PINEAWEIGH-DAY FOURTEEN: Sidney North Saanich, B.C.

“Okay, let’s go to the practice boat.” A no-nonsense, tanned, teenaged girl seized the shoulder of her charge and led him away from a larger sailboat. 

A series of student sailboats stand immediately across the dock from us here at Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club—and lucky, lucky us for having found space on this B.C. holiday.

“I don’t wanna use the practice boat,” whined the boy. He was tall enough to feel big but the only developed parts of his body were knees jutting out from below long, striped shorts and above flat calves, and skinny feet that stretched well ahead of the rest of him, feeling the future for the boy they support. 

“I don’t wanna use the practice boat,” he repeated, but he did. If he wanted to join the junior sailing class here at Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club, he will do with less that he wishes.

The Instructor yelled out, “When I call out a word, touch what I’m saying: “Daggerboard!” “Boom bang!” “Tiller!” On she went.

Practice is less than what most of us want about anything. 

I opened a small cabinet in the guest stateroom, unzipped a long pocket in my computer case and pulled out a book of music and my travel recorder.