I just returned from (edit: not 24), 48 (solo) hours aboard at Kerr Lake, NC. My first night had me awake at 2am and unfortunately an OLD Bay Club story came to mind - one of Snakes coming aboard... and of course my iron sail was in the down possition. I am happy to report that I was able to get back asleep with out getting up. But, how long was I awake as I thought of how warm the warter was with regard to the air, and how a water snake might just prefer being in the water during this season?!! Ironically I did kill a spider during the two days aboard, and loved my bluetooth speaker spewing Jazz and Blues songs - hopefully complimenting the bird songs that proceeded.
I very much like your story, "Night of the Spooky Spider". Your story reminded me of a story which occurred while in Providence, Ma. visiting a friend and fellow sailor one early spring day. On the East coast they are known to celebrate the first day of sailing weather as "Opening Day" by launching their vessels on the nearest lake, rain or shine. I happened to arrive for a visit on Opening Day and as was the custom, we hooked-up his well-winterized sailboat and trailer to an old pick up truck and off we drove to the lake. Along the way Bill bragged how easy and methodical it was to prepare WAVERIGHT was to prepare for sailing after a long winter, so he waited for stepping the mast and other set-up procedures to perform once we reached at the launch ramp parking lot. No need for a shakedown cruise either, for Bill had every confidence all would go well. Many a boat during the boats preparation between seasons will discover and fix their minor problems; like a worn clevis pin, a rusted or stuck anchor pin, etc. Nothing apparently every went very wrong, and so too this launch went undisturbed without a negative episode. I was on the bow, as the boat slipped off its trailer and into the water. I was straddling boat at the bow wedged between the boat rope cleats and while holding onto the bow pulpit. I threw the bow line to Bill to tie off and could not help but notice how dirty this lake/marina water appeared by the number of mice/rats swimming on the surface encircling our boat amongst the shredded trash and oil slick on the surface. These varmints were splashing about, swimming in vain in every direction! I remarked to Bill about this and he yelled back, "This is normal, it happens every year". I let it go at that, and almost forgot about it until one little mouse ran out of the chain hauser, up my leg, under my khakis using its sharp claws for traction! Bill saw me jump around as I was being attacked by this frightened little creature and as I danced around, I managed to fling him off into the cockpit where Bill was busy with the outboard. From there the mouse shot overboard into the water in a death-dive for safety. Later, while underway , motoring out of the marina we realized we were the source of the mice, shredded bedding material and food scraps, which occurred every year as far back as Bill could remember. Over the fall and winter months these creatures would use his bilge as their home and shelter until he launched each season.
The moral of this story? To remind all of us not to become too familiar with unexplained occurrences. There is a hidden explanation for each of us with all we do.
We don't have an official Opening Day. We try to get out on New Year's Day as a statement of what we want the rest of the year to be. This is in the Raritan Bay area of New Jersey. We intend to continue this tradition with Nereid.
Many years ago in Florida there was a guy who kept a boat in a slip and often visited but did not live aboard long term. As might be expected he had a problem with cockroaches. He studied on what natural critter ate cockroaches and found that wolf spiders do. Wolf spiders are not much web makers,they run down their prey/ The owner manged to catch a few Wolf spiders and release them on his boat. The population of cockroaches plummeted. However, as expected the population never went to zero. When sleeping aboard (weekends & such) he sometimes heard running across the top of his pillow, with one thing running and another (probably one of the Wolf Spicders) running after it. He grew to tolerate that, He fixed his problem without the use of insecticides which would have a chance to do himself damage. - - This was reported in a boating magazine well over 20 years ago. I hope it is true. I do know wolf spiders and admire them, and would never go out of my way t hurt one. Though I have evicted many from my house.
I just returned from (edit: not 24), 48 (solo) hours aboard at Kerr Lake, NC. My first night had me awake at 2am and unfortunately an OLD Bay Club story came to mind - one of Snakes coming aboard... and of course my iron sail was in the down possition. I am happy to report that I was able to get back asleep with out getting up. But, how long was I awake as I thought of how warm the warter was with regard to the air, and how a water snake might just prefer being in the water during this season?!! Ironically I did kill a spider during the two days aboard, and loved my bluetooth speaker spewing Jazz and Blues songs - hopefully complimenting the bird songs that proceeded.
The “Spooky Spider “ reminds me of the several rats that over the years took up abode way aft in the transom of my Ocean 18 Rowing Shell .
Believe me nothing can increase your stroke rate quicker than having a
small rat come out snd start sniffing your toes while rowing.
I never had to kill one but a few got “Marooned”.
🚣🏽♂️
Jim W
I very much like your story, "Night of the Spooky Spider". Your story reminded me of a story which occurred while in Providence, Ma. visiting a friend and fellow sailor one early spring day. On the East coast they are known to celebrate the first day of sailing weather as "Opening Day" by launching their vessels on the nearest lake, rain or shine. I happened to arrive for a visit on Opening Day and as was the custom, we hooked-up his well-winterized sailboat and trailer to an old pick up truck and off we drove to the lake. Along the way Bill bragged how easy and methodical it was to prepare WAVERIGHT was to prepare for sailing after a long winter, so he waited for stepping the mast and other set-up procedures to perform once we reached at the launch ramp parking lot. No need for a shakedown cruise either, for Bill had every confidence all would go well. Many a boat during the boats preparation between seasons will discover and fix their minor problems; like a worn clevis pin, a rusted or stuck anchor pin, etc. Nothing apparently every went very wrong, and so too this launch went undisturbed without a negative episode. I was on the bow, as the boat slipped off its trailer and into the water. I was straddling boat at the bow wedged between the boat rope cleats and while holding onto the bow pulpit. I threw the bow line to Bill to tie off and could not help but notice how dirty this lake/marina water appeared by the number of mice/rats swimming on the surface encircling our boat amongst the shredded trash and oil slick on the surface. These varmints were splashing about, swimming in vain in every direction! I remarked to Bill about this and he yelled back, "This is normal, it happens every year". I let it go at that, and almost forgot about it until one little mouse ran out of the chain hauser, up my leg, under my khakis using its sharp claws for traction! Bill saw me jump around as I was being attacked by this frightened little creature and as I danced around, I managed to fling him off into the cockpit where Bill was busy with the outboard. From there the mouse shot overboard into the water in a death-dive for safety. Later, while underway , motoring out of the marina we realized we were the source of the mice, shredded bedding material and food scraps, which occurred every year as far back as Bill could remember. Over the fall and winter months these creatures would use his bilge as their home and shelter until he launched each season.
The moral of this story? To remind all of us not to become too familiar with unexplained occurrences. There is a hidden explanation for each of us with all we do.
We don't have an official Opening Day. We try to get out on New Year's Day as a statement of what we want the rest of the year to be. This is in the Raritan Bay area of New Jersey. We intend to continue this tradition with Nereid.
Many years ago in Florida there was a guy who kept a boat in a slip and often visited but did not live aboard long term. As might be expected he had a problem with cockroaches. He studied on what natural critter ate cockroaches and found that wolf spiders do. Wolf spiders are not much web makers,they run down their prey/ The owner manged to catch a few Wolf spiders and release them on his boat. The population of cockroaches plummeted. However, as expected the population never went to zero. When sleeping aboard (weekends & such) he sometimes heard running across the top of his pillow, with one thing running and another (probably one of the Wolf Spicders) running after it. He grew to tolerate that, He fixed his problem without the use of insecticides which would have a chance to do himself damage. - - This was reported in a boating magazine well over 20 years ago. I hope it is true. I do know wolf spiders and admire them, and would never go out of my way t hurt one. Though I have evicted many from my house.