Fun Without Wind

So after suffering through a week of November weather in June, the forecast for the Canada Day weekend and beyond is nothing but sun.  Unfortunately as the sun arrived, the wind left.  Saturday morning I was amped to go sailing but instead I was staring at the flat water out my window and feeling sorry for myself.

Brenda quickly suggested her go-to alternative, hiking.  For a while I agreed but it just seemed like too nice a day not to be out on the water.  Then I had a thought:  We live on False Creek right next to David Lam park where this weekend there is free live music as part of the Vancouver Jazz Festival.  Already I could see the boats taking up station near the park and the owners rowing ashore to enjoy the music.  Normally we would just walk down and participate or listen through the window but I envied the "sail-up" approach the other guys were taking.  So... in the end we walked to Coal Harbour where Ge'Mara is and motored out and around to False Creek to join the party.

Perhaps this seems like a bit of an odd thing to do but it gave me the chance to try getting in and out of the dinghy in calm friendly waters - something I should have done long ago.  After a 90 minute motor from  Coal Harbour we anchored just off David Lam park, ambled down into the dinghy and rowed ashore.  Piece of cake.  We didn't even have to tie up at the water taxi dock because the tide was so low.  We just pulled the dinghy up on the rocks and walked up to the music.

Ge'Mara "on the hook" in False Creek

Rowing in.  

As we were sitting enjoying a latin band I was starting to dream about a nice steak for dinner later on.  I suddenly remembered we were completely out of propane for the barbecue.  By the time we motored all the way back to my marina, walked home and went out to get propane it would be too late for a big dinner.  The answer?  Brenda went to get the propane and steaks while I single-handed the boat back to her slip.  I've been wanting to try this for some time.

I rowed out solo back to the boat and after some minor challenges maneuvering to the ladder I climbed up and prepared for departure.  I was a bit worried about getting the anchor up solo because there was a bit of an onshore breeze and I thought the boat might get blown into very shallow water while I was messing around with the anchor at the bow.  I put the boat in forward gear but idle rpm's and scrambled to the bow to haul in the rode.  At first the anchor was a bit stuck and I thought for a moment that I might run too far forward  but it came free and in a few more breaths I was back to the wheel and motoring out of False Creek.

After a very pleasant ride back on my own I had only one more challenge:  Docking.  The plan was for Brenda to meet me back at the slip to help me come in but I secretly wanted to beat her there so I could attempt it on my own.  Sure enough, she wasn't there quite in time.  Fortunately there was barely a breath of wind.  As I approached the marina I flipped the fenders back over the side and brought the long forward springline all the way aft.  This way when I brought the boat to the slip I could step off with both bow and stern lines in hand.  And that's pretty much how it went.

As I walked away from the marina I thought about how much fun the day had been and realized that wind is important - but not essential - to a fun day on the boat.