I went sailing last night and this morning. My friend Mark here in Montreal owns a sailboat, and invited me to help crew the boat for this weekend’s races. Mark’s friend Jelle (Old Jeller) rounded out our small crew. Unfortunately, an uncertain weather forecast forced the cancellation of the races, but we went sailing anyway. The weather did not turn out as predicted (which doesn’t surprise me–weather forecasts are useless). It was partly cloudy and breezy all day and night, which was perfect for sailing. I spent some time learning the ropes, and halyards, and sheets, and winches and lines, and so forth. What was interesting to me was that Mark talks about wind the same way I talk about light. Everything has its intricacies, and who you are determines which ones you notice.

It got a bit cold as the sun went down, but by then we were back at the dock for an onboard barbecue. Wine, cheese, sliced meats, and chicken breast sandwiches made a very satisfying meal. After it got too cold outside to sit on deck, we headed below decks to play 1990s Trivial Pursuit. Unsurprisingly, I sucked. Pop culture is not my strong suit.

It was relaxing sleeping in the boat, with the rocking of the waves and the sloshing of the water providing a hypnotic background. We woke up around 8:30am and had coffee and a light breakfast. Then we headed out on the water again for a cruise. This time I was a bit more useful, having learned a little bit about rigging sails and tacking. It was another gorgeous day.

There is something about sailing that inspires photography. I’m glad I had brought along my little snapshot cam to capture some of the last couple of days’ moments. At times I wished I had the 5D with me, but at the same time, I was happy to have the opportunity to push the envelope of that little SD630 a little.

I’m back on land now, but I’ve still got my sea legs. It feels like the room is rocking slightly from side to side. It’s a bit disorienting, but kind of a fun built-in souvenir from the cruise.