The Pleasures of a Night on the Hook
"Our anchor is our title deed to our real estate, and we can claim our property all around our coasts or in foreign countries, either if we like."
- Frank Cowper from Sailing Tours: The Yachtsman's Guide to the Cruising Waters of the English Coast
Quiet.
Gone is the cacophony of dock parties and the clinking of
cocktail glasses at the restaurant.
Calm.
No more herky jerky motion from 6 docklines tugging in all
directions. Distanced from the wakes of marina traffic.
Simple.
Cable TV connections and WiFi signals are delightfully out
of reach. Water pumped from a foot pedal. A cockpit sundowner with my true love in the glow of solar lights and moonbeams reflecting off the water.
Slow.
A dinghy ride to shore. A hammock nap over the foredeck. Morning coffee on the stove.
The squeaks of the anchor rode on the bow roller are my kind
of music. The bobbing of the hull simply feels different away from the dock. It’s
almost like our sailboat is breathing a long satisfying sigh….”Aahhhh!”
As a matter of fact, my own satisfied sigh harmonizes with that of the boat.
As a matter of fact, my own satisfied sigh harmonizes with that of the boat.
There’s just something about the way anchoring out, even if
just for one random night, squeezes the stress out of life and awakens my
senses to the core elements of a contented life.
Amen to that!
ReplyDeleteWith you two on a mooring, you know this better than most!
DeleteThe scenery is always better on the hook too rather than the dock!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post. It makes me want to cast off the dock lines and spend a night anchored out in the bay. But knowing us it'll be months before we do, there is always something on the list we want to get done before we are comfortable going out. To be honest I think we're more of a barnacle on the dock than a boat. I will read, and re-read and dream.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Sarah!
DeleteWe spend all summer at anchor. It is the only way to live and you get to see some of the worlds most beautiful places.
ReplyDeleteI have found that you can also tell someone's nationality by the way they anchor and you may find it amusing.
http://www.cygnus3.com/anchoring-techniques/
Good stuff, Mark! Thanks for sharing the link and the humor.
Delete