You can see where my mind goes.

HA, HA, what a stupid mistake. That's usually how these lessons start, and this one's no different. It's always the little things that get you in sailing. You're in a rush, you skip the check you'd normally make, and it comes back to bite you. Here's one from my own logbook that cost me more than it should have. I sailed my US 25 out of the anchorage, or so I thought - clear water ahead, gusty day, and a shoal coming up fast to leeward. I figured if I hoisted the working jib quick enough, I'd have steerage to clear the mud flat. So I hauled the halyard lickety-split, cleated it off, dashed back to the tiller, turned around - and my stomach dropped. The jib was flapping like a limp noodle. The tack grommet had slipped off the tack horn. Sail slack top to bottom, and the flats getting closer by the second. Back forward I went, eased the halyard, got the jib re-attached - and we touched bottom right as I finished. Nothing hurt but my pride. Good thing those two little 2.5-pound Bruce anchors were sitting in the aft locker. Ran one out astern, winched us off a bit, ran the second one out past that, repeated the process, and eventually worked “Freedom” back into clear water. Error: I rushed the setup. Always double check your lines before you load them up. So here's the three-corner checklist I use now, every time, no exceptions. 1. Check the head. Three corners, three shackles or knots to check before anything goes under load. Halyard shackle - make sure the pin's seated in the detent. Splice or knot looking worn? Retie it. Takes thirty seconds, saves you the headache. 2. Check the tack. This one's easy to miss - it's buried under the sail. But a quick check and a twist on that screw pin makes all the difference. Snap shackles especially, they'll pop open without warning if you're not careful. In my situation I usually have a security line over the two horns to prevent this error. Tape the bale on shackles with rigging tape if you want extra insurance. 3. Check the sheets. Don't skip these either. I'm partial to the Lark's Head for the clew - never had one fail, and it doesn't snag on shrouds or hatches the way a bulky bowline can. Most sailors reach for the bowline out of habit, but I'll take the Lark's Head every time. (More on tying that one next newsletter.)

I have sailed for many years and love to share my experiences. Many ask where I got my start in this sport. My first introduction came while traveling. I found myself in the BVI's (British Virgin Islands) looking for an adventure. I grabbed a position on a 58ft sailboat and I was hooked. Next came a caretaker position on a 40ft sailboat. When I returned home I started racing at our local club. I have enjoyed my sailing and have passed my knowledge on through teaching classes. To become skilled is just wanting to improve. As your skills develop you have what all skippers want in a crew. Take the opportunity to learn a great sport and enjoy your new life. This picture is the our crew after winning our Commodores Cup Regatta. A fun time

Wild Fire are all around. We are safe BUT north by Vernon (53 klm) and now south by Summerland (73 klm) are uncontrolled. We went through this horror back in 2003 and in 2023. I pray for our fire fighters and the citizens evacuated. When you hear politicians and citizens say "There is no Global Warming " I want to just shake them. We pollute the atmosphere creating a CO2 dome that raises our oceans temperature effecting wind patterns and temperatures. This drys out our vegetation allowing fires to spread. You see the world is burning and we carry on just the same. Check out this news link https://globalnews.ca/news/12014029/bc-wildfire-evacuation-order/ Is it to late for man-kind now?