Tuesday, October 03, 2006

When I Worked on Sailboats...

If you've read this blog for a while you'll know that the refrain, "...when I worked on sailboats in the late 90's..." is oft repeated - not because that was the last time I got on the water (though with two young children it feels like that) but because that five year slice of my life (1994-1999) were my sailing "glory years" - time I took post-college in my mid to late 20's to do nothing but crew, race, voyage and otherwise define myself through all things sailing.

During that time I lived, for a short while, in Annapolis...working aboard the Schooner Woodwind as daysail charter crew and moonlighting as a waiter/bartender dockside at Pussers. I'd hopped a delivery up from the islands in late spring after Antigua Race Week, found an apartment to sublet and the aforementioned jobs.

After a spectacular summer, October rolled around and it was time to let the apartment go, quit the jobs and catch a ride back south. On the way out the door my Annapolis swan song was the annual Sailboat Show where I hawked Pussers Painkillers dockside and made a truckload of cash that just about lasted until I washed up in St. Thomas.

Anyway...the 37th Annual Annapolis Sailboat Show is happening this weekend. If you're in the neighborhood go have a Painkiller and enjoy the nautical pastiche at City Dock. The weather will be fine and there's nothing like catching a buzz and dreaming on all the beautiful boats you can't afford.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Speaking of losing yourself in sailing, you might like a fun story I wrote -- of course, you'll have to judge for yourself -- on taking care of a legendary sailboat in the Pacific Northwest. I've linked to it from my blog, svmistral.blogspot.com, and it's on the Seattle Times website as well: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2003277897_nwwmistral28.html
Thanks for all your fine work. I visit regularly and have a standing link.
Eric