2024 Sailing Season: Kent's Blog Update

Big Air Jim's booties are still at Stevenson!
Cam's Life Jacket and Leash were recovered!

The day started early. I am not sure how early because all I saw was Ted’s back as he left and I told him to drive safe. (He arrived home safe around 10:00pm after a long day of driving.) The next thing I heard was the alarm at 8:30 and it was time to head to Stevenson.

Alex thought Viento was the call but the group wanted a repeat of Stevenson, so off we went. (Note: Alex is a former fighter pilot & airline pilot - & now an expert foiler... who Kent bonded with at the Event Site.)

A quick breakfast, coffee and a sandwich from Safeway and headed west. The wind was off a bit compared to yesterday but Blaine and Kent rigged 5.2’s and made them work for the first 40k. Brad and Cynthia were on 6.0 and it looked like it was working great. Jim Cornish was on a 7 and making it work all over the river and John was on 6.0 and foiling! Cam rigged his canoe and a 6.6 and was going well. Foot swaps on the canoe were “easy” in flat water was his comment.

John, up and foiling!

Ross was in the drink 4 times that I counted. He was trying board 360’s where you run your 11 liter board up wind and then continue to carve all the way around. I saw one attempt but he missed it. Looks like a tough thing to do and if you touch down when your board is only 11 liters it's “a bit technical”.

After a few hours it looked like it was getting a bit lighter. Kent and Blaine rigged up to 6.0’s. Jim S rigged a 7.0. Cynthia bucked the trend because she was tired of sailing a big sail so she rigged down to 5.2. It didn’t work out perfectly and she ended up at Bob’s beach. No issue except for the walk of shame. Blaine, Brad, and Kent finished off the day on 6.0’s until around 2pm.

Big Jim C - Foiling and Ripping

In the evening, Music and Beers were enjoyed at the Ruins followed by Pizza at Solstice, with flame dancers (since it was summer solstice), and then Ice Cream at Mike's.

All back at the condo and making plans for hockey, sailing, and travel.

Thanks Kent, for all your work preparing & sending me this blog update...

Cam, Cynthia and Big Air Jim left after sailing, and made it to Sandpoint for the evening, Big Jim, John and Kent packed up so they could leave in the morning. Looks like the trip is coming to a close!! Brad, Blaine, and Ross are staying for another possible day of sailing, and so that they can watch the hockey game Friday night! Louise says she is happy they are staying because they seem to have brought the oilers some luck! Maybe they have to stay until Monday!!!

More Senior moments:

After the sail, Kent found a reel, exotop, and booties left at the site so posted photos on Whatsapp.. Cam claimed the exotop and reel but said no to the booties. Everyone else confirmed that the booties were not theirs so we left them at the site. After we were back at the condo Jim S claimed the booties.. Sorry Jim.

Then later, John found a pair of golf shoes left at their condo. Jim S claimed them and asked if John could bring them to Edmonton.

Andreas chimed in on WhatsApp, suggesting that we all need Air Tags on all our gear.

Then Kent posted - he had found some Table Tennis Raquet's at the Condo which didn't belong to Ross.... Yup - mine. I had thought that maybe Louise and I could play some games in Ross's basement before the gang arrived...

And then Ross posted - Anyone leave these brown shoes at the Rental Condo, to which Big Air Jim responded, "Oh yes! Shit! My Fav's".

What is really funny is that my Journal popped up with a memory from last year. The Blog post on June 10, 2023 was titled "Forget me Not". I had left my pump at Moiser the day before. It was stashed by the pay booth when I went to find it - right where someone had put Bernd's wetsuit when he had left it there a couple of days before; and Mike had left his board at Roosevelt after sailing, but didn't realize it until Peter (from BC) had called to say he had found it and he would bring it to Hood River.

Too Funny - I imagine it will only get worse!!!

Actually, with all the gear we haul with us and with everything we have to unpack, rig, de-rig, and put away each time we sail it is amazing how little we do leave behind - or maybe people are just not admitting to it...