reliving the past with the mouse.

[verner j canatsey]

I'm sitting here to bad out to do anything outside. Reading blogs from other sailors and thinking back to when I was on the water 8-12 hours a day 5,6 & 7 days a week.Those were great days. I worked in what I thought was the best group on the water at Disney. We carried folks from Dixie Landing (now Port Orleans Riverside) to downtown Disney on what Disney called the Sassagoula river. 2.5 miles of winding river through the woods under 3 bridges and across the lake at Downtown. What a ride!!. When I retired I was a trainer of incoming drivers and a shift leader. We made 8 trips a night every night until midnight. It was a boaters dream job. I never thought of it as a job more of a really fun fantasy. During one peroid of time I worked a 10 hour shift on which I was a spare boat just running the river keeping the docks cleaned off of guests. On a good day in 10 hours I could run the 2.5 mile river 23 times in a day. I was told it was not possible to do that but I did! And they kept trying to slow down the engines so I wouldn't move so fast but were never able to get the job done. Just one more challenge for me! I learned to dock a boat any way necessary front to, side to, both sides, multiple boating docking at once. Back in , slip-in side, j-dock. If not for my stroke forcing me to retire I'd still be out there terrorizing the river Hee Hee! I loved that job! Then on my days off sailing my own boat. I've sailed the keys, the gulf, the intra-coastal, the St. John's river. And various lakes around O-town One of my favorite sails was off Sanibel from the back side. I was told I couldn't get through blind pass under the bridge. All that did was to convince me it had to be done. At the tme I was sailing a 16' cat and I was 15 years younger. I headed for the bridge on a waning tide and as I came up to the bridge from the East I dropped my mast back on the trampoline, I laid down on the tramp next to the sail and floated under the bridge. As soon as I came out from under I reraised the mast and headed out into the gulf free and happy and secure in the fact that I did something I was told I couldn't do.

[verner j canatsey]

Well I just got back from the Caribbean. It was a trip to make us both happy. We went own on Royal Caribbean's Freedom, sort of a floating city. But when we got to St. Thomas we hopped aboard a 67' steel hulled ketch and cruised the islands around St. Thomas for 6 1/2 hours. Then back on the Freedom and over to St. Marteen and on to a 65' schooner for a round trip from the Dutch side to the French side and back 4 1/2 hours both trips in beautiful weather. . The first trip we had about 30 kt winds and 8 to10 foot seas and the 2nd day we had 15 to 20 kt winds 4 to 6 foot seas just absolutly fabulous. I even had my wife thinking of a bigger boat for us to live on. I may be dreaming but it sure sounds good to me. We agreed that one really need to visit the islands for a longer period on time, like 1 or 2 months on your own boat.

[Banana Wind]

well we love the water just as you do ...and we love your spirit! Keep on sailing ...and never let the spirit leave ya!

[verner j canatsey]

Not that I know of. I was driving long before I lost the eye. I started driving in '94 and lost the eye due to a stroke in '98 . Mostly the only difference I can tell is loss of periferal vision on the left side and I can on longer see 3-D in a movie.

[___/)ances With Sails]

Apparently ye left yer daughter somethin she loves...sounds like she lucky and proud of her new duties...KUDOS. I too am blessed.


my night vision seems t get 'twice' better, actually doubling in wee hrs., '''''burp!''''''lmao no pun intended to yer stuatuion...but does yer other eye see better w/ other gone? I bought my first pair of readers the other day. sux.

[verner j canatsey]

I ment driving at night not diving. My Bad!!!

[verner j canatsey]

The real fun part of this was that my daughter took over my job when I had to retire. She came on board with my training and reminded everybody of me. She even became a trainer and lead driver. She also has kept the record of being able to navigate the river safer and faster then anybody else on the river, Hee Hee One of the interesting patrs of the job was diving at night without lights other than incidental and moon light. And at night when we were finished we drove a 1/2 mile canal with foileage on both sides hanging out in the channel. Most people were actually afraid to driver it with no lights let alone at full throttle without lights, which I did every night and so does my daughter Sarah. We both have excellent night vision. I used to laugh at the other drivers who went by to drydock with me at night they couldn't believe I did it until they rode with me. I have even done the same thing for miles on the St. John's river if I went to far and got caught out after dark away from my marina. And Sarah has done likewise. If Ican find a picture of that boat I post it. I think I've got a picture of one decked out like a pirate ship.Watch my pictures for a big pontoon boat

[___/)ances With Sails]

["I never thought of it as a job more of a really fun fantasy."]

My point and anticipation exactly, Mr canatsey. Soon to be a realization, given I can growl through the greenhorn grundge!!!

Welcome Sir, Liquor to yer left, women to yer right! Uh, sorry Mrs. Canatsey, been out to dinner and ye know how that goes...

___/)

[verner j canatsey]

I dream of cutting the lines before I die. Only thing holding me on the is the beautiful lady I married a few years back. (53 to be exact). She can handle day sails but only leaves the shore on something built by Royal Cribbean Cruise Line :-)

[Dave Skolnick]

Great story Jack. Thanks for sharing. I've always taken "you can't" as a challenge.

Looking forward to catching up with you in the Bahamas someday.

sail fast and eat well, dave
S/V Auspicious