My First Sailing Race
It all started when I was walking out of my apartment on a sunny, Saturday afternoon and saw my neighbor Jeff dressed in a heavy, brightly colored jacket covered with salt remains sparkling in the sunlight, navy blue water-proof pants, bright yellow rubber booties, and gloves that were wet with the smell of the sea. His hair was all tasseled and wind blown and his sunglasses were on top of his head as he hopped out of a car and headed up his stairs. I called to him curiously, "Hey Jeff, where have you been?" He turned around and I noticed his cheeks were pink from a day in the sun and said with an exhausted smile, "Sailing, it was great."
I instantly became intrigued and badgered him with questions about how I could get involved. He told me to go on the Internet and add my name to the crew list on the San Francisco Sailing Web page.
I rushed back home from my outing and warmed up my computer. I found the Web site I was searching for and enthusiastically added my name to the list of crew who were anxiously waiting to be asked to join a boat. I listed my experience, which included having lived in Hawaii for eight years and sailing on catamarans and some monohulls. I also added that I studied navigation for a year so "I would be a great crew member to take in case we get lost."
I mentioned that I was novice, but willing to learn. As I hit the send button, my destiny was transmitted into cyberspace.
After waiting for weeks and not getting any response, I was very excited to have checked my e-mail one day and found a message from someone named David Ventura* with the subject saying "Crew Needed". When I opened the letter it said that he found my name on the Sailing Crew page and was the owner of an Olson 30 called "Run Like Crazy" and needed crew for an upcoming race. He said that the experience I had would benefit me and he was willing to teach me what I needed to know to race. The message went on to say that he and his crew would be at St. Francis Yacht club for a race Memorial day weekend and there would be a crew dinner there following the race on Saturday.
The note went on to say that the dinner would be a great opportunity to meet the crew so I should come down if I can. As I was reading I was startled by my doorbell ringing. It was my friend Dana. She walks in and asks, "Is Juli here yet?" "No, but we have to go St. Francis Yacht club when she gets here, just for a minute," I announce. By the time I filled her in on the details Juli had arrived.
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