Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tell-Tale Signs

Ah, sailing. I am so hooked.

So, Sunday Post-Play, my treat was to take a boat trip out to Heir/Hare/Hejer Island (okay I made one of those up). And off we set across Roaringwater Bay. Along the way we pass the rocks called The Two Women, the local equivalent of a scold's bridle - just take the uppity woman out and leave her on the rocks overnight; she'll have quietened down in the morning. Ah, wouldn't it fill you with nostalgia for days of yore...

The passengers were offered a chance at the wheel, steering this gorgeous 50-foot yacht on the open water. When it was my turn, I asked for simple instructions: Left. Right. Big bit. Little bit. Skipper kept it basic: "Aim for the pink house on that island... aim for the rust shed on that other island," and off I went, very happy indeed.





We heard a rib coming up behind us: it had two men, one pointing a camera. "The paparazzi", a crewmember says. "She's here!!" shouts Skipper, pointing to me, "the famous star!"

Anyhoo, then he taught me to trim sails, and tack (and when Mr Crewman went to tighten my work, he couldn't; "She's as strong as you!" exclaims Skipper), and I spent the trip calling "Tack Alert Tack Alert!" and zipping from one side of the boat to the other. At one point, I wondered if all this tacking was really necessary, if Skipper might be just tricking me...

Anyhoo, we saw seals, and swans, and meandered out to Hare. Chocolate cake & coffee (along with some almighty slagging between me and the crew). Then a walk on the island, which not only has the cleanest calves ever, but also has a gallery, with printed evidence of why we love West Cork.



And then homewards: more seals, tacking and trimming galore, and then I was recalled to the wheel as Baltimore came into view. And I took the... ahem... shiny expensive yacht right in to dock. Without a scratch :-)



I finished up the Heritage Festival sitting outside Bushe's, catching up with friends. People kept stopping, saying that we should do the play through the summer. And they moved on, our laughter echoing in their ears. (Actually, sweet moments dotted over the weekend, as various children raced up to me, stopped momentarily to deliver the line "I thought you were brilliant in the play" then raced on again while I was still thanking them). Anyway, sitting outside Bushes, all the tiredness of the week caught up with me, and I flumped. And a man left our table, and as he walked away I noticed he reached into a brown paper bag and I murmured longingly, 'Oh, he's eating chips...'

And lo, the gods in their benevolence didst smile down upon me. For the departing chips were the final portions from the Last Stop Chipper, and their manager ran after the guy and presented me with the bag, which was duly opened out on the table.** Thick and warm and crispy and perfect.


A perfect end to the weekend :-)
_____

** Okay there was a single member of the table who did not partake, for the sole reason of retaining the moral high ground while he formulated nefarious rumours that I had literally stolen the food out of another's mouth. Moi?? Surely non!

11 comments:

Sean said...

Yee har Me mateys - sounds fantastic. Sounds like this will be right you yore alley !!

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1046091

Orlaith said...

And for one brief moment, I thought it was footage from RTE visiting Glenans last week...

But no.

Someone's wearing his smarty pants today :-)

TomRourke said...

Envious. Con's is a fine boat..... but can't wait for the blog that follows your first capsize .... excellent news that the Last Stop chips pass muster this year cos after last Summer....

Sean said...

Shona will be delighted to see you wearing your life jacket in that picture.

Sean said...

Oh, and I try to wear my smarty pants *every* day. Some days it's just difficult though (pants first, *then* shoes!) :-)

Orlaith said...

For Shona: the lifejacket was the very first thing, never you fear. I had never worn that type before - so light & un-chunky. Fab!

For Sean: remember those Scheisser pants that featured in a certain wedding speech of Rob's? They'd fit over any shoes, even Krusty the Clown's...

For Tom: mildly concerned about the chips now, since I was (a) starving and would have eaten a brick if you deep-fried it and (b) not here last summer and so missed the visits/shut-downs from the Health Inspectors... And why on earth would you be looking forward to me capsizing?? That's just meeeeeean. And did you *have* to quote the pirate play? "Minihane's is a fine boat... built over in Kinsale if I'm not mistaken..." Meanie.

Bear in mind, I can always ask the Examiner for that photo...

Anonymous said...

Chips should be fine. They are bound to have changed the oil by now!!! Traitor! I was relying on you to be my fellow landlubber!! As for the photo I think Tom should show his feminine side more.

Orlaith said...

Sorrreeey - I always adored being on the sea. It's only the sails that are new to the experience. Lovely and quiet :-)

I'm not entirely sure that the world could take any *more* of Tom's feminine side... but there was all that talk of doing Rocky Horror; we could get him some fishnet hold-ups and 4 inch heels and see what happens...

TomRourke said...

Clearly Anonymous missed my vamping it up as Nora Batty on Thursday....ah Nora, all the woman a man could ever need.....[reminds me of a conversation years ago about three guys , me being one of them, (A) was viewed ad being very in touch with his feminine side, (B) needed to have his feminine side explained to him and (C) a normally mellow chap, was expected to deck anyone who even suggested he had one].....

Unknown said...

Orlaith, lovin' the lifejacket-action!. Also it seems you learned to sail in a day, how come Sean is STILL learning?

Orlaith said...

Shona, maybe Sean is learning AND teaching languages at the same time. Helping the Glenans folk to brush up on their French, or Spanish, or the finer points of Portuguese; that man has a gift...

Tom, I'm not falling into the trap of commenting and guessing wrong; you'd be like, "How could you think that? Do you even *know* me???"