We are looking at bright blue sky, frozen lakes, meter high snow banks and yet… spring is in the air! Clocks spring forward next Sunday and the first day of spring is a week later, the vernal equinox.
If you were following my Vendee Globe updates, you might like to know that Ari Huusela, the Finnish retired airline pilot, finished the around alone, non-stop, unassisted sailing race on Friday, dfl and happy as can be. His adventure lasted 116 days – 18 hours, 36 days longer than the winner Yannick Bestaven. That closes the epic VG 2020/21.
Diamond Waters Sailing is making plans for 2021. We are going to do our best to deliver the Sail Canada navigation and cruising standards but we have some limiting challenges.
1. The global pandemic still threatens so class room meeting is restricted and social interaction is limited.
2. Sue is planning to compete at the 2022 Wayfarer World Championships in Florida and will be training hard in 2021. Her regatta schedule is still in question so she will instruct for DWS as often as she can while committing to her training plan.
3. My physical ability will be minimal. I had a hip replaced in January and have back repairs scheduled this month (March 22). I will be isolating and rehab’ing for the next 6-7 weeks. New hip feels great, by the way.
So how will DWS operate this summer?
We intend to launch Blue Pearl in May as usual. I don’t expect to be fit enough to prepare Blue Pearl by myself for launch. Can you help?
If you can spare a few hours, we’ll instruct you on pre-launch procedures: uncover, rig life lines, clean and buff up the hull, prepare engine, inspect and connect batteries, inspect thru hulls and standing rigging. I usually spend 16 hours at it so 4 people and half a day at the end of April or early May will do it. Then when she’s floating, we will prepare the boat for cruising; tune the standing rigging, bend on sails, prepare running rigging, clean and connect water system, inspect electrical and all safety equipment. About 8 hours. If you can help with any of it please let me know. We will happily compensate you with sailing time.
Navigation courses will not be held until we can meet in a classroom or we might try zooming the course after sailing season.
Cruising courses will begin in June. We will be offering day sailing, Basic Cruising – 4 days, Intermediate Cruising – 5 day live aboard. We will sail in family groups and tight social bubbles. There is no set schedule for all courses this summer. We will do our best to accommodate you for one or multiple days. June is filling quickly but nothing will be confirmed until the boat is floating and deposit received. We do not intend to advertise until July and then we could get busy. Please contact us if you have preferred dates.
DWS website is updated regularly so stay tuned. We posted a video that was made last fall with the Georgian Bay Biosphere – it will make you long for the Bay.