Is it me

[claymore]

Just got back from the wettest windiest month I've ever spent in my life. Would just like to remind avid readers of my January post when I predicted the same. Hardly anything to gloat about though.
The reason for the post....people used to wave from other boats, they used to talk to you in marinas and say good morning in anchorages - they seem to not want to do this any more ...its all grinding to a halt - whats happening, are we becoming as insular as modern youth, locked into gameboys and walkmans?
Speak to me!!!

regards
Claymore

 

[nicho]

Most people in our marina are still chatty - one or two snooty types who don't say much, and one or two others who just will not shut up!!. The best one I had was last year when visiting Berthon Marina in Lymington. Having admired and congratulated someone on his beautiful new boat, he just stared at me and said "I don't normally speak to people"!! Lovely guy.....

 

[RupertW]

It's so difficult to swap between city-mode where you pretend you are alone, even on a crowded tube, and sailing mode which is supposed to be friendly. I find it even more difficult when on a crowded marina where you don't want to interrupt people as you step over their boats, so don't make eye contact, and so your attempt at courtesy actually seems very unfriendly.

Having just spent six months mostly sailing and rarely going into marinas, it seems natural to say hello and stop for a chat. Bet I'll go back to being insular again once I restart the office job and revert to weekend sailing. Damn!

 

[Steve101]

Try Torquay marina. I just got back from there a couple of weeks ago and the friendlyness of people in the surrounding berths was astounding. I was asked on loads of peoples boats and a celebrity owner even told me to go and have a mooch around his heads. However one boat owners overzelous attempts at late night party time resulted in him being warned that if he played "I am sailing" by Rod Stewart one more time full blast from his Sunseeker Targa 39 he would have to leave the Marina (For good!) Perhaps it's where you are moored. I grew up in quite a rough part of the Midlands, but if you allowed a car to pull out etc you would get a thanking wave. Know I live in quite a "posh" area in Stafford and all you get is a derisory glare at best!

 

[Guest]

I think it all started in 1979.

I'm new to all this Yottie business, but I wave at anyone, sail, power, dinghies, container ships (ever hopeful). I even made the mistake of waving at a fisherman once!

If you ever berth up next to Balmain Bug (Beneteau First 30e), please introduce yourself. Glass of wine/beer/whisky and a friendly chat to all who take me up on the offer!

Mark

 

[NigeCh]

Same on the hill ... worse on the water

even in remote places. The cheery 'Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening' is greeted with a sullen stare as though you are off your rocker. On the Menai Strait if you wave at a Mussel Fisherman he changes course and attempts to run your down - him with or 99% without a double basket flying !!!

 

[janie]

Our Yacht Club pontoons are incredibly friendly. Same with boats passed; even the Customs, Pilots, dredger and fishermen wave back or chat in the lock. However, I haven't yet waved at or spoken to the increasing (only this summer) PWCs, who seem to be nothing but a pest.

 

[MedMan]

Picking Daisies

No, its not you, but it may be the time of year. Lucky souls like me who have retired and have plenty of time are able to be more relaxed and have more time to 'stand and stare.' When I was still trapped in the rat race with only a few weeks in August it took me the first half of my holiday to wind down to cruising pace and the second half to gear up to work again! Pass me by in the Ionian and you will certainly get a wave, but I might bore the pants off you nattering away when I row over to your boat in the evening!

There was a nice line a remember reading somewhere: "If I had my time again I would go barefoot earlier in the Spring and pick more daisies."

 

[Guest]

Tain\'t you !

It's the weather most likely.

Just returned from a week's cruise with great weather and wind at last......... at last........ at last..............

Waves everywhere and hugs all round !

Mind you, there does seem to be more bores around than there ever used to be ( A person who talks when you wish him to listen) so there is someting in ' vanting to be alooone '

At least with this board you can have a two way discussion !

 

[Jeremy_W]

"...if he played "I am sailing" by Rod Stewart one more time ... he would have to leave the Marina (For good!)"

Quite right, too. Utterly dreadful cover version, as a man of your musical education should know Steve 101.

 

[poter]

Re: Is it me. Nahhh not down in here!

You must have been up norf or down in the Solent, not in the west country.


poter.

 

[BrianJ]

Hey Claymore .. your sailing in the wrong part of the world.. come on "Down Under" we talk to anyone.. even KIWI's.
As for rain... please please send us some... we need it badly, and this is winter.. but NO BLOODY RAIN
BrianJ

 

[tcm]

Re: Nurse, he doesn\'t know if he\'s himself...

ooh, i just think you've had a bad experience, with it being crap weather and all miserably scottish, one hand one the tiller another on their hat/wallet.

I have also just returned, from a trip in the lake district. the mountain goat has been kicked out by stagecoach, but mateynessgalore on the open-topped london-sized double decker down borrowdale (is this allowed?) where lone cyclists disappear under the front of the bus. Walking, lots of lone wimmin and blokes. But lots of hello and mornin'.

So praps put the poor show down to

a) your crew/kids are less time-consuming/rubbish/clueless so far more time for you to say "mornin' " - so you may have found the silent miserable faction.

b) You look like a loony saying "good morning!" to everyone when it's a totally foul morning. Ity isn't a "good" moring anyway.

c) You've lost the accent with living darn sarf (in lancashire) for so long. They don't understand you. Ignore him, he's a southern loony, I can't understand him either...

d) They used to say introduce themselves when your boat was commandingly new, but now, it's getting older. Their transient respect and so-called friendship was anyway borne of a class-ridden society when they thought that they might get ahead, but now recognise that they probly won't.

e) They think...it's him again! You know, the one who's always saying "good morning! " whether in the marina or at anchorage. He was here last year, and the year before! Ignore him, he's a loony.

f) you were wearing you windproof/trousers inside out and they thought you were a loony.

g) The matey notherners have all gone to the solent where the action is. Only skinflint southerners who sit on the tube are oop north. They think you are a axe-wielding loony.

h) The weather was so bad that they couldn't see or hear you. Did you see that loony doing waving his arms on that boat over there?

i) Your eyesight is failing and you hailed the boat's dog or cat which failed to respond. The animal recognises you as a genuine soulmate, and will pee on you and/or your boat when s/he meets you again to seal your friendship.

Welcome back! Hope this helps

 

[ToMo]

well.....one the one hand, it might be you! - well we can't be sure till you've looked in the mirror and confirmed it!
...on the other hand, if you will go Swanning about to all these unfriendly places in dreadfull weather; perhaps folk think you must be sailing incognito and therefore would not want to be acknowledged!....listen I can postulate as many ridiculious theories as I like - I'm twice as mad as the rest of you, I've got two holes in the water to throw money at!

TôMö

 

[longjohnsilver]

Daft bugger!

If you predicted bad weather why didn't you change your dates? ;-)

And how are the poor people up there supposed to hear you through a howling gale, and even if they did, would they have been able to understand the mix of Scottish and Lancashire accnts. They probably thought you were just anothjer bloody foreigner!

Welcome back. I presume that you had a good time, even in your isolated state. Time to prepare for pastures anew.

 

[jimi]

Maybe ..

Och Claysie babe, its awfie guid tae see ye back. Ye ken when these soor folk were geing ye funny looks and hurrying past? Whit wur ye wearin at ra time?

Jim

 

[claymore]

Its all too much......

Here I am back in the bosom of the family - woodburner ticking comfortingly away in the corner, wifey fussing and plumping up my cushions, Tomo, Longjohn, Jimi and Matts all being kind and helpful - ahh, this is the life - enough of this getting blown from pladda to skerry, wet, - think I'll just do my sailing from here now - anyone want a good reliable motorsailer - well equipped, careful owner, priced to sell?

regards
Claymore

 

[Guest]

Wave at the PWCs!

They might fall off waving back!

 

[Wexfordian]

Re: Wave at the PWCs!

I usually try to catch 'em with a rod & line

 

[Aja]

Re: Its all too much......

Had a VERY wet start to West Highland Week - up until the tuesday then everything seemed to dry up on the leg to Tobermory.

Our problem was fog down the west coast of Mull. Not too unusual in itself except that it lasted for 3 days. 3 days in Bunessan for me is pushing it, but we did still managed to wave to all and sundry, in fact I feel uncomfortable passing close enough to another boat (power or sail) and not waving.