Sailing In The Fog
The fog rolled in like a blanket being pulled over the big lake, and suddenly the way forward was no longer apparent. The skipper and crew, although concerned, did not panic, they had trained for this. A fix had been charted as the fog overtook the vessel, so they knew where they were. Getting to their destination would be a little trickier now, but not impossible.
A lookout was posted on the bow, the foghorn blasted every two minutes, the radar was "rotating and radiating". Even so, the fog was disorienting, bending light and sound to create optical and auditory illusions.
The sailors shook off the confusion. Trusting their navigation skills, the boat slipped forward. Each dead reckoning plot along the rhumb line indicating they were nearing the safety of the harbor.
"Land Ho!" bellowed the lookout as the harbor entrance came into view through the mist, right where it was supposed to be.
Navigating through COVID-19 has been a lot like sailing in the fog. We know that without good planning and navigation skills, our organization could become stranded or wrecked upon the rocks.
As sailors we know that we control the tiller and we know how to trim the sails in the ever changing winds.
We can't sail directly against the wind, but we are able to claw off a lee shore by tacking, and eventually we will round the mark, pop the chute, and relish in a downwind sleigh ride.
Too that end, we have made changes to our sail training programs for 2021 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and insure trainees and crew stay safe . In this newsletter I want to introduce you to our new "Youth Day Sails", "Youth Journeys" and "Family Adventure Sails". Information about these new adventures can be found on this website under “Learn With Us” and “Sail With Us”.
With good planning, navigation skills, and support from you, we look forward to the "fair winds and following seas" to come. We also hope that through our new programs we can share sunny days, fresh breezes and sparkling waters with you on Lake Superior this summer!
Gordon Ringberg
Executive Director
www.LakeSuperiorTallShips.org