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The second two week trip of the short year started on
February 1st for John, leaving a freezing New York behind and landing in
the heat of Rincon. With three days to spend by himself before
Rita and other guests were due to arrive, he spent the first day on the
beach by himself planning on what to do. (Besides drink and swim.)
He wanted to surprise Rita with something special since her birthday was
only a week away. Sitting in the hot sun, he decided to build a
roof over the back deck, to block the sun and make the best part of the
house habitable in the daytime. He had been thinking about it for
awhile and planned to build it similar to the roof he put over the Tiki
Bar in rockaway, only with a stronger and opaque material. |
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He decided to leave the beach a little early and head to home depot
to get the project underway. But first a stop in the bar Shipwrecks for
a cold beer and to examine their roof structure which is similar to
what he wanted to do. He talked to some people in the bar for
awhile, Hector the bartender, a guy named Steve who is a retired camera
man for Wide World of Sports, and a young couple visiting for the first
time. After a few rounds and some hearty laughs John headed to the
parking lot. As he passed Taino Divers though he decided to pop
his head in and ask a question. "Do you know anyone who teaches
sailing on a Sunfish?" Behind the counter was a a vision, Jeanne
Walker Sinclair who answered, "yes, I do." John entered and needed
to verify his good fortune.
"You are a sailing instructor?" John asked.
"Yes"
"I don't know anything about sailing" John admitted to her.
"Don't worry I can teach you," she reassured him.
"You over estimate my intelligence," John told her.
"Its just that I'm confident in mine, I can teach anyone."
John likes confidence in a woman. |
she's trying to say the big 5, 0. |
This is the sunfish that Cubby and John
would learn on. |
The last time John and Rita was in Rincon the
previous month John had told Rita how nice it would be to learn to sail
and get their own Sunfish. Rita agreed and that was enough to
convince John that this would be the perfect gift. Forget the
roof, learn to sail, and surprise her with a new skill and boat.
That night at happy hour John told Cubby his plan and asked him to join
him in the lessons. Cubby thought it was a very romantic
idea and decided to so it too.
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On the day of the first lesson John got there first
and met up with Jeanne and her husband Jeff. Jeff is a great guy
and a man with many talents. He is also a sailor and a masseur.
They asked John where his friend was and he told them Cubby would be
here shortly. "how long do you know him?" Jeanne asked.
"at least 15 years" John answered.
Jeanne asked, "what's his name."
John thought about it for a few seconds, "I don't know." he
embarrassingly admitted. "Cosmo?" John guessed.
Cubby showed up right after that and Jeanne asked him his name and he
answered Neil OConner.
John Cubby and Jeanne sat in the sand for 45 minutes as Jeanne taught
them terminology, determining wind direction, factors affecting the
boat, safety, etc. |
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Jeff and Jeanne and Magic. |
Jeanne was very thorough and an excellent teacher.
Cubby and John are not the greatest students. Especially with a
hangover. I guess that is the way it will be everyday in Rincon
for them.
Jeanne told them the first thing they must learn in the water is how to
turn the boat over in the event of a capsize. That didn't sit too
well with Cubby, who as a former member of the Coast Guard knew that
capsizing is not a good thing. Nonetheless Jeanne demonstrated for
the boys and then made them each capsize and right the ship. Its
actually not that difficult if you know what you're doing. Next
Jeanne took Cubby out for a half hour lesson and then told him to go
sail by himself around the Marina while she took John out and taught
him. |
| Sailing was a little frustrating at times, especially
when there were light winds. The weather was pretty good for
learning though, the water was pretty calm, and the winds were light to
moderate. Jeanne was really patient with her patients, I mean
students, and would stay for hours extra each day to make sure Cubby and
John were getting it. She truly is great person and teacher.
After lessons John, Cubby, Jeff and Jeanne would get some lunch and
adult beverages and get to know each other. After two days of learning
they planned the all important third day, when Rita would arrive.
the plan was to tell Rita that Cubby and John were going golfing while
they took their last lesson. Rita and Tony G. were arriving at 5
am anyway and would want to sleep. Tony was in on the surprise and
would take Rita to the beach when they woke up and then John would
surprise them by sailing up to shore and jumping out of the boat in
front of Rita. |
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The plan went off beautifully except for one thing.
Rita is not a big fan of surprises. As a matter of fact she was
confused when she saw John jump off the boat. "What about golf?"
she asked. John explained the whole plan to which Rita said, "I
don't remember anything about sailing."
Oh well, John and Rita will work on communication skills.
However when sailing was over Jeanne, Jeff, John, Cubby, Rita, Tony G,
and Stan hung out on the beach and then back at the house for an old
fashion cooler party. |
| More stories and pictures to come, Super Bowl, Rita's
Party, Shipwrecks, Cofresi, Calypso, Jesus or Knot?....... |
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