OWSA

On a whim I joined the Oregon Women's Sailing Association. I heard about it from a coworker whose significant other is a member. Both of them sail quite a bit. My first meeting was in May and these women are a mix of personalities and sailing experience. Another woman who I met and was at her first meeting was engaged to a fellow who sails. Her role aboard is drink maker and sun bather. But he wants to get a larger boat and take it on the ocean, so being the smart woman she is, she decided it would greatly behoove her to learn to sail in case anything should go down on the high seas. No matter what their role or reason to be there, the woman were intelligent, strong, and quite hilarious. The biggest factor for me was that it did not feel like being trapped in a floating room suffering from terminal levels of estrogen. A former UAA classmate (we didn't have any of the same classes, but we were in the same group of friends), Emily, had apparently taken a small group of these women and worked with them on storytelling skills. I think there was 4 including Emily who went up and told a story about themselves, generally focused on sailing or somehow linking up to it. It was amazingly well done.Their stories were intriguing and genuine and all the body animations typical of women story telling (my mom and sister are excellent case studies in talking with your hands and your whole body, respectively) added to the tale instead of distracting from it. I was rolling in the floor. I laugh regularly, but it is usually more of a chuckle. This is full on belly laughing with a big smile. The meeting was fun and relaxed and informative. Food was provided by a group of volunteers who cooked up tacos. Another neat surprise was that its BYOB. Bring beer, wine, etc to share with the other ladies sitting at your table. So far, this meeting was the only one I have been able to attend due to work. I am in the field every other week Mon- Wed. and don't always get back in time. [...]

Sailboats with their spinnikers up (the big fancy sails)

OWSA offers many different events and classes for its members of all abilities. One of these is Wednesday Night Sail. On Friday they send out an email and if you can go sailing the next Wednesday from 6-9ish then you reply. The set up available boats with skippers with interested crew members. For the same reasons I've missed the meetings, I have only been out on one WNS. I signed up for this last week, but I've injured my knee and am not confident in my legs ability to support me especially when we're tacking. I feared I would quite likely end up in the drink. 

My one time out I was with Lauren aboard Temerity with Maria as our skipper. There was supposed to be a third crew member, but she never showed. Both Lauren and I were surprised to find out that we were both beginners, but Maria explained that because she can actually solo sail Temerity, she is quite comfortable having a crew of all beginners. On the boats that take us out all the parts are labeled as you'll see in a photo. She did a great job explaining and answering questions. Lauren and I learned to sail, tack, and a few of the rules of etiquette when sharing the river. It was a beautiful day (with wind, I should add!) and we had a great time.

For me sailing is an interesting experience. I love the peacefulness and greenness of not having an engine. I love the hum and vibration an engine emits though, so I guess it's a draw. It takes skill and finesse, which I appreciate. It also takes wind, which has always bothered me. Wind makes my ears ache and blows my hair into my face and my hat off my head. My hope is that now that I live in a place WELL KNOWN for it's mighty wind, that it will annoy me less and less. Finding sports that involve wind will likely help too!  

Mt. Hood way in the background. Click the image to see a larger version.

Lauren looks like a pro

mid-tack tilt