Sailing the Pittwater

I got an invite to go sailing on Sunday with some Boeing folk and a materials scientist from UNSW. I missed the ferry to get up there, moped a bit then called Karin. She pointed out that I could just ride up there. I crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge and noted some proportions I had gotten a bit wrong. On the way up, I didn't have much time and I got stuck as the first one to stop at a drawbridge. Ironically it was up for a bunch of sailboats headed out to sea.

I made it to the Manly Wharf about 15 minutes late. I sat down, dejected a second time. I was later told it was at this point that they found me and were yelling my name as I walked away.
So I made other plans. Then they called and I jotted down some directions up to Allen's house. It was a long drive, and my hand-sketched instructions wore down a little more every few kms. I finally got there, actually ahead of the crew.

A great lunch was had on the boat tucked in a little cove at Kuringai Chase NP. I promised to come back on land.

So we sailed far out into the Hawkesbury river estuary. The sun started going down and our transmission quit out. We sailed a ways, then after a few unsuccessful tacking attempts fired it up again and motored home.



The hard part was getting back to shore in the little dinghy. It was tiny. And really tippy. And the daylight was thoroughly gone. Plus most of my mates were hopped up on Dramamine (for sea-sickness) and beer. One of us made it into the water on the first try! Dramamine, beer and sharks don't mix well.

I rode home in the pouring rain. Its pretty exciting riding towards night lightening until it starts raining.

When I got home and tucked in, some hoons were racing back and forth around our corner, drifting the whole thing in both lanes. I got so pissed I ran out there barefoot and yelling with a cheap IKEA frying pan. It was pretty effective - they got the picture as clearly as they could through rain-streaked windshields.