There you are, next to the dolphin, the pelican, the majestic osprey, jelly fish with no Sponge Bob Square Pants hunting it. You ARE that child of the universe, no less than the trees or the stars…
My sailing experience did not come at a young age. The day of enlightenment occurred after I had lost my innocence. Perhaps it happened then because that unfolding universe saw a man in need of solace. At the grand cathedral of creation I find solace indeed. Perhaps that is why I sail as much as I can, I need to furiously regain the wasted years of my youth without sailing. I need to catch up, erase the damage and heal my soul.
Presently, I sail the family Lippincott 30, crew on a racing only J120 and J24, race my laser and still miss the windmill. I have raced and sailed on many platforms, the biggest has been a 50 footer, the smallest was my son’s opti which I took out sometimes between practices, at lunch break and at odd times when the kids were busy with a chalk talk and the opti was just sitting there waiting to be taken out for a spin. There is a sunfish in my past, actually my first physical boat was a sunfish. There is a catamaran in my past as well, boat number two (pun intended) was a nacra 5.2.
Of all the boats, none more demanding of purpose, none less forgiving of lapsed attention than my beloved CHEESECAKE. She demands me, at my best, I am absorbed by her. Sailing my laser is such a pleasure. Oh, I pay for it too. Many aches come from hiking, rigging, capsizing, swimming along to catch up to her after a wild capsize, etc. Yet, I ride her in contentment. There is a certain moment in which all that is pure and simple and true becomes tangible. You can almost smell, touch, see, hear and taste the feeling of righteousness. Can you touch an image in your mind? Just like the lovers separated by the terrible curse on the movie Lady Hawk, for just an instant at dusk and dawn could they see into each other’s eyes and almost quite touch each other in human form but the faint vision fades away all too swiftly leaving the human in tears and the beast in rage. On those moments when my laser and I embrace in a dance following the music and rhythm of wind and sea, my soul is witness to the romance of the sea. The falling sand grain stops in mid flight and I devour it, feasting on the moment.
And, if you ever wondered why I call my laser CHEESECAKE, it is because she is so sweet to sail.

Words that I like: SOLACE

Words that I like: solace
English is my second language. As an apprentice of the language, I appreciate words, some more than others but all words have their independent meaning and reason of being. Big as opposed to tall can be an offensive word to a dear friend of mine. She is not big, she is tall; handsomely so. Words may hurt way deeper than sticks and stones. The wounds from words may not seem real but the scars on our souls can really burn for a lifetime.
Life itself can be unfair at times. Changing fortunes, declining health, love not corresponded, deceiving people; all of those and many more can tax one’s soul beyond despair. And despair can be a dark and bitter enemy whose thorns claw flesh and spirit shredding our will.
Enter solace. A drink of life giving water in the midst of Death Valley. Solace comes in many forms. You have felt solace in the kind words of a friend, the smile of innocence, a silent embrace that warms and soothes; so many can be the sources of solace. Unfortunately, sometimes friends are not there, innocence is lost, loving arms can be distant in place or time. Solace has to be found in more permanent places. I have several sources of precious solace but none better than the solace found on the water, out there where nothing is but the sea, you and the vessel you burden. Yeah, the grand cathedral of creation receiving one more hungry soul. Her face changes all the time but mother ocean is always there for us. Her winds a whisper or a scream, her watery skin calm or agitated, her, always present in all her unabated glory. In her I find solace. Tiller in hand, I ride her surface. Feeling the wave under my vessel, the winds in the sail, the perennial motion of her substance. Absorbed in this environment solace presents itself. I lose myself in the moment, however long the moment lasts. And in those moments, innocence is found and a loving mother embraces my soul and whispers in my ears the words of Desiderata, particularly this verse,
“You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.”
It beats me up but I sure love sailing that Laser!!