CRUISING ADVENTURES AND GUNK HOLING IN SMALL SAILBOATS 5
Article By Richard FryePart 5 of the series: Backpacking On The Water
I looked up to see Dottie guiding my Sea Mistress out of the sound and into the great Atlantic Ocean! We would be having a late dinner! I also had a well-stocked boat with plenty of food and water. Dottie was thrilled as Sea Mistress sliced effortlessly through the waves! Claude and I both saw the excitement in her eyes, and it was easy to tell that she was having the time of her life! We got into some rollers off the point and Claude decided that it might be best if we held on to something, put on our life jackets, and to attach our safety lines! We were flying across the water at an unbelievable speed! This was getting exciting, and I never dreamed that mild mannered and somewhat shy woman like Dottie would take on such an adventure! But there were many things I would begin to learn about her! She didn’t need any help at all, and had handled their old ketch in severe situations while Claude attended to any occurring problems during their 15 years of cruising together on their 39 foot ketch. Before the ketch was a classic 31 foot yawl that took them too many places. In all I think they had been cruising off and on for about 4 years before they restored the 31 footer they affectionately called Alana. I was later informed while we were skipping across the waves that their first cruising sailboat was a very old and well used 27 foot cutter that had a long keel, and the others were full keeled blue water boats which limited them from going certain places.
As you can see they did step up a notch or two each time they changed boats. Now this lively little centerboard boat was under her command and was clear to Claude and I that this adventure was a pure adrenaline rush for Dottie, and she took every moment in with gusto! Finally she spoke and yelled in Claude’s direction, “Yes…we surely do need a magnificent boat like this!” She paused briefly and continued with a laugh, “We would never be home!”
She was in love with Sea Mistress and soon we were almost 10 miles offshore and the sailing was great! Sea Mistress turned south and was on a nice comfortable reach and the wind seemed steady now at about 12 knots. After 10 minutes Dottie headed her west and back toward the sound entrance with the tiny fixture of a white lighthouse gleaming brightly from the sun, so small that you could not tell what it was at this great distance even though it was almost 120 feet tall. At night you would have easily been able to see flashing beacon at intervals, but the sunlight and heading into the West blurred all concepts of what the tiny bright object might be this far away.
Soon we were back at the entrance to the lagoon, and I finally took over and guided her through the narrow slip after Claude took the main sail down. Again I entered under the jib along and for the second time a breeze filled my jib sail just enough to get me to the dock! Dottie was overwhelmed with excitement. So ….it seemed I would be taking another trip to that marina when he picked up his “new” boat! There was a small boat ramp and landing close to the end of the lagoon but it was not in the best shape. We all went down to check it out, Holes were present that could trap a tire if it landed in it just right, and these could be avoided if one was careful. I knew he would want to launch her here then motor over to his dock that was a good ¼ mile. Dinner was fried catfish with black-eyed peas and cornbread. Fresh chopped onion garnished my helping of peas and the cornbread was cut into 3” squares and buttered inside after it was sliced in the middle. What a feast! I was getting very spoiled while eating Dottie’s wonderful home cooking! It was still early so Claude called the marina and said he would be over to get the boat before dark and asked if they would still be open. It was confirmed that they would be open till 6pm. It was only 3:30pm!
We got back in his car and headed to the marina! Dottie stayed home to prepare the evening dinner. I had never asked these wonderful people their last name! For some reason it just didn’t seem important. The salesman grasped Claude’s hand firmly and said, “Thank you Mr. Hitchcock, and if you need anything at all just let me know!” Now I knew! It was Hitchcock!
Jokingly I asked Claude, “Are you related to Alfred Hitchcock?? He smiled and said, “Only distantly!” I just nodded and let it go at that. I asked no further questions, so I really never knew if he was or was not related to the famous TV celebrity, and master of mystery! I did often wonder about that because both of them had a very strong British accent!
In a short time, long enough to hook up and check things out around his car and the trailer like the lights, tires, etc., the sister ship of my Sea Mistress was in tow and headed toward the beautiful lagoon. Claude easily backed the Venture 21 to the water’s edge on the ramp, and then pulled forward on level pavement to stand her mast! Since I was used to it, I did most of the rigging and Claude watched intently as I went through my normal steps of checking certain things, and he began to make a mental list. Soon the mast was standing, stays adjusted, and the old Evinrude mounted. We had stopped and retrieved it from his garage on the way to the boat ramp along with the 6 gallon gas tank that was half full of premixed fuel. He mentioned that he had a 3 gallon somewhere but it was empty and said to me that he would rather use the smaller tank in the future. I agreed and I also used a 3 gallon gas tank. It took up less space and weighed half as much!
A strange sound rattled me a little as I turned around to see Dottie riding toward us on a Lambretta motor scooter with a big smile. I remember Claude honking the horn as we left their house with the outboard motor but thought nothing about it. Must have been a signal between them! She had a big smile on her face as she parked the scooter off to the side. “Hi there sailor boys! Everything is ready for me to start our dinner in about an hour.” She paused for a few seconds, noticing that Claude was smiling. He then said, “We will be launching in a few minutes. Are you staying around for the big moment?” She put her hands on her hips in a dominate way and shouted, “Hey, this little girl is half mine and I get to name her. And I wouldn’t miss this for the world!” Claude said, “Fine with me sweetie!” She had a small bottle of white wine in her hand and was prepared for the launching of their new boat. We were done and the sailboat was ready to slide into the quiet lagoon. Claude attached a line to the bow ring with a snap hook the handed it to me. He then removed the straps that secured her to the trailer while checking everywhere to make sure she was not binding anywhere on the trailer, and that all drain plugs were tight, in place, etc. After giving her a final once over, I held the line as he slowly backed her down the old ramp. She floated free and tugged gently on the line. I then moved over to the dock and started to walk her around as he pulled the car forward and the trailer out of the water, but was promptly stopped by Dottie! “Hold it! Not yet! I stopped and pulled the boat practically right up on the landing and she popped the cork then splashed white wine over the forward deck and bow. She clearly said in a loud voice, “I christen our boat, Robin!” With that I let her slide back into the water, and stepped back onto the dock. Dottie handed us real wine glasses, then said, “Wait a bloody minute! The three of us toasted the new boat! She told me that the European Robin was the national bird of Great Britain! Some say that it was the Wren because that little bird is mentioned so often in stories and tales of past history. I’ll go with the Robin! She later showed me a picture of the bird and it is in all rights quite different in appearance to the one we normally see in the spring, and seemed to be a little smaller.
Claude asked if she wanted to motor over to the dock with us and she said, “No…I need to get back and start out dinner. I’ll be spending a lot of time with this girl and so will you!” She packed her wine glasses in a tote bag thrown over her shoulder, started the scooter and away she went with the empty wine bottle tied to the luggage rack on her scooter. Claude parked the car out of the way and he checked the mounts on the old Evinrude. I got the gas tank from the car and took it on board. He connected the fuel line to the motor then pumped the priming bulb. A couple of pulls on the starter rope after activating the choke knob sparked the old motor back to life! I stepped aboard and while the motor was warming up. When Claude gave me a nod, I pushed away from the dock as he gently put the motor in reverse, and then backed away idling. He eased her into forward gear, twisted the throttle a little, and we were on our way to the other side of the lagoon to his private dock. We planned to walk back down later to get the car and trailer after dinner.
We secured the boat on the opposite side of the dock directly across from Sea Mistress and it was an amazing sight to behold. Two boats, just alike, one on each side of the dock! Sea Mistress and Robin seemed as they were planning a daring escape to the sea! Dottie came out to help tie up her half of her boat! We all laughed when she said, “I got my half!”
After another fantastic meal Claude was ready to get the car and trailer, but said he didn’t feel like walking. We took the scooter down to the landing! I rode behind him as we puttered back to the water. It was easy to run the scooter up on the boat trailer, and tie it down. That made it easy to get it back to the house. When the scooter was unloaded and put away in the garage it was time for a dessert and to discuss our sailing plans for the next few days.
Butter Pecan ice cream was my favorite! It was also theirs. We got a tide and weather report from the USCG office and planned to take out the new boat around 9 or 10am. Winds were light out of the SE at 8mph with calm seas. This would be nice sailing!
A good night’s rest had proven to make all of us feel great! Dottie prepared another fine meal as usual. Immediately after a wonderful breakfast, Claude and I put some things aboard the new boat, and Dottie came out with a gym type duffle bag filled to the brim with something, and a small cooler that held lunch! LUNCH I thought? We would be sailing for several hours and I was just going along for the ride!
No time was wasted getting Robin through the inlet and into open water. I made the jib ready while Clause raised the main. Dottie was captain of the ship for the moment! Soon the jib was flying too and the sheets were trimmed and off we went! Well out in open water now, it seemed that the best sailing was about 3 miles off shore. Seas were gentle and the wind brisk! The morning sun was about as bright as you could get for this time of the day and in all it was perfect! We sailed south and rounded the foremost tip of the island, then sailed closer to the beach! Dottie was excited about sailing a boat this size right up on the beach itself! And that is exactly what she did! I brought down the jib and secured it, while Claude hauled down the mainsail, and just in time before the ship hit the sand and sent me and Claude sprawling all over the deck trying to find something to grab to keep from going over the side! “Sorry guys, but I have always wanted to do that!” Claude was rubbing a knot on his head, and I was check out a scrape on my elbow that somehow snagged part of the rigging! No harm was done but I could tell that Claude was a little upset and didn’t want Robin’s bottom damaged! We all jumped off onto the sand and I walked anchor and line up toward the dunes then dropped it hard so it would grab pay dirt when Claude gave her a yank! She set good and Dottie stepped off with the bag and grabbed the cooler that was now sitting on the foredeck. The expressions from both Claude and Dottie were of an extremely happy couple! Although well into their 60’s, it was easy to see they were still very much in love and were happy together, and with their “new” boat. She said, “Let’s do lunch here then I want to explore this beach!” That sounded like a great idea to me and I was starved for the fried chicken whose aroma seemed to follow me and grab me like a magnet when she opened the cooler that was keep everything nice and warm in one side and the cool parts were in the other side! I had never seen a two part cooler, and this one was from the United Kingdom! Maybe that’s why I’d never seen one!
We had a leisurely time on the beach and must have walked for an hour or so on the hard packed beach, and around to the back side where the white sands ended, turning to marsh and mud! Dottie’s eyes showed pure delight as she kept telling Claude about places she wanted to explore. The wheels were turning in both their brains, and I could see that cruising adventures were in their star chart now!
I took the helm as they enjoyed the cockpit, while they explored the nooks and crannies inside Robin and toasted each other and the new adventures that had now entered their star chart!
The sail back to their home was pleasant and uneventful but it was almost dark by the time all was secured at their dock. A suggestion was made by Dottie to have a dinner out tonight and Chinese was agreeable with all of us! She just wasn’t in a cooking mood and needed some time off! And….she certainly deserved it!
We all had a delightful evening and enjoyed the full moon and loveliness of the silent lagoon as the moon beams covered the still water. Hardly a whisper of a breeze stirred about now. Just enough wind to know that it was there. As all things must come to an end, I felt it was time for me to move on and said my goodbyes before turning in. Sea Mistress was ready to head out at first light, and I would be gone long before they got up. We exchanged addresses, promised to keep in touch, and I got their telephone number and promptly wrote in in journal and address book. Little did I know that I would be cruising beside them in 9 months heading to another home they had purchased in Florida when I would plan another trip back to the southern coast.
I lit my small candle lantern and crawled into the other quarter berth that I normally didn’t sleep in. Something hard and cold startled me and it was the wine bottle that Dottie had used to for the christening of WREN! A note was attached around bottle with a rubber band, and read, “Please rope this bottle up for us and mail it or bring it back when you can. You made a great change in our lives and we are forever grateful. Have a safe trip and stay in touch with us. You are welcome to stay here with us anytime!” It was signed with two different signatures. “Dottie and Claude”
Raising up and looking out of the hatch, I could see that the house lights were off, so I put their bottle in a safe place and would rope it up later with some French hitching and a nice Turks head then mail it to them when I came to a post office…after it was thickly coated 5 or 6 times with spar varnish.
I woke early with everything ready to go. I started the motor and let it idle while I cast away lines then put the outboard into forward gear. Sea Mistress moved slowly toward the inlet that led out to the sound and we would soon be on our way. First stop Hilton Head perhaps or somewhere along the way, and then on to Charleston, SC for some site seeing. I liked the look of the eastern sky as the sun began to peak over the horizon. The weather was going to grant me fair weather with some great sailing for the next few days.
In Memory of:
Claude and Dorothy Hitchcock.
My wonderful sailing friends!
Two great people that sailed the seas!