Setting Sail

This Saturday just gone, we ventured up to the Victorian seaside town of Sorrento, just about an hour and a half's drive from the city.  Our friend C, who has been working on building a sailboat with the team at the Wooden Boat Shop for a few years now, invited an impressive group of family & friends to join in the launching of this beautiful creation onto the high seas . . . complete with Champagne bottle christening & a ceremonial blessing, this felt like a very special day.

Mum, Dad & I loaded into the car & hit the highway bound for the sea.  I don't think C and his family could have asked for or orchestrated a more perfect day.  Weather-wise, there is hardly a cloud in the sky.

We rolled down the gravel driveway to the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club around 2pm, and joined the milling crowd in the clubhouse for drinks & nibbles.

Still with a little time before the official ceremony began, we couldn't help but meander down the jetty to get a closer look at the brand new boat floating serenely atop the blue-green ripples.

Once the wind & choppy tides had calmed down, she was pulled in closer to the pier in preparation for the blessings & christening.

Ain't she something?!  I was quite taken with the colour and engraving - a handsome combination.

Breeze on my face, I got to visualising myself guiding a boat in the quiet of the day, cutting the blue depths & leaving a trail of white in the wake, the wind speeding the vessel along seamlessly across the water.

Gradually the crowd congregated at the end of the jetty, milling in eager anticipation of the official proceedings.  When the Champagne bottle cracked cleanly against the boat (never fear, there was a sock to protect the flawless wooden finish from the shattering glass!) a grand cheer rose into the air as the flags danced happily in the breeze.

Of course, I could not resist snapping a photograph of this lady fisherman, carrying on with her fishing as the chatter & hoorays from the crowd flew about in the salty sea breeze.

Eventually, the sun sank lower and the clouds of the early evening began to scatter their way across the sky.  With all that fresh sea air in our lungs, we made our way back to the big smoke.  

Adventures like these remind me how many different ways there are to spend your time, & touching base with old friends as well as getting to know a few new ones, was super refreshing.  Not to mention revelling in the beauty that nature offers up.