Sailing, Eco, Health Adventures: Hoe Down at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center, Old Lyme, CT

Sailing, Eco, Health Adventures: Hoe Down at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center, Old Lyme, CT

Another Great Article by Captain John Jamieson

Five Golden Rules to Live By for Sailing Safety!  By John Jamieson at www.skippertips.com

If you are anything like me, one of the toughest decisions to make seems to be the "go; no go" one. That final call every sailing skipper needs to make before casting off.

Use this five step process from the masters. You will gain the confidence to deal with those unexpected situations that come your way when day sailing, cruising, or racing.

It's one thing if it's just you alone. Single-handers have the luxury of just being responsible for themselves.
But if you have sailing crew aboard, you are tasked with their safety and well being. So how can you make that final call in a calm, confident manner?
Here are five reliable methods, used by the world's best blue water sailors, to help you meet the challenges ahead...

Prepare to the MaxPut yourself into a "what-if" mode of thought. Start at the bow and work aft. Could your anchor use another lashing (stopper) to keep it in place? Does the deck stowed dinghy or raft need extra bungee or lashings?
When was the last time you checked the chafe on each block and tackle, such as the traveler control lines, mainsheet, boom vang?
This becomes more critical as the weather deteriorates. Use this process underway and at anchor. Keep on top of little problems so that they don't become big ones.

Learn Three New Things Each DayLearn at least three new things every day. Read the writings of the masters, like Chichester, Moitessier, and Slocum. Roth, Chapman, Rousmaniere, Calder, Henderson, Hancock, Toss, Vigor, and so many more. These are guys that have "been there - done that".

You can pick up the fundamentals quickly, but half a lifetime is scarcely enough to perfect your techniques. -- Hal Roth

And the masters I look to when I need more information. If you force yourself into this "3-a-day" discipline, you will find that your range of knowledge will exceed your wildest expectations.
These don't need to be complex things that involve hours of study. Learn an easier way to tie a common sailing knot, a better way to balance your small sailboat, or a safer method to reef your mainsail to boost your sailing skills sky high!

Practice, Practice, PracticeHow many of us sailors have bent on that storm jib or trysail, hoisted it and sailed with it? Or hove to, just to check out how our boat behaves in different conditions? Or gone through drills like man overboard, reefing, or flooding emergency with the sailing crew the first day of the coastal or offshore cruise?
Practice drills produce an automatic response under trying conditions. That's the main reason that military services have drill after drill. There's nothing familiar about the sea to human beings. We are land creatures. It makes sense that we practice techniques like sail reefing or how to tie a marine knot over and over again.
Once these become second nature, you move on to the next step on the learning ladder. As multi-time circumnavigator Hal Roth said about cruising under sail: "You can pick up the fundamentals quickly, but half a lifetime is scarcely enough to perfect your techniques."

Understand the WeatherFew persons look to the heavens more than once a day--sometimes never. Yet, clouds give the first clues of a frontal approach. Keep an eye on puffy, cotton-ball cumulus that might thicken and lower in the afternoon. Towering cumulonimbus can bring vicious squalls and thunderstorms.
Combine clouds with a barometer, and you can often forecast weather with better accuracy than a NOAA broadcast. Be on the lookout for wind shifts or a change in the sea-wave direction. The more you understand marine weather, the more prepared you will be when the rough stuff arrives.

Set the Example for Others to FollowBe the first aboard to wear a knife and lanyard on your person (not stowed down below). Or to put on the pfd when the weather turns foul. Or to don the sailing harness and clip on to the jack line. Remember, your sailing crew will often hesitate out of fear of how they will look in the eyes of their peers. Silly as it sounds, we all sometimes want to be the last to get the sailing gear on. Always keep in mind that your crew will look to you to show them the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow these five tips from some of the world's wisest, most experienced sailors. You will build confidence and knowledge and gain the wisdom to make the right call to keep your sailing crew safe and sound.

---

"SEAMANSHIP SECRETS"
from International Marine / McGraw-Hill

"You will be in the hands of an experienced and trusted guide." -- Daniel Spurr, world famous author and former senior editor of Cruising World magazine.
"Written so clearly that navigation and seamanship will be comprehensible to anyone." -- Dave and Jaja Martin, circumnavigators, authors and stars of the documentary "Ice Blink".
"It should be read by anyone contemplating coastal cruising or blue water voyages." -- Ted Brewer, world famous yacht designer, veteran ocean racing and cruising sailor.
"It's a great book. The prose is simple and clear." -- John Vigor, acclaimed author of 12 sailing books and cruising sailor".


Captain John Shares 25+ Years of Experience to Show You How to...

Complete 90% of your navigation--before you cast off the lines.

Determine the best "window of opportunity" to transit any inlet.

Enter an unfamiliar harbor after dark in complete confidence.

Extend the trouble free service of any size inboard diesel engine.

Balance any sailing vessel in heavy weather in three easy steps.

Use "terrain effect" to forecast weather anywhere in the world.

Control boat emergencies with a simple method called M-A-T-E.


All this and much more. 326 pages tailored to short-handed sailors and crews.
Easy to read and loaded with crystal clear illustrations. Get your copy today!

© 2011 SkipperTips.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission prohibited.

"Trees In the Rigging" Land & Water Parade in Essex, CT on 11/28/11

Essex, CT is a very quaint, charming New England town near the mouth of the Connecticut River.   The town of Essex really loves a parade.  A large shipbuilding town and important port on the way from the Atlantic Ocean to New York City, Essex even has a parade for the "Burning of the Fleet", the day the British tried to put a halt to the American Revolution by burning the fleet of merchant and pleasure ships at anchor in Essex.  The 1st submarine was built in Essex in order to destroy British ships.  Invented by David Bushnell, it is know as "The Turtle".  It is now housed in the CT River Museum with copies in various other places, including the one built by students at Old Saybrook High School last year.

Anyway...back to this most recent Essex parade to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season.  There were antique cars and the antique Fire Engine, children & adults carrying lanterns, Fife and Drum Corps as well as Carollers, of course.   I was with the Maritime Education Network and their Pirate Ship float.    Earlier in the day at the school, after the men decorated and rigged the cannons so they would "fire" (smoke) found and hoisted the sails onto the ship and attached them, Kathy found the parrot and Sloan and I spruced up the children's faces looking out of the window of the stern of the ship.   Kathy David is the Director of the Maritime Education Network and marched alongside the ship with the "Pirate Monkey".  Sloan and I carried the Banner we'd decorated with tinsel and local children were found to ride in the float along with the adult volunteers.   You can get more information at www.maritimeeducation.org .




After leaving the Town Hall parking lot and parading down the hill into town and stopping on Main Street "The 12 Days of Christmas" with the crowd, someone towed the Pirate Ship back to the school so the rest of us could watch the parade of boats light up the darkness on the Connecticut River competing for the best Christmas & Holiday Season's light display.

 As they sailed by us a couple times, delighting us with their creativity and originality, you could hear the "oohs" and "ahhhhhs" from the crowd.  Anyone connected with Essex Yacht Club frostbiting on the CT River was very happy to see our own "Fair & Square", the Race Committee boat, so beautifully decorated as Santa's shop on one side with the American flag on their other.   There were even a couple of specially decorated and well lit kayaks paddled by very brave, hardy souls that had not ever been seen before, judging by the applause.   Santa Claus was then ferried up to the CT River Museum dock where he was greeted by a long line of youngsters wanting to say "hi" and tell him their wishes.   If you happen to be in chilly New England during Christmas season - "Trees in the Rigging" certainly gets you in Holiday Spirit!

Hoe Down at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center, Old Lyme, CT

High Hopes is a magical place.  You start to feel it as soon as you turn into the approaching drive and catch a glimpse of the gray wood building that houses office, stables and world class riding arena.  There is a wide expanse of paddocks that seems to go on forever at the 120 acre equestrian and instructor training center. The stop sign at the beginning of the parking lot says "Whoa"!  The Hoe Down fund raiser on November 10th with 65 vendors filling the riding arena with their beautiful wares and tasty treats was lots of fun and great Christmas shopping on a beautiful fall day.  There was fun music to shop by , horses to see and even a horse drawn wagon ride.  When I arrived before 1PM to work the "raffle table", there were already 500 cars parked in the paddock.

The day to day atmosphere at High Hopes is cheerful, friendly and well organized.   The building is welcoming, fits in naturally in the country setting and is extremely well designed to contain stables, the riding arena, a reception area and lobby where you can watch the riders, offices and a kitchen.  It is full of amazing people, amazing horses, kindness, compassion, continuous activity, heartwarming moments and lots of smiles.  I have been volunteering as a "sidewalker" now since September and really look foward to it.  When I started out and had more free time, I would sub in for other "sidewalkers" as often as I could, meeting various participants, horses and other volunteers.  Sidewalking is also a great workout - "free gym", it's been called.  Our Volunteer Coordinator mentioned this aspect during the 3 hour training required of new volunteers.   Now I just get to "sidewalk" once a week, when I leave the office on Friday - from 5:30 - 6:30 PM.  It is a highlight of my week, especially now that sailing season is over.  I really look foward to seeing my student every week and help him have a great ride.  The relationships that develop between the volunteers, staff and their students and families is very special.  These friendships are enhanced by the healing power of the horses and the beauty of the surroundings. 

For last night's session there was a full moon.  What a joyful experience to be walking along the horse and my student with a couple high school student volunteers out in the crisp night air on the way to the lighted out door ring to do some more exercises.   My student was a bit agitated last night when he first arrived, but after about 10 minutes on the horse, he relaxed into his riding session and was able to follow most of the instructor's and our requests.  It was fun to see him enjoying so much the outdoor part of the session, he reminded me of a professional jockey or young cowboy as he sat so proud on the horse.  He even smiled as he watched the Canadian geese take flight and a lone deer grazing nonchanantly on the grass close by.

Although volunteers are not told the participant's diagnosis, only what skills they are working on; I can tell you from experience with my 9 year old nephew with autism, that my student has a disability on the severely autistic scale.  At age 12, he is really non-verbal, but it is a big thrill when his parents get him to whisper "bye bye" to me when it's time for him to leave.  One of his major strengths is in trotting and posting!  His posting skills are excellent.   One of the first times I worked with him, he stood up in his stirrups for 1 1/2 times around the arena, long after the horse had stopped trotting.  It seemed like he could have kept going longer too, but the 3 of us volunteers convinced him to sit down on the saddle and prepare to dismount.   His balance is amazing!  The biggest task I have with him is to keep reminding him to keep his hands on the saddle, as they continue to "fly up", almost though they have a life of their own.  Sometimes he might get a little agitated and then we have him trot which always helps him focus and calms him down.   Working with him brings out the best in me after sitting at a desk and working in customer service all week.   Besides sailing, I've loved horses since childhood so it's really refreshing to be around horses and "horse people".  It's incredibly rewarding to know that the horses, other volunteers, staff and myself are all helping to develop the self esteem, confidence and skills in our students that will serve them well in their future.

There are over 600 active volunteer staff and a very small professional staff who keep keep the busy schedule humming for the more than 250 child and adult participants at this world renowned equestrian and instructor training center.  There are 25 horses of all varieties from quarter horse to hunter to draft horse to miniature horse.  These horses must be so smart, so good, so kind and so well trained that out of every 100 or so horses offerred to High Hopes for donation, only 1 or maybe 2 are suitable.

One of my aunts, who is a world class horsewoman and riding instructor, said that "horses are a great way to connect people".   This is certainly true at High Hopes.  More information can be found at:  www.highhopestr.org .

Dr. Bernie Siegel at The Graduate Institute: "Reflections on the Art of Living & Healing"

For three consecutive Monday nights this September, I was one of the 25 or so lucky people attending Dr. Bernie Siegel's "Reflections on the Art of Health and Healing" at The Graduate Institute, www.learn.edu ,  in Bethany, CT.  Bernie, as he prefers to be called, has been a leader in the field of Integrative Health and Medicine for many years, is renowned for his work with cancer patients and was one of the founders of The Graduate Institute over ten years ago.  He is the author of many books, including A Book of Miracles; Faith, Hope and Healing; Affirmations For Living Beyond Cancer; Prescriptions for Living.   Bernie and his wife live here in Connecticut, where they raised 5 children.  They have also partnered together in some of the workshops involved with healing.  It sounds like they had always had a lot of pets and other animals around their home - a loving, happy, perhaps sometimes chaotic scene for a family to thrive.

Bernie Siegel graduated from Cornell University Medical School with honors and was trained in Surgery at Yale New Haven Medical School.  In 1989, he left his position at Yale as Asst. Clinical Professor of General and Pediatric Surgery in order to spend more time speaking with patients, their families and caregivers and write books about how love and happiness relate to healing illness.  He has a very warm, positive, strong and dynamic presence, and is very approachable.

I first saw him speak a number of years ago when I was 28 years old.  There were about 125 people in the audience.   To begin his presentation, he asked the audience, "how many people here want to live to be 100 years old?" I was a bit smug about my youth, I guess, and had never known anyone that old before.  100 was quite a bit older than even my grandparents and I hadn't thought that many years ahead in my own life.  So I didn't raise my hand and felt reassured as I looked around, as only a few people had their hands raised.   Then he said, "those who raised their hands will have the happiest lives, the best relationships and the best quality of life because they are thinking long term and have the most reverence for life".  I was a bit chagrined, and it was a real "aha" moment in my life for which I am eternally grateful.       

                                                 

Fast forward a number of years to September 2011.  It is such a treat to be in one of his classes at this point in my life and to be able to look back over the years as well as to see the tremendous advances in medical thought, practice and the growing emphasis on preventative medicine in this country.  Even with negatives such as soaring costs of medical insurance and for the doctors, soaring costs of malpractice insurance, the rising rates of autism and ADHD, obesity, breast and other types of cancer - people are now living much longer than 25 years ago and most with a better quality of life.  Information about the importance of exercise and healthy eating habits and stress management is so widely accepted now in Western Medicine.  This so complements our very advanced techniques in surgery and pharmaceutical research in this country for the benefit of the patient, who is now more of a client.   People are now encouraged to take much more responsibility for their health than in the past.

Some pearls of wisdom Bernie shared during his seminar this September are:  "If you want to enjoy the rest of your life, let your heart make up your mind."  "If you want to live the longest, healthiest life - love your life and your body and let it know that you do".  "Don't give others your power."  "See yourself as a work in progress, like a painting."  "If someone asks you to do something you don't feel like doing, say 'no'."  "Find out what makes you lose track of time and do it as much as possible."  "Have a vision of who you want to be and let people around you be your coaches."  "Look for coaches and role models and imitate them."

In one session, he had us all draw 2 pictures.  One was of ourselves.   If anyone in the class had an illness, he wanted them to draw the treatment and how they thought about it.  The other picture was of a scene in nature, or us with our family or us at work.  I am not an artist, but was able to draw a picture of a harbor in the Caribbean filled with sailboats that made me feel happy when I was finished.  This is what he does with his patients so he can analyse how they are thinking about themselves, their disease and their lives. 

From his years of practicing medicine, Bernie is a firm believer that "A person's life affects their health" and in the power of the mind/body relationship. He believes we are alive in order to learn, grow and love others.   "Fear is to keep you healthy, but if you live in fear you don't grow,  so live in love."  He also said, "Seek growth, not just joy and someday you realize you have enough."

In order to heal from an illness, disease or injury, Bernie says, "if you lose your health, treat it like you have lost your car keys."  In other words, keep the focus on finding it again.  He espoused the concept that whatever treatment the patient is receiving, it is very important that they believe in it thoroughly and feel that it is helping them.

Bernie Siegel is a master healer and a very warm, positive, down to earth presence who attracts a diverse group of people who are looking to heal from serious illness or tragedy with themselves or in their family, often involving children; as well as those who seek to heal others.   It was a joy to be in his class and to meet some of the remarkable people who were there.  The Graduate Institute is such an uplifting,  lightfilled environment with all the glass that seems to bring the outdoors inside and feels somewhat like a spa or like being on a retreat.  I look foward to the next time I am there and hope to keep the connection with Bernie Siegel and some of the amazing people I met in class.

Kiteboarding in Madison, CT

Yesterday, I drove to Hammonesett Beach in Madison to meet a good friend I've known since high school.  Our goal was to get some good exercise walking that beautiful long stretch of beach as a pre-Thanksgiving defense against all the extra calories.   I was really looking foward to being out of doors  by the water as I had been stuck indoors all week at my "seasonal desk job".  It was a sunny, windy, Fall day - good football game weather, as they say - and I was dressed for it with a scarf and gloves.  It was windy, 50 plus degrees Farenheit, "warm" for New England at this time and I expected it would be great to be walking on the beach again, getting exercise with a friend, but I did not expect to be transported to another time and another place. 

The first surprise was to see 3 colorful windsurfing sails skimming along the waves, their skippers dressed head to toe in black rubber wetsuits, of course!  We were happy and excited to see them out there the weekend before Thanksgiving in Connecticut; there were others on the beach who were also entranced, just watching them.  My friend, who is not a sailor said, "how can they stand it out there when it is cold and the water is so much colder?".  "Well, they are a bit crazy" I said "and in love with the wind".  Which is something one just has to feel or not, one can''t really explain it. 

As we were walking along enjoying the sight of them skim along on the water with the sunlight and white froth of the waves, my friend was saying she'd never seen windsurfers like that before in action.  Since she had visited me once when I lived in California for a few years in the 80's and I thought I remembered taking the Ferry to Sausilito together, where the windsurfers flock around the ferry and surf the rooster tail waves it makes, I asked if she hadn't seen them then.  Their skill and ability made me think of kiteboarding and I started talking about that, and another friend's son who is big into kiteboarding.  All of a sudden, she said, "Look at that!".  I looked in the direction she was pointing and sure enough there was a kiteboarder jumping the waves and getting some serious air, right there on Hammonesett beach!  Actually, there were 3 or 4 kiteboarders out there and a kite or two up on the beach, where they had set up their base.  Then a man rode by us on a go cart, propelled by a kite.  I was so happy and amazed to see this much activity on a beach in Connecticut with winter approaching; I felt like I was back on the California beaches again!

I really wanted to meet the kitesurfers, and saw that one with plaid surfer shorts on over his wetsuit, who had been doing some seriously high jumps and spins in the air (we are talking 15 - 20 feet or so), had landed on the beach saying "I'm done" and had asked one of his buddies to catch his kite.  After he derigged, we introduced ourselves and I asked him where they were from and how long he had been kiteboarding.  He said "Clinton" and mostly local, although some come down from Rhode Island and he had been kiteboarding since 2003, but it was easy to learn and get good within a year.  He pointed to another sail on the water and told me that he had been doing it for just a year.  He said they just travel around every weekend to wherever has the best wind, and that this day was minimum windspeed for him to go kiteboarding in the winter.  It was blowing about 18 - 20 knots.  He said they really like it at 30 knots and had even kiteboarded during Hurricane Irene, although he said the local authorities weren't too happy with them for that.

Mike is also a high school science teacher, photographer and the owner of www.nekiteboard.com. He gives classes in kiteboarding and helps out at the Coast Guard Academy.  I'm sure he is very popular with his students and a great role model for staying healthy, fit, sharing his appreciation and enjoyment of our incredible natural resources and pursuing one's passions.  Check out his website - I know you'll enjoy it!

America's Cup Racing Goes Extreme for 2013

It's been a great summer with the young sailors, family and friends, but not so good for writing blogs so I will try to make it up to you now.   Thanks to www.bizjournals.com, here is a photo of USA's entry "Oracle", driven by Australia's James Spithill in Plymouth, England.  It is the 2nd leg of the America's Cup World Series in the 45 foot catamarans that are raced this year and the next. At this point there are 9 boats racing against each other. They represent the countries of: USA, China, France, Korea, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden. Several boats have dropped out already from Australia and from Italy, while several others are rumored to be working towards meeting the participation requirements.  

The America's Cup finals in September 2013 in San Francisco will be in 72 foot catamarans competing for the oldest international sports trophy in the world, started in 1851.  This truly international competition now brings billions of dollars to the economy in the city of the country that wins and hosts this event.  One of the top three international sporting events along with the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, the stakes in this event are extremely high in just about every way you can imagine from yacht and equipment engineering to the incredible physical conditioning and attention to safety for the sailors.  These new, incredibly fast catamarans have morphed the sport of sailboat racing into a thrilling event not just for sailors, but also for landlubbers.  There is the magic of sailing combined with the intensity of Formula 1 racing, but on the water.  It is a transformation akin to the introduction of Apolo Ohno's style of speed skating to the Olympics, snowboarding to the world of skiing events or perhaps even breaking the sound barrier in the world of aeronautics.

                                      

Next summer, the fleet of AC 45's and crews will be in Newport, Rhode Island, where there will be great spectator seating to experience the excitement.  More than 10,000 spectators, many on land, in Plymouth, England are now viewing the daring feats of sailors on boats that can achieve speeds of about 40 miles an hour as they hurtle through the water.   According to American Terry Hutchinson, skipper of the Swedish boat, "Artemis", when I saw him at Larchmont Yacht Club's Jr. Sailing Seminar in June 2011, the G Forces are such at that point that the sailors are all wearing protective gear and must be tethered to the boat so they don't fall off if the boat suddenly plows into a wave and stops.   Besides world class sailing skills, these sailors have to have the mental and physical conditioning of top athletes in the world, as well as total trust in their team members and their boats.  Hope to see you in Newport next summer!