Bodie Sailing Fast

A Day of Wonderful Surprises

Our last sail out of Oriental for the year was wonderful. After all of the beautiful sites I have had the blessings to see this year, I really didn't think there would be any surprises. Our crew of Scott, Brandon, Rob, Glenn and his daughter and two sons, Angie, Bodie, Edith and I left Providence Baptist Church a few minutes after 8:00. The weather called for 60% chance of rain dropping to near 0% in the late afternoon, so we didn't really know what to expect. We had a smooth drive down US 70 to Oriental and got in around 11:00. After grabbing a quick boxed lunch we were on the boat, the Savy, and out of the slip in record time. Scott brought us out the slip. Edith did a great job of bringing us out the channel. Winds started out light at about 5 to 10 kts from the North. A cold front had just moved through and we hoped the rain would stay light and eventually end. We headed down river and got the boat moving well. After jibbing we headed back up river on a close haul. The wind picked up and Rob and then Angie got a chance to really heel the boat and with full sails fight the weather helm that we had with the 15 kt winds. Bodie took over and the wind soon died. Rob, Scott, and Brandon all took a nap while we drifted down river and joked about the lack of wind. Bodie showed his amazing multitasking skills while being interviewed on my camera while sailing at 35 kts. Or was that 0.35 kts. We cranked up the engines and motored back toward Oriental. As we neared the channel we were pleasantly surprised by a herd of bottlenosed dolphins that appeared to be feeding. There must have been at least 20 of them that enjoyed swimming near and sometimes under our boat. At one point at least 7 of them arched out of the water just feet from the boat as if putting of a show for us. There appeared to be a small one swimming with two adults. Sometimes they would blow water into the air and we could hear them talking with distinctive clicks. It was an amazing show to watch for over 30 minutes. After motoring down the channel I brought the Savy into the slip in almost perfect fashion, if I do say so myself. This is my blog remember. I was helped by the lack of wind and a good crew on the dock lines. We freshened up a little and while Glenn and his family headed back to Raleigh the rest of us headed over to M&M's for a tasty meal. I got the crab cakes again and had a slice of Snickers Pie. Edith tried the cajun catfish and everyone enjoyed their meal. While we were eating we got to see a lovely sunset. I sure am glad Scott suggested eating outside! Bodie tolds us that his GPS told him that the route through Greenville was faster, so we tried that on the way home. Sure enough we were back in about 2 and 1/2 hours rather than 3! Wish we knew that at the start of the year, but we now know for next year! Thanks to the entire crew for a great sail. I can't wait to do it again.

Versailles - Living in a Painting for the Day

Versailles was lovely. I can only describe it as walking into a painting.

After this summer, I truly believe that God stirs everyones hearts (or at the very least their stomachs) when on the water.

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' "

"For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Jardin de Tuileries - Toy Sailboats

It was pleasant to see children sailing toy boats in the fountains at the Jardin de Tuileries in Paris. Apparently for a Euro or two one can rent the small sailboats. I was amazed that the little boats would sail all by themselves across the fountain. Then the children would us a stick to point them off in a new direction.

Bruge - The Belguim Venice

Bruge is one of the most beautiful places we visited. This medieval town is criss-crossed with canals. There are 4 families that run boat tour companies with 5 boats each. After taking one of the boat tours we had lunch at a restaurant frequented by locals. In the afternoon we rented some bikes and saw beautiful scenes throughout the town. We were amazed when a 100 foot barge slipped right through a bridge that was barely wider than its beam. And I sometimes have problems bringing a 40 foot sailboat in a slip!

Amsterdam - The Friendly City of Canals and Bikes

The first thing that hits you when you get off the train in Amsterdam is the number of bikes and the second thing is the number of boats. There are canals everywhere.

The first picture is of some beautiful wooden boats just outside our hotel.

The people in Amsterdam where very friendly and most spoke English which was nice since none of us knew much Dutch and our French was pretty limited.

A trip on the Seine

Is that Scott at the helm of a boat on the Seine with Mark as his first mate?

It is amazing that we didn't understand the language but the channel markers are the same as in the US. Red and Green!

Also late one night we saw the Phantom of the Eiffel Tower. I think he is the cousin of the Phantom of the Opera.

Boating on the Rhine - Loreley

The Rhine valley is a beautiful area. There are castles every few miles on both sides of the river, as this is how the local noblemen used to collect their tolls from the merchants on the river. There is a rock next to the river near St. Goar call Loreley and a story that goes along with this dangerous stretch of the Rhine river. In the second photograph you can see the channel split around dangerous rocks in the river. Red, right, returning for the channels markers just like the International Navigation Rules specify!

The Lorelei by Heinrich Heine

Translated by Aaron Kramer

I cannot explain the sadness

That's fallen on my breast.

An old, old fable haunts me,

And will not let me rest.

The air grows cool in the twilight,

And softly the Rhine flows on;

The peak of a mountain sparkles

Beneath the setting sun.

More lovely than a vision,

A girl sits high up there;

Her golden jewelry glistens,

She combs her golden hair.

With a comb of gold she combs it,

And sings an evensong;

The wonderful melody reaches

A boat, as it sails along.

The boatman hears, with an anguish

More wild than was ever known;

He's blind to the rocks around him;

His eyes are for her alone.

--At last the waves devoured

The boat, and the boatman's cry;

And this did with her singing,

The golden Lorelei.

Trains, Planes, and Bikes

2007 will be a year to remember however it turns out. High speed trains, flying across the Atlantic, biking in Bruge, dodging bikes in Amsterdam. Sailing to Ocracoke, flying kites, boating.....running at night down the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde then across the Seine and down the Left Bank to the Eiffel Tower! My local jogs will never seem quite the same!

I want to thank all of you who have been a part of my life this year.

It has been a special one.

"One can't complain. I have my friends. Someone spoke to me only yesterday."

Eeyore

Winnie the Pooh