Summer Camp

Christ! Whats that? An axe murderer has cut someones head off and is banging it on the roof. Automatically I protect myself by pulling the duvet a little higher.. I make my plan and decide I'll die a hero and I attempt to leap out of the caraven door.. but its darkish and I dont check .and I rebound off the fly screen and the noise stops. Jetlag reclaims me..

"I remember you..." I say to the sun as we meet for the first time in a long time time... and we spend a few minutes getting re acquainted. But hey its not for long as by 7.15am John and I were at Fastacraft Head office and busy getting a beautifully finished Prowler Zero ready for sailing. Also I'm relieved to hear that apparently sometimes English people can mistake playfull Magpies for axe murderers..

Anyway back to the boat and I'm impressed by it! You cant go wrong with white and I always think that its the best colour (Well I worked for a long time in Essex...) Anyway if all goes well we will be on the water Wednesday and I get to train for a week or so. First impressions? Shit its light! I've actually put a kilo on since starting at the gym beginning of January so thats just as well!

The Fastacraft building is clinically clean for a boat builder and I count three other Zero's awaiting finishing. Johns deputy Jo looks like he could kick the shit out of anyone, and probably has, but it turns out he's a passionate musician and his finishing touch is exactly that, the finish you see.

My boat is lined up next to the very close to being finished Scott Babbage's boat, I note his is slightly ahead..a quick nudge and I'm happy again. Pathetic the ego's of racing sailors.

I like Perth, I like the way it doesnt pretend to be anything its not, its a beautiful clean place with the Swan river its life blood snaking its way past too many sailing clubs and open space that makes a guy from Europe feel slightly exposed. I like the open and honest friendliness, I note how many clubs are perfect for moth sailing, yet there are none here, a great opportunity exists to have the Australian Nationals/Worlds here in 2011, at the same time as the ISAF worlds, I hope someone jumps on it, think of the publicity!

"Be our guest! Said Matt, the Commodore of Mounts Bay Sailing club, sail here all week and on Saturday why doent you join us for the party"? You mean no day sailing fee, no second class citizen, not feeling welcome, UK type feeling? Oh yes please Matt! Thanks. I may join just out of politeness!.

So theres lots to say about the boat, I'll post some pictures when I can but I'm not really here to advertise, to do PR, to sell anything, so I wont. I'm just here to sail up and down, and when I've done it once, to do it again.


Si