Bringing Home Baby

So I got a call from Tana yesterday afternoon to tell me that we were going to bring the Lucky 7 home when Grieg got off work at 11 pm. The winds had been very high and the 2 boats had been bashing up against each other and causing some damage. We recruited Mark, ( another roomate at the marina) to come and help us and Tana drove us down to Granville Island to meet Grieg. We got to the boats about midnight. Thankfully the winds had finally died down and the water was calm as glass. It was a warm , balmy night and we were treated to views of a meteor shower as we made our way home.

We decided to keep the Lucky 7 tied to the side of the sailboat and had 3 other skiffs that we were towing as well on the other side. I can only imagine what we must of looked like, five boats tied all together like a little floating village making our way up the river. I found a hook hanging high in the cabin and put a candle in a lantern to light up my boat. It looked so medievel, I loved it.

The first two hours of the trip were uneventful, we made about 5 knots an hour from English Bay to Spanish Banks, with calm waters and no other boat traffic to contend with . Mark did alot of the driving, while we kept an eye out for deadheads and Grieg got out of work mode. Things changed dramatically when we rounded the point. We got caught in cross currents which caused big swells to broadside us. The boats were like bucking broncos rearing and leaping in the water, crashing violently into each other. David and Grieg braced themselves against the sailboat and did what they could to keep the two boats apart. Mark kept us on course while I prayed and held my breathe. I cant believe we survived that. The Lucky 7 suffered some damage, but all repairable. At one point the box that covered the propane tank went flying off into the water, followed by the tank itself. Somehow it stayed connected to the hose and although we dragged it for about half an hour, we were able to pull it back onboard no worse for wear. Just need to build a new cover for it now.

We finally got round the point and the water calmed right down again. We lost some speed due to the river current but still managed a stately 3.5 knots. Thankfully the river traffic was light and we only encountered a few barges. We got to the Aurther Lang Bridge about 4:30 am. I was never so happy to see that bridge. We had to pass under four bridges in total. The tide was still relatively high and we werent sure the sailboat mast would be able to pass under them. Each bridge we encountered was a nerve racking tense time of cruising as slow as possible in case we hit one. The Gods were with us and we squeaked under them all sometimes with only foot or two at most to spare. I swear we only had 6 inches to spare under the Knight Street Bridge. By the time we got there, the sun was starting to rise. It had been a long night and we were all exhausted. We got the boats tied up to the dock beside the Bowie and went straight to bed.

I finally got the chance to give the boat a good look and inventory what was left on it by the previous owner. I have my work cut out for me but nothing is pressing. She is not taking on any water and is floating straight and true. The inside is very comfortable to live in as it is. The roomies came by to check it out and at one point there was eight people on board and it didnt feel too crowded. We moved the boat later in the day and squeezed me in beside Tana and just in front of Davids home. I'll probably get shuffled around in the near future but for now Im home. I am blissed out right now,life is awesome!