going solo

Friday evening after work I sat on our boat at Elliott Bay Marina waiting for Sam arrive back from Paris. He was getting in after 6 and most likely wouldn't get to the boat until around 7:30 or so even coming directly from the airport.

Typically I am waiting on him to arrive from work and the boat is packed and loaded but this time he was arriving later than usual on a Friday evening so I had been ready to go for a bit. Since we weren't going very far for the weekend, Bell Harbor Marina, I was hoping we could have arrived at lunch and then headed back to work. But his business trip got in the way of my plan.

As I waited for him I wondered why I had to wait for him to come back to go to Bell Harbor. Well actually I did have to wait for him since I have never driven the boat without him on board and he talks me through docking. I didn't want to meet him at Bell Harbor only to greet him with the news, after not seeing him for a week, that our boat was going to have to spend some more time at the boatyard. Not conducive to a great weekend together.

Granted we have gotten a few marks and dings on the boat but they are his marks and dings since he is usually acting as skipper and I only dock the boat in conditions that won't cause damage. Up until now I have preferred it that way - or as I like to state "His boat, his problem." If he wasn't on board that statement suddenly wouldn't fly anymore.

But as I waited I wondered why it was that I couldn't grab a friend and take the boat over to meet him. There really wasn't a reason I couldn't do this other than I would have to learn how to do it. Most things I can do myself when I want to (though some I feel are things Sam should do and I just don't do them on principle or lack of interest such as emptying the head or cleaning out the drains) and why would driving the boat without him be any different.

My sister Tanya told me she should have come over when she realized I would be missing out on part of the Cougar Yacht Club festivities by arriving so late. Then we both laughed knowing that there was no way we would attempt it, but it sounded good in theory. By Friday evening though I had seriously started wondering why I wouldn't do this.

So now because I am a bit (okay maybe a slight understatement here) independent and like to take charge I have now suddenly decided I should be able to take the boat out or at least dock it without Sam on board or even in the vicinity. Of course that means I have to practice docking more, tons more, which will make Sam happy since he is always trying to get me to dock the boat.

Now I have another item to put on my bucket list and it is a bit bigger than docking the boat with an audience. Now I want to drive the boat and dock it without a skipper - just me and someone who is willing to jump at least to the dock when I get within 10 feet.

I will say though we made a grand entrance into Bell Harbor Marina with the huge Coug flag flying from our mast. Most everyone was on the dock and we were greeted with loud cheers and Go Cougs. This was a much better entrance than I would have gotten coming in during lunch. Maybe retaining my first mate status wasn't so bad.

But by Saturday once again I was wondering going solo. Now I need to figure out if boating insurance is like car insurance and for new drivers the premiums are higher, but I think I will refrain from asking so my premiums won't suddenly skyrocket.

So if next year for the Cougar Game in Seattle if you see a gray sailboat heading towards Bell Harbor steer clear of me and if you are at the Marina please come by to grab my lines. It could be me trying out my hand at solo sailing. Won't Sam be surprised when he gets the call to meet me at Bell Harbor instead of at Elliott Bay? I think he will be pretty pleased as long as those bumpers do their job and the dockhands know what they are doing.