Friday, July 31, 2009

Cruisin' - Day 1: U.S. South Shore, Wilson


When I woke up on our sailboat this morning one of the first things I saw when I opened my eyes was a beautiful Kingfisher perched in a neighbour's rigging. Then I went up to the BPYC clubhouse to do my morning stretches and saw a Kingfisher lying there, flat on its back, its small breast pulsing rapidly. It looked to be the same bird I'd admired earlier, wounded from flying straight into the plate glass window. I watched it frantically flap its wings and realized my presence was probably stressing it out, so I backed away and went ahead with my yoga with the hope the bird would recover. When I left, it was still flat on its back, flailing its wings, with its fragile neck at a hopeless angle.

Despite the inauspicious beginning, the day has been wonderful. And it's actually hot! After weeks of sub-normal temperatures I feel like I've suddenly stepped off the plane onto hot tarmac for a winter vacation in the sun.

Rob and I set sail from Bluffer's Park by 7:30 a.m., motoring for a few hours. It was surprising to see the Toronto skyline lingering still, at 11:30. By coincidence, when the skyline disappeared and we couldn't see land on any horizon, the breeze came up. We hoisted the sails and turned off the motor. Bliss. Quiet. Solitude. No one around for miles. We were only progressing at 3nph, the lake entirely flat. Cruisin'.

Now I can't get that song out of my head, "Cruisin' on a Sunday afternoon.... cruisin' couldn't get away too soon..." and that sighing back chorus that sounds like a soft summer breeze.

We officially crossed the border at some point in the afternoon and tied up on the U.S. South Shore around 2:30, feeling lucky to have nabbed the last available spot on the dock at Tuscarora Yacht Club in Wilson. Checking in was easy - the videophone was out so we just phoned in to Customs. We've started our holidays with a club cruise and expect quite a few more Bluffers to join us - 20 other sailboats from BPYC should safely arrive by tomorrow.

There are a few clubs here, a marina, a State Park and a township of about 1,200 souls who must be quite content to live with such a picturesque view.

Wine today is an Italian DOC Red, 'Rosso Piceno' that I picked up because it was 2005, Italian and had a lovely label. This is a bit on the acidic side and will definitely complement an alfresco meal... when I get around to assembling one. Cheese, almonds, olives, focaccia and fruit seem perfect for this occasion!

But first, off for a bike ride in the town.

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