The following entries are not a blog in the real sense, they are rather an AAR (After Action Report), because they are written only some time post factum.
Masuria (2008 – 2011)
We have come very late to sailing. Some years ago, our friend Arek approached us: ” why don’t we try out something new? How it would be if we deliver the children to grandparents and then sail during 1 week on Masuria – two married couples on a boat. ” By this time we had no real idea of sailing, I had only experience with windsurfing.
We were persuaded. Arek had made before Polish sailing certificate and he looked after the charter of a boat. It has become a Tango Sport, a boat where friendships grow on the narrowest space, where one has no standing height, but which can sail against wind.
This has become a really nice adventure. We sailed the lakes in all directions. We danced and sung at the campfire. Agnieszka and I we got closer together – our double bunk felt like 60cm wide (yes, Masuria yachts are sparing on the place). This is the romanticism of the yachtsman’s life too and it has packed us from the first cruise!
We also visited Sztynort, coincidentally just at the anniversary of a great disaster – the “White Gust”. Thus we learned that Masuria is not always friendly and romantic. The weather can change fast, local phenomena are pronounced and predictions have only 1/3 success rate. Dangerous waves build up quickly on flat waters. Skipper must constantly watch for suspicious clouds, from which dangerous gusts can come. Back in August 2007, some skippers did not manage to reach a shore of the Lake Sniardwy in time. Boats capsized, people died.
The next day, we promised to ourselves to be careful, and then we sail on. On the Kisajno Lake, it is especially necessary to take care, as there are numerous jet effects between the islands.
On the return journey, the wind increases and we need to reef – but the roller line for the foresail gets entangled. I creep forward to rotate the roller by hand – my first adventure with a “repair” on the water.
Without further adventures, we reached the charter base Wegorzewo. There, we celebrated the completion of the successful cruise. We felt almost like seawolves and took place in the tavern in the Skippers’ Lodge.
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The story continues in Education and independent sailing in 2009