Old Fools Journal: Old Sailing Story

The above photo is a scan of the original production brochure for the Champion. With the ship on autopilot I could sit just inside that curved withshield with my back to the bulkhead and observe the sea going by nice and dry. And I did.

The recent news events about a killer whale brought back memories of a killer whale story of my own. Back around 1970 I owned a little sailing ship in Redondo Beach, California. I named it the "Stormy Petrel" after the tiny seabird seen offshore far at sea hovering above the surface and feeding on stuff you can't see. They are only about 6 inches (15 cm) long but for their body length have an impressive wing span and longest legs. They come to land only to breed.

I thought that the name was appropriate for this little vessel which had lived up to that name already when I bought it. I acquired it from the brother of the man who built it from individual parts all bought piecemeal from the Fiberglas Sailboats Company and he did a magnificent job. He then used it (I believe) as therapy sailing it alone offshore for weeks at a time after an "unfortunate event" in his life. His brother had renamed it "ARABRAB" which is Barbara backwards. I had to change the name. Stormy Petrel was only 21 feet (6.4m)long on deck but in that length incorported a double berth forward, an enclosed head and galley midships, two quarter berths aft and an inboard single cylinder "Vire" engine with Morse single lever controls. The brochure claimed it could seat six in the cockpit but that meant 6 very little people.

In 1970 or thereabouts my beautiful future exwife and I decide to load the camping gear, her beautiful daughters and her wonderful mother on the boat and go camping on Catalina Island. I took a ton of pictures with the Kodak but they have all disappeared into the great black hole of moving around.

We took an eight foot dingy with us to get ashore and set off. It was an uneventful trip with the youngest daughter looking at me with accusing eyes the whole time blaming me for her torture and eventual death. She lived and went on to worse things. The mother-in-law as usual was the greatest of company, a willing worker, great personality and just generally good company. She has gone on now to wherever good people go but I still see her kind face in my memory. She is where my date got her good looks and sense of humor.
This is the cove but taken at a later date from another boat. I revisited this spot many times

I put them ashore on Catalina Island with a tent and supplies for two weeks. I believe it was south of Empire Landing (where I fell off my boat while mooring in full winter regalia years later, another story) in Rippers Cove but I could be wrong. They were capable and resourceful and could walk out if I did not return. No telephone, no radio, no electricity, no readily available fresh water, no ambulance service, no problem. Five good looking smart females, I was surprised that they didn't have servants when I returned a week later and a sack of gold.

When I left them there to go back to work (I was flying for the airlines at the time) I knew they would be OK. I had equipped this little ship with a tiller operated autopilot so as I was lazing along on the way back to Redondo Beach in a light breeze I was lying in the cockpit reading, musing and napping. Just off Palos Verdes I was awakened by a presence and an unfamiliar noise, huffing and puffing as it were. The boat is so small (lying down I could reach over the side and dip my hand in the water) that I didn't even have to get up to see that I was surrounded by ORCA's, the deadly killer whale, not. There must have been 8 or 10 of them just swimming along at about my speed. Looking me over I suspect. It was my first of many encounters with whales and it was indelibly stamped on my memory. All I really remember is that first sighting of whales all around me and I was so awestruck that I did not even reach for my camera. It wouldn't have mattered I would have lost the pictures anyway but I consider it a gift that I will always remember.
It looked like this only all around the boat. Made my mustache stand straight out and made my skin look like a fresh plucked chicken. What a rush.

The first of many whale images that I will never forget.

Of all the boats I have had that little ship was the best.