Well,
I survived three weeks of lounging around the yacht club. The most
passive and relaxing vacation I’ve ever had. My plans of cruising
the coast of Lake Huron and world domination went out the window with
a work injury to my shoulder just before leaving.With a torn rotator
cuff I had to come to the difficult decision that a 34’ Racing
Yacht is not safe to singlehand with only one arm working properly.
I
came very close to death in a storm singlehanding on my three weeker
two years ago with two good arms and a smaller, lighter boat. I may
be crazy but I’m not stupid. Well, not always stupid! I had friends
out several times to crew with me but the weather wouldn’t let
us out. C.K. started the vacation with me but the thunder storms associated
with the edge of the heat wave known as the “Ring of Fire”
and the hangover and vomiting associated with five types of liquors,
a bag of ice, and a Black & Decker cordless blender kept us pinned
down in dock.
They’re
not soon to forget me at Cracker Barrel.
Before C.K.
left my friend and fellow club member Don Niles suffered an aneurysm
in the clubhouse scaring everybody and nearly killing himself. He
is back on his feet now but still needs some time to recover fully.
Glad to have you back buddy!
Later
that week Kevin came over to crew on a hot 95 degree sunny day with
light winds. While opening the third and last drawbridge to get to
the lake the bridge bound up from the hot expanded steel and over
taxed the power grid blowing out the whole north half of the city’s
electricity and stopping the span half way open. The bridge masters
will only allow one bridge open at a time leaving us stranded for
over four hours between bridges. We hide under a small patch of shade
from a bank building and made the best of it. The two of us polished
off a case of beer in no time in the heat. We were then joined by
my lovely roommate Dee and fun was had by all.
The city brought in an industrial generator and hotwired the bridge
to get it closed so we could go home. We were having such a good time
we didn’t want to go! Dee wheeled us back to dock after I worked
us past the bridges getting us back just before the tornados hit.
I got everyone out of the boat and we took shelter in the clubhouse
shortly before the power went out and the hail came down.
It
got so bad that everyone of us called our respective people to say
our “I love you”s. We got lucky and the funnels hopped over
us dropping four foot thick trees out of the sky into yards along
the river within sight of the boat! One touched down within walking
distance of Kevin's home and family. They hit so quickly there was
little time to run for cover. Immediately afterwards we ran Kevin
home in the Jeep. Dee and I took advantage of a restaurant near one
of the touch downs by his house being emptied out. We stopped in for
a fantastic meal. Tornados make for shorter lines it seems!
