Not those sorts of fantasies! Doh! Go have a cold shower!
What I meant were holidays, vacations, escapes from the endless lock-down and Covid-19 restriction. In London we are in Tier 4 (complex, basically Stay-At-Home) and due to enter even more lockdown (really Stay-At-Home) so all that is left is dreaming.
But where would I go if there were no restrictions? Well three ideas come to mind:
1. Head North
As you might have spotted, I have the high-latitude bug and its intoxicating. Clear air and skies, stunning wildlife and scenery that is totally off the beaten tracks, like the photo above. Can't wait to go back.
2. Somewhere Photogenic
Another hobby of mine is photography and it would be great to combine this with sailing. I hear great things about the Lofoten Islands in Norway, but there are so many other places I'd like to visit.
3. Somewhere Warm
It is currently freezing in London and even though I'm a "head north" type, there a lot to be said for heading south until the butter melts. I once saw an article in Yachting World which had this image of a yacht sailing in Bora Bora and it seemed to be the stuff of dreams, clear blue seas and warming sun:
But of course that yacht is way outside my price bracket and there's no currently chance to leave London let along fly half way round the world.
Sigh.
Time to be patient and wait for my turn to get the vaccine. Until then will just dream of better days while watching YouTube sailing channels:
What would be your sailing fantasies?
5 comments:
I have only daysailed there but the USVI is one of my favorite places and I can’t wait to get back sometime.
I also bought a boat last fall after being boatless for quite awhile and am looking forward to exploring Long Island Sound again next summer.
At the moment just being able to get on the water seems like a fantasy for 2021
Golly, yes, a trip to USVI sounds amazing, particularly on a grey, cold morning here in London!
BB: indeed, though I've seen some tough rowers and kayakers still out on the Thames most days, but maybe that will be stopped now we're in Tier 5
Thanks to moving house, lockdowns and local movement restrictions here in France, I haven’t been able to get to, or even see my boat since December 2019. I’ve been fantasising about improving the boat or even just doing some routine maintenance in preparation for eventual sailing. I’ve got a quote for an imaginary new light weather gennaker, mentally drawn a template for a new, better lifting rudder blade, considered replacing the home made steel/plywood centreboard with one in aluminium, and I’ve even gone so far as to buy a new steering compass online. (The hand bearing compass my wife gave me for Christmas in 2019 has still never been used). The dream of actually getting on the water to take part in the Morbihan Week festival in May 2021 (if it takes place at all) seems beyond unattainable.
That's a long time! I hear the lockdown in France is pretty intense, alas. Fingers crossed for you in 2021 - pretty sure as the vaccine roles out we'll be back on the water. I made some bookings for this year but have no idea if will be able to go, but remind myself there's always 2022!
We're all in the same boat (groan, sorry) here, as this story must be a common one for sailors during Covid-19. I was just talking to a sailing friend this week who's building from scratch a classic dinghy here in the UK and he was mourning how he's been unable to visit the boatyard in weeks if not months.
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