Crews Letter #2004 12
Venezia by Sea – Second Edition
Good Morning Ladies and
Gentlemen:
A guiding precept on Perception is a W.C. Fields’ quote:
“Travel comes two ways: First Class and With Children”
These last few days have been the exception that makes the rule! Francis and Suzy came by Venezia on their way back to Ilkirsh from holiday in St.Tropez. They brought with them Arnaud and Aude.
Avid readers of these Crews Letters will remember that
Francis and Suzy sailed with us at Agios Nikolaous on
Suzy was a ringer in 2002. We had been told that she had no experience sailing and was a bit concerned that the boat might be frightening. The first day we sailed, she amazed both Phyl and Fred with her skill as a helmsman. Given the wheel and asked to steer toward a certain mountain on the far side of the bay, she did. 3-4 centimetres of motion on Perceptions wheel, either wheel, results in a single degree of ruder rotation. In spite of fluctuations of wind and wave action, she steered with motions of less than 3 centimetres. Less than 3 centimetres her first time at the wheel! How could that be? Francis explained, “She was the helmsman on the shell that he rowed competitively at university in Paris”. A rudder serves two functions: it changes the direction and it reduces the speed of a boat. Aude, their 8-year-old daughter, steers exactly the same way as her mother. Aude hasn’t been to university. Maybe the two of them share a similar intensity and concentration.
Arnaud’s curiosity is refreshing. One look at the nav table and we had to stop everything while Fred explained the function of each instrument. This to a 9-year-old who has no English. Fred has no French. Francis translated both ways.
Both children were enamored with the knots that we use on Perception. By the second day they were tying the five basic ones just for fun. Reef (square) knot, clove hitch, timber (rolling) hitch, figure of eight and bowline were in their repertoire. They knew the French and English names and where we use each. Anytime there was a lull in the action, they were tying knots for fun. When fenders were placed or stored, these guys were right in the middle of the action tying the fenders to the stanchions or to the aft rail. By the forth day, their confidence and competence was high enough that practice was no longer needed. They were reading Donald Duck instead.
We rendezvoused at Marina di Lio Grando on Punto
Sabbioni so they could leave their car at the marina while
we sailed into Venezia. We sailed most
of the first day, had a swim in the sea and ended up at San Giorgio Sailing
Club Harbor. Same as the week before,
just a two-minute bus ride across the canal to Piazza San Marco. That was our base for discovering the
City. The forth day we sailed in the
If Perception is the only Reality, then perspective is everything. Aude and Arnaud drew these pictures:
Aude
Arnaud
Perception never looked better.
After they left for
It is decided. We
will be wintering Perception at Gouvia on
Ease the sheet, please,
Phyl & Fred
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