Our friend Stephen had reason to sail Zephyr to Annapolis yesterday. That was just enough of a push to get Kintala moving again as well. Winds out of the northwest made it possible to sail the majority of the way. A couple of long tacks were needed to clear Kent Island, followed by a single run southwest under the bridge. The wind was a bit fluky and we are still brushing the rust off our sailing skills. It wasn't our best day of work but nothing got broken and no one got hurt. A flailing staysail sheet did relieve our little gas can of the cap on its spout. A bit of duck tape made a suitable replacement.
I'm sure Back Creek is as crowded as it was the first time we were here, but it doesn't feel that way. We set the hook in a tight place and sat through the night with no problems. This morning we decided another boat length between us and the piers of the marina off the stern would be a good idea. Resetting the hook should be like putting in a reef. If it seems like a good idea, just go ahead and get it done.
A thing that impressed me the last time we where here was looking around and seeing literally thousands of masts. It is still impressive. A person living on a sailboat could feel right at home here, though we have drawn a couple of “looks” from boats motoring by. In one case a passenger made the comment of how the anchored boats make things hard for those who “live here”.
I don't guess it would do much good to try and explain to her that we “live here” as well. “Here”, in our case, being a part of the north west Atlantic Ocean. We know others who live here, in some cases “here” meaning much of western hemisphere; in others, a good portion of the planet.
But I do mind it a bit when they claim that I don't live here. As if claiming to own a piece of the earth is somehow morally superior to understanding that we don't own the earth.
The earth owns us.
And we all live here.
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| The Zephyr romping on the stiff breeze |
I'm sure Back Creek is as crowded as it was the first time we were here, but it doesn't feel that way. We set the hook in a tight place and sat through the night with no problems. This morning we decided another boat length between us and the piers of the marina off the stern would be a good idea. Resetting the hook should be like putting in a reef. If it seems like a good idea, just go ahead and get it done.
A thing that impressed me the last time we where here was looking around and seeing literally thousands of masts. It is still impressive. A person living on a sailboat could feel right at home here, though we have drawn a couple of “looks” from boats motoring by. In one case a passenger made the comment of how the anchored boats make things hard for those who “live here”.
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| Back Creek Annapolis |
I don't guess it would do much good to try and explain to her that we “live here” as well. “Here”, in our case, being a part of the north west Atlantic Ocean. We know others who live here, in some cases “here” meaning much of western hemisphere; in others, a good portion of the planet.
I don't begrudge those who explore just a few square miles of their home filling half of Back Creek with docks and piers. I don't begrudge them putting in a few mooring balls so more boats can fit. I don't even begrudge someone charging $30 a night for picking one up, though it is $30 I'll not spend if I don't need to. (I know the Mantus will hold in here even on a short scope. And we will move the boat if it seems the right thing to do after sitting for a while.)
I don't begrudge them building the ugliest of space-wasting
McMansions along the shoreline, even when it means cutting down the
trees and blocking the view of the rising or setting sun. I don't mind
them hanging their laundry out to dry, seeing them lounging around their swimming pools, listening to their music, or even hearing the noise of them working on a car in their driveway or cutting their grass.
But I do mind it a bit when they claim that I don't live here. As if claiming to own a piece of the earth is somehow morally superior to understanding that we don't own the earth.
The earth owns us.
And we all live here.
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