Lovers at sea
With apologies to William Shakespeare Jr who invented the level-wind reel in 1896.
By John Morris
With apologies to William Shakespeare Jr who invented the level-wind reel in 1896.
“No son of mine will marry a rag-bagger!”
This is the story of two lovers who, in long-gone times, might have been referred to as ‘star-crossed’. Today, thanks to GPS and modern navigational technology, they were able to find their way through a stormy sea of foggy opinion. Here’s how it happened…
On a warm summer evening, two boats entered Verona Harbour, a charming sheltered retreat midway between Victoria and Cornerbrook. Capulet, a stunning Prestige 460 tied up on A-dock at the west end of the marina. Montague, a fine-looking Jeanneau 51 moored on C-dock near the east side. So near, yet so far.
Romero, the handsome son aboard Capulet, strolled along the breakwall to the opening of the bay and stood beside the red beacon, sensing something exciting in the air. About the same time, Julie, the recently crowned club Laser champion who had made her parents so proud, went for an after dinner walk along the seawall winding up beside the green that marked the other side of the harbor entrance.
As dusk fell, the port and starboard markers illuminated the two and a star rose in the sky over their statuesque silhouettes. (Can you see, what’s coming!) They waved.
Moving right along, later that evening as they sat on a bench overlooking both boats. Romero held Julie’s sailing-gloved hand tenderly. They swore undying eternal love. But it was not to easily be.
“Your friend’s family are stink potters,” Julie’s mother sobbed. “How will we face the fleet at sailpast?”
As dawn broke, Romero and Julie found that the dockmaster had re-assigned their parents’ boats and now they were in adjacent slips on B-dock. Coffee was brewing on Capulet while mimosas were mixing aboard Montague. “Would you like a bagel?” Romero’s mom called across the dock to their neighbours in the Canadian let’s-share-breakfast-tradition. “We have cream cheese, and capers too,” came the hail from Montague in boating tradition.
As the lazy summer sun rose over the water, breakfast evolved into lunch, some kayaks appeared. The dads talked about onboard refrigeration as Romero and Julie gazed lovingly into each other’s Oakleys.
Romero’s mom suggested a barbecue and soon the burgers were sizzling. Romero and Julie each went below to change into clean shorts. Just before desert was ready, they walked up the dock to be together forever.
The moral of the story is that when boats are docked nearby, love blossoms. Sail or power, it makes no difference if the weather is nice, the stars align and the bagels are fresh and warm. They lived happily ever after. The End.
