Today was Roger's turn, sailing into Snug Harbor.
Roger spread a map of the island to help follow the stories.
After the dolphins leave, we go forward to Snow White's bow. We
watch the shoreline slip by as we near the harbor entrance.
We're sailing east around Singalong Point. The sea is choppy as the
breeze picks up.
We go aft to the stern. We're helping Dad and Mother do all the things
that are important when a sailboat enters a harbor.
Dad gives Suzanne and me important jobs: the port and starboard watch.
Suzanne has the port side and I have starboard. In sailing talk the 'port'
side is on the left when you're facing the bow or forward, and 'starboard,'
is on the right, also when you're facing forward.
We're in the channel that leads into the harbor, and we'll soon need a
place to drop the boat's anchor. 'Dropping anchor' are more sailing
words. They mean about the same as setting a car's brakes when the car
stops in the driveway and the motor turned off.
Suzanne is watching to port, looking for drifting debris and logs, and to
make sure the boat doesn't cut too close to the island. I'm taking care of
starboard, watching for the same things, and for traffic heading our way
from the open sea.
Mother is standing by to lower the sail when Dad gets Snow White to
the mooring. Mooring, used this way is like a parking space. Dad is
steering the boat and trying to watch everything.