Sunday sail
Bill Payne (bpayne@aquarius.sanynet.ne.jp)
Mon, 25 Oct 1999 08:31:45 +0900
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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I got a late start to pick up my sailing friend and I was low on gasoline,
so that made for a rushed start. Two gas stations were closed in route to
the Meshin and that was bad news, it meant I would have to venture off
known roads. I did and found a station in miutes. Price:$1.00 a liter. I
used my pidgen Japanese and sign language to get directions back to the
Meshin. The station attendent, after he washed every glass on the Jimney
(read that Suzuki Samuri) ran into the middle of the street to stop traffic
for my exit - a part of the service... (No traffic on sunday anyway...) I
found the Meshin and collected my toll ticket for the 10k (^mi.) run to
Nishinomiya. It will cost $4.50 for the toll. From the exit I must ride
across town to the JR railroad station to get Molly. I'm 6 minutes late.
She arrives on the next train after I get there and we drive to the quay.
Upon arrival I am confronted with some strange new mooring lines my
fisherman neighbor has added to my boat. It takes an hour to dismantle and
revise all my lines in preparation for my return to the States in 2 weeks.
Then we decide we don't have the fuel to make a power run to Hokko Yacht
Harbor so we best pull the sails out - a good thing as it turned out. This
put is out at about 11:30.
Molly is an instructor at Shoin University, owner of a Catalina in
Delaware, and former dinky instructor in Maine. She know how to read the
wind very well and is a damnd good sailor.
It is about 10k from Nishinomiya to Hokko, southeast for the most part.
The wind is light and out of the north-northeast. However, first ther is a
1.5k channel, south to cover. Sunday, as we leave there are tugs, dredges
and barges plying north through the channel. when we find a break in the
channel traffic, we can't resist and haul the mail and jib. The transit to
Hokko is pleasant and relaxed. the wind is fickle in places but no real
problem. We dropped the sails outside Hokko; there are many dingies
exiting as we enter. Just before we arrived a sailing cat we were playing
with shot ahead and mde the port. He tied up at the most convient pier (he
needed the space anyway). I pulled around the other side of the pier and
before I can tie up the loud speakers start blasting away. I know they are
yelling me as I can understand the term 'dingy.' But there are advantages
to ignorange of the language. I tie up and wait for understandable
instructions. Pidgin Japanese and sign language again. Plus the help or
my friends on the Dining Kitchen. I move the boat to the opposite pier and
have about 30 minutes before they start charging me for the space.
Saturday I spent the day helping my friends do their haul out and quarterly
maintainence on their Dehler 34, the Dining Kitchen. Two weeks earlier
they helped me do my annaul maintainence on the Catch 22. There was
nothing we could do todat. Yoshi was going to rebuild a wench and Akihiro
was to change the oil in the diesel. But Akihero, after working on the DK
all day Saturday returned to Kyoto and went to a drinking party. He got
home at 5 a.m... So, at 1 p.m., he was yet to arrive at Hokko. So, Yoshi,
his wife Saeko, Molly and I had a beer while we awaited Akihiro. Seaky had
pulled all the cushions and sleeping bag out for airing. We waited and
talked. Soon Akihero arrives and Molly and I make a potty stop befor our
return.
No problems exiting the harbor and the breeze has stiffend a bit - but not
the 20 knots of Saturday afternoon. Hokko Harbor exits into the Yodo
River and the wind is straight down the Yodo - east-northeast. It is 3k to
the waypoint - west-northwest across the Yodo. Happy time! The next 6k is
on a southwest course. The wind does not have a clear shot now the coast
line is covered by buildings, hotels, etc (I can identify a large saki
distrillery...). So the wind fades at times and then returns a little
stronger. But there are no waves, some chop, no white caps. We have full
sails and we are cruising at about 15-20 degrees. Molly is the pilot and
doing a supurb job. As we near the channel we find many sailboats
converging in either my harbor or Shin Nishinomiya (new Nishinomiya) (shin
kansin - new train) Some are really hauling, other are reefed in, and
still others are under power. We are playing tag with some 30' boats as we
start to tack into the channel. On our first tack the wind stiffens more
and Molly pushes the boat to 20+ drgrees. Water washes the deck and we are
all grins. Then, damn it all but a huge barge enters the channel from
inside. I mean he is taking his half of the channel right out of the
middle. His one horn blast is directed to Molly and me! This should not
happen on a windy Sunday... We tack again, Molly grades it a C-, and get
out of the way. Others have tacked too. Molle assess the situation and
times her next, reverse tack, To cut just below the breakwater back into
the channel not 20 meters off the stern ot the pushing tug. A beautiful
move. Kids fishing on the breakwater, 10 meter to port, wave and take a
very short English lesson. The tug slides buy and we are in good shape.
We back the sails down a notch and come back to 15-20 degrees and press on.
Another tack at the wall and reset the sails. then I look over the stern
to see yet another barge and tug entering the channel from the bay! This
is getting unfriendly. Maybe it is the first barge and the captain forgot
his cell phone... But we have enough time this time to get across his bow
and find some space. We are 2/3 through the channel at this point, time
to bring the sails in and motor. Motor starts, Molly does not do motors,
but the sails are a hassle. I get them down about 2 minutes belore a 35'
boat at at least 25 degrees comes head on to us broadside. There are at
least 7 guys on that boat sailing the hell out of it. Great fun. We jibe
out of their path and come about to motor into the harbor. Worker on the
barge have congregated to watch the show. I take the helm. Shortly after
we made the quay and moored. Tired and happy. I return molly to the train
at about 5:30 and head for the Meshin. At one point the Meshin heads due
west and the new full moon starts its ascent.
My wife sees my fatigue as I doff my shoes at the door. She will run me a
hot bath before dinner and we will finish a bottle of wine...