2-16-10

Our plan to sail Toddy 1 soured this morning as Mike had
other sudden commitments that needed tending to. My plan
to pull the trigger on some vacation time and take advantage
of the good ice was also eroding with each updated weather
report and the prediction of 4-8" of snow this week. The past
couple of weeks were complicated with my needing to be at
work and the death of a very close family member whose
funeral was this past Saturday. Vanessa was keen with my
idea to take some time this week and head to the big,
smooth ice that lurks to the West. Knowing that my plans are
always flexible, she took off to her boyfriend Mike’s place for
the week.
So this left me moping around the house at 9:30 this
Tuesday morning looking out the window for signs of wind
that would only make me feel worse. Calm, warm and sunny,
what a great day to go skating I thought to myself, and
maybe I should take the boats just in case. I released this
plan to the ears of my sleepy wife with very little response. I
have always felt that sailing alone is much safer than the
work that I do isolated in the acres of wilderness with not a
sole knowing my where a bouts, but with younger types
getting into our sport it is my duty to lead by example and
suffer at home on this wonderful day.
I threw in the towel and popped the hood on my plow truck
which needed a new alternator. Twisted off the first bolt I
put a wrench on and growled as the puffs of wind came from
the South East and teased my ill feelings. A voice behind me
said "I’m ready" and there was my lovely wife dressed like an
Eskimo and ready to embark. I jumped out of my work suit
and into my ice suit, all of my gear ready and waiting in the
truck which was parked 6" from the iceboat trailer. We were
off and to the ol stand by Walker Pond.
I knew Lynnette was getting serious about this whole thing
when she whipped out a new set of creepers that she had
purchased at the Country Store. She said she had issues with
all the bungee cords that I wrapped around my spare set to
make them fit her small feet, so she bought a set of her own.
The sun was bright on Walker, the winds dead calm and the
ice rumbling like a distant thunder storm. The ice zippered
and cracked as I drove truck and trailer to our favorite
skating destination.
A random check with the saw yielded a 14" thick cube of ice
from the plate. Plenty of ice for now, but only time will tell
how fast it will fade.

Lynnette wrestled into her skates and asked me to synch her
lacings. As she puttered on the ice I decided to put on the
skates that require a 9/16 ratchet wrench rather than those
pesky lacings. I wanted to have a boat ready in the event
that a breeze came our way. And just to be sure I pushed
Iceaholic out away from the sheltered shoreline. While doing
so a puff of wind filled the sail and that puff was so strong
that it blew me right into the cockpit of that boat as well. Its
funny how destiny works, you leave the house planning to
skate and end up sailing. I don’t ever recall sailing Walker in
South East wind. It was quite friendly and allowed me to sail
the small piece of descent ice with ease. I stopped to get an
orange cone from the truck and Lynnette approached me
wearing her creepers. Evidently she wanted to try the bigger
skates. I told her I would set up a course on the smooth ice
for her to sail and then she could go for a spin. I also
mentioned that it was funny how that breeze picked up just
as I got out onto the ice. Lynnette quickly replied "that’s
cause I prayed for it". She claims that while setting on my 5
gallon bucket chair she said a prayer asking for just a little
more wind. Knowing better than to tackle politics and religion
I smiled and agreed with her majestic powers or was it my
bucket chair?
The last day that Lynnette sailed she struggled with reading
the tell tale and reading the wind direction. I thought that
setting up a course with cones for her to follow would help
her get the hang of it and keep her in a reaching position
most of the time. It is amazing how much we take for
granted while sailing our boats. It is very overwhelming for
someone that has never sailed any kind of craft. The coned
course worked well and though I tried to be patient I found
myself chasing her and yelling out commands. I was reminded
to keep quiet and let her do it on her own which I agreed was
a good idea. I sat next to the trailer on the bucket chair and
only gave subtle advice about sail trim and tacking
procedures when Lynnette came into our pit area.
More than once I was tempted to rig my own boat but wasn’t
sure what the duration of the wind and this outing would be,
so I made myself content being a spectator and part time
pilot. We had a nice afternoon on Walker and departed the
snow free plate. It has been a great run of ice weather this
past few weeks and I suppose it would be selfish to want it to
last. Maybe I should set on the magic bucket and say a few
words anyhow.

Kevin