Heroes, Time Warps, Murphy’s Outboard, Itineraries, Questions, and More
- Ann Cognito
- Jul 31, 2021
- 7 min read
“There are so many heroes on this journey already” Sarah told someone the other day, and she’s right. The world is full of people who do good things, and we do seem to be finding a lot of particularly special ones. Maybe it’s the water, maybe it’s the people, maybe it’s the journey, I don’t know… but I’m thankful.
Water does attract good people, good happenings. It cleans and clears. Its cycles wash the world, literally and metaphorically. Many humans have, at least on a conscious level, disconnected from water, but I don’t think it ever disconnects from us. We’re made of it, we’re part of it. We may not feel like it, but we are each components of the global water system.. We are living, breathing, sentient nutrient-processing units with problems and fears and hearts and dreams, and maybe we work better when we work better.
Tony (Skoro’s former owner) left ropes and all kinds of useful things aboard, and he even came to give boat help and advice. He left a mosquito swatter, which didn’t occur to either of us to bring and has proven indispensable for physical and mental reasons — and it’s even telescopic! And goggles, also on my should-have-thought-of-it list and which were needed for checking out the bottom after hitting something in Poonamalie Cut and again coming into Edmonds Lock.
The lock folks at one lock gave us their spare boathook after we broke an oar while using it as a boothook. They’ve also been full of help and advice, and they’re just downright nice people. So are most other boaters — directions, assistance, all sorts of things. A couple whose previous sailboat journeys I’ve read about shared the local shower access information with us last night. Jeff, who brought gas and moral support and made the day better. Chris ‘McGyver’ and his sweet girls who save all the critters, especially the ones most folks don’t notice or like. Marine Outfitters and all the marine-type-place people along the way already. Georger and Blue and Douglas at Blue Heron. The couple who shared the codes for the local washroom, shower room, and internet, and whose sailing trip to the Canary Islands with their three children I’ve read about. The Canadian Tire employees who helped me not have a panic attack. The man at Edmonds Lock who was coming out to rescue us. Things and time and whatnot happen or are available when we need them, and people keep helping that happen. Ohmygoodness, there’s just been so very many– every day is like an adventure in what kind of rabbits will hop out of the hats and what colours of silk the sows’ ears will turn into, and there are heroes wandering around all over the world.
One of the most special parts of the past few days are the circumstances and serendipities through which Sarah was able to make some changes and be able to stay aboard till Ottawa — while working from the boat! She’s been plugged in and working (with more than safe distancing and etc, of course) at a local picnic spot beside the canal, coffee shops, the boat, and wherever an 82 foot extension cord will let her go. Her colleagues are pretty happy for her, and doubtless wishing they could do similar.
There’s not much on this journey that isn’t at least a little surreal.
This includes the little known metaphysical theory that sailboats are small floating warps in the time/space continuum. We’ve been accumulating evidence. Before even launching, unfortunate circumstances backed up the whole itinerary by a month. Then we got stuck at Kingston Mills lock for five unusual days that felt like a fortnight, but were really good days. On the fifth day, we discovered a beautiful walking trail and a firepit, which we’d looked for the first night there and not found, and didn’t have time for now. A trip that we figured a full day for took half that. Another took much longer. It’s taken two weeks to get halfway through a two week trip. Most recently, a couple days before we reached Smith’s Falls, Sarah got a lift there from the next closest lock, which had no connection or power, for internet/work reasons. She sent me a text message on the way back saying she was returning to Beveriges Lock from the future in Smith’s Falls. 😉
Staying in Smith’s Falls and getting lots of boatwork and etc done was partially replanned due to a new and previously unknown to us 48 hour limit on lock mooring (it used to be 8 nights), but somehow, we got a full page to-do list mostly crossed off.
A big chunk of time in Smith’s Falls was also spent checking out the boat bottom after having hit something whale coming through Poonamalie Cut, a very narrow passage, while a larger boat passed the other way. There was a terribly disturbing noise, like a grating klunk and things didn’t feel right afterwards, but when we reached the next lock and moored, I pulled a few armloads of weeds out of the outboard propellor, the rudder, and the space between those, and I think there was a piece of a branch tangled in with it all, too. I got partway in while hanging off the ladder with the waterproof flashlight and boathook, and things seem alright.
I did mean to get right in, but the past couple days have been flipping cold. I had to get in the water again today, and despite what the boys jumping in from the top of the lock said, it was most certainly nothing remotely resembling warm. But we’d hit something coming in towards the lock, and the bottom had to be checked. It was actually the worst noise I’ve ever heard on a boat, accompanied by a nasty lurch, and I honestly thought the rudder had yanked off and we were sinking. Keel and rudder are still there… and four hours later I’m still cold and bundled!
July a year ago was so hot even the Jamaican puppy was melting.
So… I’m already having to make decisions about fall. I’ll be arriving in Ottawa weeks later than intended. The first things I need are a doctor for information and possibly tests so I can be vaccinated, and getting my rush passport application submitted (insert ridiculous long ongoing story here). Doing that will entail getting quick photograph, and also finding the cheapest possible place to dock/moor on the US side of the border, as well as determining the date to reserve. This is because I’ll need the booking paperwork as proof of travel for the rush passport, because my application keeps having glitches.
That all has to be quick, because the time window for going south is not very flexible. Given how the weather and climate are these days, it seems wise to plan for earlier rather than later.
There’s important things to do in Ottawa, though, and I’ll stay a few weeks or a month. I’ll deliver the Walk petition, and work on Skoro, and be involved in whatever good activism is afoot, and hopefully projects like an event to paint an Earth on the sail with a windfall of donated materials, and similar projects. I hope I can also see some of my people who matter, too.
After that, in the interests of time and weather, it would make most sense to continue on the Ottawa River to Montreal, the Richelieu River south to Lake Champlain and the Hudson River, and the Intracoastal Waterway, and keep going… but that would mean missing a large chunk of Canada. There’d be so much to do there, and there;s people I wanted to see. I don’t like that.
Maybe I could go as far as I can in three months — and then spend another three months coming back for spring, to see people and places then… and leave again in fall.
I can’t imagine where MMS and I, and Skoro, would spend winter and I don’t have another winter in me anyways.
I don’t know yet, but have to decide pretty quick. I’d love your two cents worth.
Something else I’m looking for advice and help with is the outboard. I think the biggest problem is simply that it’s really old. The second biggest problem is that it’s now caused so much trouble that I don’t trust it.
Since launch, it’s gotten a new fuel line, new connectors, a bit of a clean, filter cleaned, spark plugs checked, idle speed adjusted… it’s also croaked in the St Lawrence, narrow channels on the Rideau, lock and dock approaches and exits. Sometimes it starts again, sometimes not. Sometimes it almost sputters out but keeps going… and sputtering… and going… ugh. Can’t really pull over to the curb. It’s nerve-wracking.
Maybe it doesn’t like long days. Maybe it’s just old. I wish I could replace it. It’s done too much and I don’t trust it. Maybe an outboard will miraculously appear — a 12hp electric start, because this pull start is killing me. Maybe a motor loan will materialize. Maybe maybe maybe, but so many other things keep going so beautifully, somehow this outboard problem will too.
Meanwhile, we fiddled with it, and gave it a break, and it sounds a bit better. Tomorrow we’ll go to Kilmarnock Lock, and probably stay there for the night. There’s a boatyard in Merrickville, the next lock after Kilmarnock, whom we’re hoping can get it running better. Who knows, maybe he’s got one that works better that he can part with cheap, maybe anything.
If you can help with advice or gear or financially or any other way, or if you’ve got an outboard up your sleeve, please get in touch!
I’m also still looking for someone to come aboard and help (full time and/or sporadically) in Ottawa, and beyond. I do need help, but honestly, it’ll be a spectacular trip. It already has been. Nerve-wracking parts aside, every day is full of so much of the Earth’s beauty and life it’s mind-boggling. Herons and hawks soar across scenes I couldn’t invent with paint if I tried. The river system is incredibly green and lush and full of surprises and colours and things I hope stay imprinted in my eyes’ memory forever. Humans are constantly amazing. Everything tastes better on a boat. Even sleep is better. Every day is a story.
And I want to keep this story growing… the story about how human beings are so special and surprising that we can change how we live, entirely, and make the world an entirely better place.
And yes, also the story about an outboard that works really well!
With hope and determination,
Ann
________________________________
Please help manifest a better-working outboard!
and
Comentários