Day 6 Sat. 12th Relaxing Day in Mentor Harbor

Wake up to an enormous amount of activity, and I soon remember the routine of rigging sailboats and running around doing the last minute stuff before heading out on to the race course. As I drink coffee, I watch out the window and get thrown back a few years watching a Shock 35. Different names and faces, but the same harrassing, laughing, pre-race jitters and hungover sailors are climbing about just like those wonderful days I still think about fondly. In each person on the Shock, I can see the following personalities, just as Jump II would have been. I clearly see Robbie, Ben, Ronnie, Colleen, Ray and the skipper of Jazzy. It was a delightful combination.

As a Tartan 10 goes by, I envision me on the bow and Ron and Toddio discussing conditions. I know that there are many others, but the molds do not fit my eyes. I recall the T10 days with butterflies in my stomach, and lot's of bruises.

After all the racers are out, Ron and I head to the showers, and as I walk back to the boat I realize I have missed the start of The Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show...shoot :)

Ron stayed on board and did engine checks and guy chores while I took the little boat ferry to the park to search for beach glass and lucky stones. I found 2 lucky stones right off the bat, however, saw lot's of trash on the beach. I headed back to the bathhouse to gather some bags and picked trash while I continued to search for treasure. I was rewarded. I found 5 pieces of small jewelry quality pieces of glass and more lucky stones. The numerous white rocks made the lucky stone search difficult at best.

After the sailors came back in, the new owner of JUMP II , Peter, and a couple of his crew stopped in to say hello and asked a lot of questions. Ron and Peter shared the story of the purchase of the boat going from a Tartan 30 at a 168 rating to the faster J33. They are having a ball finishing the races before the party on shore is over. Emails, pictures, and shirts were all exchanged during this last 20 hours and I think we have made a new friend.

After cocktails at the clubhouse and observing the normal loud and by now stretched out versions of stories of the race course (seems that the translation takes place at the beer tent) , we head back to the boat for a great ribeye steak Ron has prepped on the grill, and salads I made earlier in the day. Sunset was upon us as we had our last glass of wine and Ron went below to eat the last of Mom's homemade cookies.

Great day.