Sailing

Gill on our boat –
“On Ne Sait Jamais”

Laser
In 1972 we crossed Canada from St. John's to Long Beach and back in five weeks. On the way back we stopped in Montreal and bought one of the first Laser sailboats ever produced. We chose a "second" as it was less expensive, loaded it on our car, went home and arranged financing when we got back. What faith they had in us - that we would pay! It was also the first of many Lasers in Newfoundland.

Later on we bought a second one so that I did not have to sit on the side of the ponds fighting off the black flies while Chris sailed. It was great fun. We even towed three Lasers behind a tiny English Triumph sports car about 1,000 miles to a regatta in New Brunswick. The sailor who was supposed to race the third boat never arrived, so Chris told everyone there that the third boat was our spare one!

Kirby
In 1980 we moved up to a 25 foot Kirby sailboat. We tested it out in Nova Scotia, bought it, trailered it home and later across Canada (The Trip). We named her "On Ne Sait Jamais" which loosely translated is "You Never Know" which is our family motto.

This boat is a serious racing boat and we sailed it at least twice and sometimes up to four times a week in the summers. We participated in many regattas and races in Newfoundland and, once we mastered it, we won many of the races. Even if we did not win, we had great fun.

In 1989 Chris trailered it to Fortune on the south coast and sailed over to St. Pierre et Micquelon. He won the international race around St. Pierre to celebrate 200 years after the Revolution. He won his weight in wine - 68 bottles of French wine!

Gill steering the charter boat
in July 2005

We lived in our foul weather gear

Cruising
Now that we are in BC we do not race any more. On Ne Sait Jamais was not used a lot as the kids grew up. However, they both took most of the sailing courses offered here in dinghy's. The winds here are usually light in the summer and we preferred to go to Long Beach and surf than bob around on our boat.

Over the past three years we have spent time and money on our boat and we both really enjoy going out in the late afternoon for a few hours.

In July of 2005 we were asked by John and Pat Gunton to join them cruising up into Desolation Sound. They had not done much sailing and wanted experienced sailors and friends along. We supplied the wine and the gourmet food, Pat was galley slave and John was master of the boat - Para Handy.

As I was President of my Rotary Club from July 1st 2004 to July 31st 2005 I refused to cruise until July. We spent a wonderful week, sailing a little, drinking wine, eating like kings - but had to wear foul weather clothing most of the time as the weather was RDF - Rain, Drizzle and Fog. At the head of Bute Inlet I compared this to being in Newfoundland - Fog and Icebergs! But the icebergs are up there - the Glaciers!