Boothies Sail Away
Nautical Bliss
Lescohier, Matthew S
Issue date: 5/14/09 Section: GSB News
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-Sir Francis Chichester while loading his boat with gin. (The solo circumnavigation record holder)
Hello fellow Boothers!
Rumor has it, it is spring here in Chicago. That means that -finally- the Chicago weather will acknowledge all of the curses that you have hurled at it over the past nine months of winter and generously provide for us in return…around seven nice spring days. Yes, that is all you get for suffering through another Chicago winter. We plan to go sailing on all of them. We think that you should come with. Case in point, last Friday afternoon, which was possibly the best sailing afternoon of the spring. Despite the intentions of many, just three departing co-chairs; Pierre Favennec, Erick Rawlings and Matt Lescohier and two hardy first years, Alex Marrs and new co-chair Juan Buades, were on board when we shoved off from Belmont harbor early Friday afternoon. The staff at Chicago Sailing looked worried as we hopped aboard. I have never seen them worried before. Chemically altered, yes, but worried, no. Once we got out about a mile, I understood, we were facing thirty to thirty five knot gales. To put that in perspective, if you were foolish enough to open an umbrella, it would get about a quarter open and then explode. If you were driving an RV, you'd be swerving more than our caravan was after Derby last year. By next week, the first years who are returning from Derby will know what I mean. Enjoy the mud wrestling for me.
Nonetheless, we were having a blast out there, grabbing some brews and enjoying the best that Chicago has to offer. After about an hour of some excellent sailing which is only marginally captured by the attached pictures, we were called in early on account of the conditions. It seems that others were not handling the winds as well as we were, nearly capsizing their boats and such. Meanwhile, we were cruising along, enjoying the alternately balmy and refreshing breezes and periodically crashing into waves to spray down Erick and Pierre or whatever other (un)lucky soul happened to be standing near the bow of the boat. Sun chips, some brews and a smooth handoff to our new co-chairs were the other objectives of the afternoon. I know I speak for all of the departing co-chairs when I say that we are excited to be turning the club over into such capable hands, and look forward to many more successful outings this spring.
I think Pierre put it best as he stood at the tiller: "this morning after TNDC I felt like s*** and now I feel like a king.' You know what he meant about the morning after TNDC. Come see what he meant about feeling like a king. We hope we'll see you out there.
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