The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire

Part 2a – Flying across the Atlantic is like sailing a 16-foot Rebel, 98% boredom and 2% panic.  January 25, 2015.

When we moved to Connecticut in 1990 we owned our second small sailboat, a 16-foot Rebel.  We had sailed it in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky for a few years and thought it would be a great idea to sail in the Atlantic Ocean, really Long Island Sound. 

We had had a few harrowing sailing moments in the Midwest, some due to weather and one due to an overhanging power line in the boat trailer parking lot at Kentucky Lake, but panic there did not come close that which can be encountered on the Sound in just an hour or so.  More on that later.

We rolled out of bed at the Reston Sheraton this morning at about 6 AM and were ready to go down for a leisurely breakfast at 6:30 when our phone rang with the scheduled wakeup call.  But Plan B had to go into effect when the restaurant personnel decided to change the opening time to 7 AM.  A little dash to get the luggage from the car got us to the airport shuttle at 7 rather than 7:30. Airport security and check-in was a dream and the jalapeno bagel with egg, bacon, and cheese was scrumptious.  Better yet – no panic...

…unlike the time I went sailing in the Sound with John Page and his friend in my tiny boat.  That day too started off with a leisurely breakfast, hauling the boat to the ramp, launching it, and hoisting the mainsail.  End of leisure, time for panic or at least moderate heart rate increases.

To make an ever so long story short (please, you say) John’s friend tugged the main halyard so hard it broke inside the mast and an hour of sailing only on the jib culminated in boat striking rock, rock winning, centerboard jammed inextricably into its cowling, and boat strapped onto trailer with less than half of it actually on the trailer.

Now, as I sit waiting to get onto the airplane in Washington DC, I wonder what this may have to do with our travel over the next 20 hours or so?  You may too.  We will find out together.

Terry and Sandy