As I was waxing the mini Leigh, our 17 foot Boston Whaler, yesterday afternoon the effects of non hurricane hurricane, Earl, were still felt on the Ossining waterfront. The winds were blowing from the northwest at approximately 20-25mph. There was a decent chop out in the Hudson--about 2-3 foot waves, short ones which makes for a rough time. But the mini Leigh was finally waxed and thoughts of taking her out to Shelter Island, Sag Harbor and Plum Gut again sometime in the future crossed my mind. But then I noticed that a sailor in an overturned laser was just about 50-100 yards away from me.
I started putting things away, but then noticed that this kid couldn't turn the laser over. Either he was tired from the wind and chop, didn't know what he was doing, or his mast was stuck in the mud. As I prepared myself to assist taking off items that could clog my deck and put on my lifevest, two of my fellow yacht club members out of nowhere also climbed aboard with vests on. They knew somehow that I was going there to help this kid who was wearing his lifevest.
As we idled around the corner of the break wall and came out off the inlet, you immediately knew it was rough. The biggest guy was on the bow (that's always the case somehow) and we already started taking water over the bow. A quick adjustment was made--I sped up a little while the big guy moved slightly aft :)
We got to the kid and as I suspected, his mast was stuck in the mud. In a calm day, this is easy to get out of. But in a rough chop, the wave action actually pounds the hull driving in the mast further into the mud. As I idled downwind of the overturned laser, I noticed that with the motor on, the wind howling and the waves crashing around both boats, I could barely hear anyone talk. It's amazing actually though my old two stroke motor has a lot to do with that :)
The kid asked us to throw him a line so that he could secure it to his mast, and we use my boat's motor to BACK away and right his vessel. Note this is kind hard to imagine, but we had to do this as you don't put your stern against breaking waves. We tried for a few minutes but then my friend's knot failed--and of course my motor then stalled. In a flash--e.g. before I could crank up the motor, the mini Leigh was ON the breakwall. Fortunately, she was on the part that was sloping. I jumped off and prayed that the breakwall (which is an old rusty barge that was sunk on purpose) wouldn't cave in. I turned the mini Leigh stern into the wind so that her motor wouldn't keep banging on top the breakwall.
Within 30 seconds another boat saw what happened and got there to help both the mini Leigh and the kid. We couldn't pull up the mast--but tied one of my buoy's to it so that other boaters wouldn't run over it. As I write this, I don't know if they got it out but the kid and his laser are safe. I think the mini Leigh is ok--she fired up again but I still need to check further. (Post ride edit: she seemed ok this morning though she's still idling a bit low.)
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I must admit that when someone told me that Andy Pettitte was speaking nearby to give his testimony, I was a bit star struck. I have read numerous times that he was a devout Christian but did crave a pix with one of my kids and him. I actually brought the foul ball we snagged the other day with a pen and put it in the trunk of our car, though we ended up carpooling in someone else's car. I also admit that when I learned that fairly new Yankee Lance Berkman, whose number is 17, was also speaking, I was a bit like, "whatever, big deal, we're here to see a Yankee star."
While Andy's testimony was good, Lance Berkman's and then Pastor Kevin Gillen's short message hit home with me. (I hope I get this right.) He was raised a Catholic since childhood and always attended service. But in college while he continued to practice, he also did what young boys in college do--drink and chase girls and "quietly" practice Catholicism--that is go to church but hope that your baseball teammates don't see you.
It wasn't until his junior year in college when his roommate who was also a big time athlete showed Lance the error in his ways. He wasn't afraid to display his love for God all the time and not just go through the motions. Lance's Berkman said more about his life and words hit a nerve--but then Pastor Kevin opened my eyes and heart. He said that Andy Pettitte and Lance Berkman didn't bring you here--God did. He knew that this summer, and maybe even a bit longer I was bit away from Him and needed another rescue.
