|
To order your copy of the award-winning Twisted
Climb series, click on the link below! |
There are so many 'never-have-I-ever' moments since last July that I've lost count. We sailed from Georgian Bay, Canada, through three of the five Great Lakes, through the United States waterways and canals, and reached the Bahamas four months later. Last week, in order to retreat from gale force winds and 3-4 metre waves (12-16 feet), we anchored beside the wee island of Little Farmers Cay. It is the second smallest isolated community in the Exumas, part of the Bahama islands.
The 'never-have-I-ever' moment came when my partner and I were invited to participate in the local 5 Fs.
Um, hello? Five what?
The male locals are not averse to using the 'F' word. It's a favourite verb, adjective, adverb, noun - well, you get it. So you may understand my hesitation to participate in the 5 Fs. Nonetheless, I nudged my partner, Ian. "You might be good at it," I said, smiling sweetly.
Ian gave me the side-eye but the local man gave Ian a huge smile.
"You'll be on my team, then," he stated. "You are a sailor, right?"
Ian nodded.
"Have you raced boats before?"
Again Ian nodded. In Ontario, he raced sailboats for many years.
The man continued. "We race 10, maybe 15 other boats this coming Saturday. They'll be coming from islands all over the Exumas. It's our annual 5 Fs."
Ah, I thought. Not a swearing contest.
The man pointed to his t-shirt. "5 Fs" was blazoned across the front. Below it, in smaller letters was the meaning behind the 5 Fs: First Friday in February Farmers Cay Festival. The highlight of the event was the sailing races - three categories. The first category was for non-residents to race in their own sailboat. There are no restrictions or handicaps. All you need is your own sailboat, whether it be a catamaran or a monohull. Unfortunately, due to the gale force winds, this Class was cancelled. What a relief. While I love my boat, as does Ian, he would use every trick in the racing book to pull out a win. That means all the other sailors are in trouble.
The second category (C-Class) is for young, teenage sailors. The sailboats are all home-made, using material from the Bahamas. There are no motors and only one sail. These youngsters race in a wooden, 12-foot boat, a crew of just two in each boat.
E-Class represents a 17.5 foot vessel, each with a crew of five. As with the C-Class, the boats are handmade in the Bahamas. After all, sailing is the national sport of these beautiful islands. Similar to the C-Class, there are no motors and only one very large main sail. In fact, the boom which supports the sail from the mast, is almost twice as long as the boat. Crew use two 8x12 wooden beams to 'hike' out and, for additional ballast, ingots of lead are placed in the hull. The boat on which Ian was a crew member, named "Miss Rowie," had 600 pounds of lead!
 |
| An E-class sailboat (one of many) delivered/lowered by crane at Little Farmers Cay for the annual race. Note the full ocean-style keel, painted white, on the bottom of the boat. |
 |
| The sliding boards used for the crew to 'hike' out and prevent the boat from tipping :) |
 |
| The crew of Miss Rowie prepping for the race. |
 |
| Ian and a second crew member (Scott) hiking out on the boards |
 |
 |
| The proud crew of Miss Rowie. |
And don't forget to tell the ones you love that you love them :)
J.C. Kavanagh, author of
The Twisted Climb - A Bright Darkness (Book 3) Best YA Book FINALIST at Critters Readers Poll 2022
AND
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2) voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll
Voted Best Local Author, Simcoe County, Ontario, 2021
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young-at-heart
