During a recent trip to the lowcountry...the husband and my sister and I rented a Catalina 22 and set out to sail the Sound. While I love all things nautical as mentioned many times before...nautical stripes, white pants, topsiders, sailor bracelets, boat totes...etc., and even though I've been sailing before...I have decided that while battling the incoming tide and an uncooperative mainsail...that I much prefer sailing with a hired captain. My day of leisure and relaxing while looking fab in my Seaside hat, racer tank swimsuit, and Burberry glasses became tangled in sweat, ropes and knot tying after trying to raise the mainsail, set the jib and keep from "heeling" my party into the water! Each time I felt as though my husband was a toe away from being tossed at sea I would "come about" in such a fashion that would make Formula One drivers proud (think...hairpin). While under sail...I started thinking...there are so many everyday common uses of sailing terms...things we say so often that we never think of their true meaning. Like...tell tale...it's the little ribbon that hangs on the mast to show wind direction...or, in everyday conversation it is used to indicate an outward sign. Or, three sheets to the wind...while our little boat only had two sails, the term refers to when the three sails are set but not tight and loosely flapping in the wind or as we all know in common everyday terms...liquored up! So, I suppose that with a Nation so rich in sailing and Naval history it would seem inevitable that these sailing phrases would become a part of our everyday expressions. While I may never master sailing a boat on my own without my fear of...well...everything...getting in the way...I have decided that sailing is something that every couple should do together at least once. What I know is that you have to communicate...you have to tell the other person what you are doing and what to watch for and...you may need help and that's okay. I was never so glad to crank in the sails and lower our tiny motor as I was that day. And, while we were in no immediate danger...save for my tossing of the boom during a couple of my "coming about's" that nearly sent everyone overboard...I was glad to be back on land and while I know I will never master the gracefulness and style while sailing that Jackie Kennedy exuded, I have since decided that nautical stripes, white pants, and topsiders look just fine on shore whilst sipping a salty dog and reveling in my time "at sea".
For more everyday nautical expressions check out:
http://see-the-sea.org/nautical/naut-body.htm
image credit: Mark Shaw
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Nautical by Nature?
During a recent trip to the lowcountry...the husband and my sister and I rented a Catalina 22 and set out to sail the Sound. While I love all things nautical as mentioned many times before...nautical stripes, white pants, topsiders, sailor bracelets, boat totes...etc., and even though I've been sailing before...I have decided that while battling the incoming tide and an uncooperative mainsail...that I much prefer sailing with a hired captain. My day of leisure and relaxing while looking fab in my Seaside hat, racer tank swimsuit, and Burberry glasses became tangled in sweat, ropes and knot tying after trying to raise the mainsail, set the jib and keep from "heeling" my party into the water! Each time I felt as though my husband was a toe away from being tossed at sea I would "come about" in such a fashion that would make Formula One drivers proud (think...hairpin). While under sail...I started thinking...there are so many everyday common uses of sailing terms...things we say so often that we never think of their true meaning. Like...tell tale...it's the little ribbon that hangs on the mast to show wind direction...or, in everyday conversation it is used to indicate an outward sign. Or, three sheets to the wind...while our little boat only had two sails, the term refers to when the three sails are set but not tight and loosely flapping in the wind or as we all know in common everyday terms...liquored up! So, I suppose that with a Nation so rich in sailing and Naval history it would seem inevitable that these sailing phrases would become a part of our everyday expressions. While I may never master sailing a boat on my own without my fear of...well...everything...getting in the way...I have decided that sailing is something that every couple should do together at least once. What I know is that you have to communicate...you have to tell the other person what you are doing and what to watch for and...you may need help and that's okay. I was never so glad to crank in the sails and lower our tiny motor as I was that day. And, while we were in no immediate danger...save for my tossing of the boom during a couple of my "coming about's" that nearly sent everyone overboard...I was glad to be back on land and while I know I will never master the gracefulness and style while sailing that Jackie Kennedy exuded, I have since decided that nautical stripes, white pants, and topsiders look just fine on shore whilst sipping a salty dog and reveling in my time "at sea".
For more everyday nautical expressions check out:
http://see-the-sea.org/nautical/naut-body.htm
image credit: Mark Shaw
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