Taking a snapshot of a world apart, fortunately
Sept 22, 2022
As your semi-official observer of how things are going, I thought that as summer 22 turns into autumn, this might be a good moment to take stock of where we find ourselves. Boating has proven to be remarkable resilient in the face of two restricted years.
Now, after what has been a summer of near normality, the impact of covid, lockdowns and various craziness doesn’t appear that lasting. This summer we raced, cruises, weekended, had lunch aboard. Et cetera.
There’s a reasonably good explanation for the durability of our boating experience/lifestyle/obsession. The fact is that our boats remain somehow outside the normal realm of our lives. How can this be so, you ask?
If you’re like me, you have several parallel worlds: friends and family, work and reality, winter. Then there’s boats. In a separate category. Your non-boating friends glaze over (jealous? Maybe). You work world thinks you’re goofing off (you are). When winter comes, you either head somewhere for more boats or switch gears entirely to red wine and skiing.
Somehow that meant that pandemics and airport chaos sailed right on by while we were having a cold one with friends in the cockpit. So, after two choppy years and a summer of recovery (yes, it’s been that long!) we can soon put the boats to sleep with confidence that all is mostly well. It must be getting out on the water that solves things – poets have said that for years.
John Morris
Online Editor
Canadian Yachting Magazine
CYonboard@kerrwil.com