Don’t Just Do Something…
Sit There
The simple joys of spending
a day or two at anchor.
By Richard Smith
Boats are about escape - about spending a night or two in the local to a day on the hook without so much
getting away from everyday life and Walmart parking lot. as a thought about getting underway
sailing off to new horizons. They Finding a measure of joy within in time to make a tide or calling ahead
hold that promise even though they the confinement of a small boat stuck for marina or dinner reservations.
spend the bulk of their lives resting on in one place is a personal thing - not A good attitude at anchor has
carpeted trailer beds, alongside marina impossible but certainly not to be taken something to do with losing a sense
docks or in a field. So it’s little wonder for granted. The digital generation, of exactly where we are or what time
that once we shove off, the idea is to equipped with Blackberries, iPods it is, and not caring much - of taking
keep going until we’re well over the and MP-3s are fortified against threats pleasure in the knowledge that the
horizon. of boredom. Snuggled down in the anchor is well set and doing its job.
But sometimes the escape is fo’c’s’le or up before the mast, pre-teens We could be just on the other side of
imperfect, fraught with too much or can talk or text to their heart’s content, the jetty or a thousand miles away,
too little wind, too much motoring and oblivious to wind and wave. Skippers anchored in the same bay with Lin and
too many happy campers in a boat too also operate a bevy of electronic aids Larry Pardey who, like all transoceanic
small for too long. An antidote to some which locate their position precisely sailors, spend much of their lives at
of the woes of the annual cruise may while maintaining virtually seamless anchor. They read and do the laundry
well be a day or two at anchor closer communication with the outside world just as we do, they eat well, look at
to home. via VHF and cell phones. We might birds and take sun showers, just like
Easier said than done. Even wonder, however, if this is as close as us. Even if we don’t follow them to
equipped with reliable depth sounders we can get to escape? New Zealand, we are kindred spirits
and GPS’s with drag alarms, a mud In the past, digitally deprived at anchor.
bottom and plenty of swinging room, sailors spliced lines as a hedge Every harbor and bay provides
there seems to be a reluctance on the against tedium; they polished brass unique pleasures. When we anchor
part of many sailors to drop the hook and scrubbed decks. They carved for the sake of anchoring, it helps if
- especially if there’s a visitors’ dock scrimshaw mermaids, got drunk, we can see ourselves as tourists in a
nearby. Some crews may handle a danced jigs and complained a lot. I strange land. Tourists expect to find
night or two tolerably well but others, have a hunch that a reduction in anchor out something about the places they
less secure against the dreaded ennui, malaise these days may have to do visit. That’s why they go. They take
regard isolated immobility on a small simply with gaining the right attitude cameras and photograph what appeals
boat as they might a bad cold - or - like waking up and looking forward to them. They look with fresh eyes and
48° No r t h , Ma r c h 2009 Pa g e 38
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