I’m borrowing the title of a current film for this blogpost to talk about one of the best parts of cruising: the people you meet. Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable—I can’t think of a negative word because those we met fit the first description.
While circling through wooded waterways, pink rock formations, and scenic islands we spent some time in a group of islands called The Benjamins. There we met a guy who, after anchoring, helped us tie a stern line to a tree on shore. He promptly invited us to “rocktails.”
Rocktails? That’s cocktails on shore, sitting on rocks.
Our dinghy engine had quit, so we hauled ourselves into shore via the stern tie line. Very easy and we could carry our wine. Didn’t spill a drop.
The guy’s name was Tim and though he was a Canadian, he was quite knowledgeable about California politics. His conversation reminded me of a visit by dinghy to Union Island in the Lesser Antilles years before. Two Rastafarians had set up an impromptu bar on the beach and lectured our little group on Reaganomics.
Docktails were cocktails on someone’s boat. Usually it was a boat much larger than ours and the guests were fellow Loopers. Conversations were not political, although the last time we docktailed, it was on a boat owned by a politician from the New Orleans area. Needless to say, Capt. Mark did NOT wear his Army Corps of Engineers hat to that party. Didn’t want to bring back memories of hurricane Katrina. (Remember, this all took place in 2015).
Loopers talk about the weather, the ports, their trips home on business, and where and when they’ll cross their wake (the place they started from). This is not like the laundry room conversations where spouses confess their fears to other women.
We were often teased because Sonoma, California was the hailing port on our stern. “Bring any wine with you?” would be asked right before “Did you bring that boat through the Panama Canal?”
The answer to the first question usually was “if we did, its long gone.” You already know the answer to the second question. While that would have been possible, it would have taken a ton of attitude adjustment mixed in with a lot of audacity to even contemplate such a thing. Sea Bear was no sailboat. He was a coastal cruiser and when going cross-country, he preferred to ride in comfort on a trailer.
After a glorious time in the beautiful waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, it was time to check in at Drummond Island (U.S.) and then head over to Lake Michigan. We’d meet more cruisers on that leg and build more memories. I’ll share them next week.