Ask and You Shall Receive

"I'm never sailing with novices again. It's just not right." Famous last words, spoken by me after my adult sailing class. In all fairness to the "novices," we can only learn by making mistakes. That said, I do not feel safe when others are learning to sail the boat in any wind over five knots, and we flirt at all with capsizing.

Let me start with the capsizing drill. Yes, on purpose, sailors apparently must practice capsizing small boats. So, it was a hot, sticky July evening of about 90 degrees, and there was not a puff of wind anywhere. The last resort lesson plan was to practice capsizing the boats (420s) in the lake. We went out in two groups. My partner and I shrugged and said that we'd go first. It all seemed like a great plan.

We got out into the lake, and the instructors said that it was time to capsize. I looked at my partner and said, "Everything about this is counter-intuitive. This is just wrong. Are you sure that we'll be safe?"

She was very reassuring. "Yes, it's safe. I was a scuba diver, and this is all good."

So we sat on the edge of the 420 and leaned over until we were in the water. In theory, the boat also should've tipped over on its side. However, the boom (the straight metal beam that is at the bottom of the main sail) would kiss the water and bounce back up to the upright sailing position. We would grab the boat and try to capsize it again.

After several tries, I announced, "Well, this isn't working. This boat isn't supposed to capsize tonight. Boats that I'm on are supposed to stay upright."

Finally, with a lot of effort from the instructor in a motor boat, the boat went over. Unfortunately, it went all the way over and turtled, which means that the mast was pointing toward the bottom of the lake. However, unlike the people in the below picture, I didn't tie down the line for the center board. So we had nothing to grab ahold of to get the boat upright. Sigh.

from Google images

I found a line (sailor's word for rope) that we could pull to "right" the boat. Unfortunately, my partner and I weren't strong enough to tip the boat or to climb up on the edge of the boat like the people in the picture above. Instead, another participant jumped into the water and helped us, which is a euphemism for righted the boat for us and pulled us into the boat. And, it was at that moment that I declared that I wasn't going to sail with novices again. I was exhausted and defeated.

However, I needed to finish the class. So I looked at the situation and searched for the life lesson. I'm not exactly sure what it was supposed to be, but I knew two things. First, the whole situation would've been better if I had laughed at the situation. Second, I needed to ask the angels and saints for help.

In another class, a different partner was steering in some brisk wind, and we hit two other boats. The stress was palpable, but I took a deep breath and prayed that whoever was available would help us to have a calm and peaceful voyage. I prayed that no harm would come to any of us. Miraculously, the instructor asked us to switch places, and I know that the angels helped me not only to sail the boat with great calmness, but also to win a mini race. It was clearly Divine intervention because we beat another boat with a much more experienced captain. I was grateful that I had asked for help and our journey was very peaceful.

In tonight's class, I took the helm (I was the captain.). The wind was about 8 knots--too much for me thank you very much in a little tub of a boat with another novice. The instructor dutifully ordered me to pull in the sail.

I shook my head, "Thanks, but we're not going fast. We're going slowly." I have to confess it was hard work to go slowly, but I was terrified that we'd capsize. There was no way I wanted a repeat of that whole scenario. After what seemed like forever, but it was probably about half an hour, I said that I was done and that my partner needed to take the helm--being crew seemed like a safer place to be.

Wrong.

She was such a novice that she struggled with the ropes, sails, tiller (steering wheel), and moving from one side to another. The boat heeled a lot, dangerously close to capsizing. The instructor was amazing; he pulled the motorboat up along side of us, and he calmly gave her explicit instructions. Then he'd let us try to sail, and again we ended up nearly capsizing, sails were flapping, ropes were making desperate pleas to be free, and the boat was anything but steady.

Finally, I remembered to ask for help. "Saint Christopher, I know that you're the patron saint of travelers, and we're traveling. Maybe you're even the patron saint of sailors because they travel a lot. Could you and the angels and anyone else who's available please help us?"

Wham! The boat tacked (turned) itself.

Within minutes, a large patch of calmer water grew around the course where we were sailing. I could see the strong wind just beyond the limits of where we were, but our boat was in much calmer water. We both eased into peaceful, gentle turnings and steerings of the boat. It was almost enjoyable. I breathed a deep sigh and began to compliment her for her excellent helmswomanship. I glanced upward and thought, "Thank you for helping us."

I am so grateful that when I asked for help, I received exactly what I needed. I am in awe of how asking for help has such an amazing impact. Maybe if I asked Divinity to help my partners sail (and me too) before I get into the boat, my sailing of little bathtubs would be more pleasant with fewer moments of sheer terror. After all, then a novice wouldn't be sailing.

Namaste,

L