1 item crossed off

I can cross something off my bucket list - something I thought would take much longer - I have docked our boat with an audience. Granted I might not have been an entirely willing or eager participant but I did it. Now before anyone worries that I did it because Sam somehow fell off the boat - nope he was on the boat and was perfectly healthy.

Monday after coming back from a sail around Blake Island Sam pretty much decided for me that I would dock the boat. I have been practicing docking it but in very light wind, ideal conditions, and most importantly no audience. So far none of my docking experiences had resulted in boat damage or Sam and I not talking for a few hours, or days so they had been successful. This did not mean I was ready for an audience though.

We needed to go get the boat pumped since the full service pump out at Elliott was broken and we had been on the boat all weekend - enough said. We had guests coming aboard on Thursday and a full head is only a good idea if you don't want repeat guests. Getting close to the pump out I was driving the boat and realized I didn't have the dock all to myself. In fact there was another sailboat pumping out so we were in line. I was more than happy to hang out and wait but Sam decided we would head to the dock.

I can't even parallel park my truck and now I would have to try and parallel park a boat, this didn't seem like a brilliant idea. Luckily not having time to think it through or argue I was stuck, primarily because Sam refused to take the wheel. Sam can be just as stubborn as I so if we were going to have a captain it would be me. Fortunately Sam talked me through it and I didn't hit the other boat or the dock, though I was pretty sure for a few seconds I was going to hit the other boat and the lady on board seemed to share my opinion judging from the look on her face. I even drove away from the dock as well.

So mission accomplished I have now officially docked in front of an audience. I think that means I am covered and now don't need to prove it again to myself.

Granted I really enjoy having Sam be my deckhand and scramble around on deck putting out fenders and lines, really that is the real reason to learn how. It would be even better if it was blowing hard with 3 foot seas hitting us sideways like the conditions I put the fenders on last Friday. No I am not bitter at all that Sam made me get the boat ready before entering the calm protected harbor - I mean it would have been much easier to put out the fenders if I didn't have to crawl around and hold on so I wouldn't be tossed overboard. But then I might not be able to say I haven't hit another boat or banged up our own boat while docking. Unfortunately that means I may still have to practice to get so I can dock in rough weather and watch Sam scramble around the boat trying not to fall off.

Guess that means I will have to upgrade the bucket list now. New item - dock the boat during rough seas and high winds - oops that means I will have to leave the dock in less than optimal conditions. Lets leave this one off the list for now, revenge isn't quite that sweet if I have to suffer as well.