sat 8/8: progress, running, sailing & a new old plan
Well, let's start at the beginning. Wednesday, I hooked Shanti onto the turbo Subaru and headed off. The relief of towing such a light craft is palpable: lower strain on the vehicle, lower fuel use, just better motoring. Undecided on where to sail ... Tea Gardens won out. The ramp near the police station was deep and would allow easy access to harbour, river, wharf, ramp and shops. There is no finger wharf and little beach alongside, so its not perfect.
cuddy & shanti on the wharf
pre parkrun morning
Unfortunately the space to sail was limited and the tidal flow was quite strong in the light SW winds. But getting the best of conditions is my forte. After lunching on baked goods from Karuah Bakery while nestled into the mangroves we sailed a bit more, down to near The Singing Bridge and back before finding ourselves on one of three wharves. Just by way of context, I have been here as a pedestrian and once as a ferry passenger, and mooring my own boat to this wharf has been a long held dream. Well, to add icing to this happy cake we crossed the road and bought a peanut butter ice cream cone! The shopowner said: "How's your day been?". I said: " As good as it gets". I didn't elaborate, but it was a blue sky winters day and I was sailing in my best part of the planet.
All day I got compliments on the boat and my sailing skills. And frankly, the boat was fabulous and Cuddy was totally happy, not a small feat for a very nervous dog. Bliss.
On Thursday Cuddy & I hurried off to Macquarie Street Merewether to pick up a used bike trailer cum child transporter. Cuddy doesn't know it, but he's going to be the cargo!
We then went running, 8 k or so to The Hill. Unreal, with a very quick dip in frigid waters. A shared Maccas chicken salad wrap on the return, doesn't get any better. Worked at tidying the boat.
Now its Friday, so we started
with our usual morning run in really cold conditions. I really look forward to oats and a banana with coffee afterwards. The main task of the day was fitting a wire forestay to Shanti. I hoisted the little Mirror jib off the bowsprit and Shanti's jib off the bow, to convert her to a cutter rig. Its tight but with some fiddling seems to work okay. Checked wheel bearing tensions on the trailer after our first run with new bearings and found the left side needed the minimal adjustment. I made notes for further rigging adjustments for the morrow. Frankly I was feeling frazzled. I took a 13 minute cat nap just before 4pm and when my alarm went off, was totally disoriented.
So impressed with Shanti and looking for a boat building project, its dawns on me to build a SCAMP! 11'11", 200kg, water ballast, inbuilt floation.
Up early Saturday for Parkrun. It was cold again and wished I'd packed my gloves, but as usual once you get running the two top layers become too much. After knocking five minutes off my PB last week, this week I just went out to see if I could do another 33. Its not rapid, but last week I wasnt feeling great, and I just wanted to see how I'd go. I went out faster than usual, a fast slow jog, and on the final 500m pushed it in. I wasnt happy letting my competitive side creep in to what for me is an activity about fun, fitness and friendship. So next week, I will start from the rear and slow jog. And stop being a silly old fart.
Well the results are in, I came in with a 31:46 min.
