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Shearwave....Tony
and Ginette's Niagara 35
Go to Tony and Ginette's Photo Galleries
When
you are born in England, you are never too far away from the sea.
Nowhere in England is ever
more than 50 miles from one ocean or another, heart of oak and all that. So it
wasn't much of a surprise that I grew up with a fondness for water, albeit a
kayak on the local canal. The canal was so polluted that at times you could
actually walk on the water. To cut a long story short, I graduated to a 500 hp
RIB scooting around on the north sea, saturation diving, having a great time and
getting paid for it!!
After I moved to Canada in 1978 I met Ginette and we pursued
our love of the outdoors together. We played with touring kayaks including
getting caught in severe weather during a trip on Lake Superior. We survived the
onset of hypothermia and eventually made it back to civilization. (Touring
kayaks are the safest boats in the world... and nobody will ever change our
minds on that point). We also played with white water kayaks, both gaining
certification in the sport.
In the winter we skied, both being members of the Canadian
Ski Patrol System, gaining certification in "on hill" techniques and of course
Advanced First Aid and Rescue. After we left the CSPS we had this sort of
epiphany.... let's sail around the world!
I know! I know! We bought a Catalina 27 which we kept in Oak
Bay, just to see if we liked it. We did, and about 12 months later we bought
Shearwave, a 35' Niagara sloop, built in Ontario by Richard Hinterholler.
She is built like a brick outhouse, which is what we wanted for a
circumnavigation. Designed as a blue water boat she was just what we were
looking for. We set out on three years of refit. I knew that Shearwave would get
there, but I was doubtful if she would get back again!
During this period of refit, I was taken ill..... end of
circumnavigation. So you lot are stuck with us paddling around the great Pacific
Northwest always wanting to point the bowsprit out a little more and perhaps,
one day, not stopping!
Some of you may remember that we sail with two dogs ( D'Fer
and K2) Well, D'Fer has left us and now it is just K2. K2 is the clumsy one,
falling off Dunrushn and walking off the dock while watching a Blue Heron.
We don't spend as much time on the boat as we would like,
usually about four months each year. Living in Edmonton, Alberta is too far away
for the odd weekend. (750 miles)
We look forward to
seeing you all again at the next FYC raft-up.
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Tony and Ginette's Photo Galleries