[Sloop Scoop 2003] # 7 August 20 to September 3

[Sloop John B]

I'm still here . . .

We survived the Michigan City Race and the Lady Skipper Race and the 
Birthday Bash and the Air Show and the Meteor shower and my friend's 
birthday . . . and the skipper and the boat are tired.  The skipper was so 
tired Tuesday that she got off the Jeffery Express bus and left her bicycle 
on the Jeffery Express bus.  We were reunited yesterday and we both have 
stories to tell.  The CTA was berry berry good to me.  If you ever lose 
anything--do call the garage that bus goes to.  A lot does get turned in.

Anyway, the boat has obviously been practicing by herself.  Gordon was 
thinking that the boats went out at night and raced among themselves and I 
didn't believe it until the trip back from Michigan City.  We had to drop 
sails to let a couple of thunderstorm cells pass, and when we turned the 
batteries and instruments back on forty minutes later, we were two miles 
closer to the finish than we had been.  We were then able to steer the boat 
to course at a speed of two knots WITH NO SAILS UP!  The Sloop blew her 
cover that day. Now when we leave the boats we wish the Sloop and Isle 
Marie good luck on their races that night and they just shuffle their 
keels, look down and say "thanks."  (Boats must be perpetual adolescents.)

We ended up as one of only five boats that finished that Michigan City to 
Chicago race--a bunch dropped out because there was no wind where they were 
(but the new sail had no problem finding wind and we kept moving) or 
because they stopped racing during the storm.  We were the only one to 
finish in our section, so we got a first.  We're now leading the Long 
Distance series and we got a second in the Lady Skipper series.

We've done a bit of cruising, some unannounced because I didn't have energy 
to send out a sloop scoop.  We didn't see any meteors because Chicago skies 
are characteristically unfriendly to meteor showers--it's always cloudy or, 
in this case, hazy.  We've cancelled a couple more sails because of too 
much wind, and we have reefed so much we have had to add two extra lines 
for wind knots -- and we've only untied one (because of too little wind) 
for the entire summer!  The water is warm now and we have finally been able 
to do some swimming and body surfing behind the boat.

Unfortunately I have to go to Florida to work on a web site this 
weekend.  I don't mind the site, but I do mind going to Florida in the 
summer.  I'm going to try to do a short sail and work day next Wednesday 
afternoon -- we need to get the boat ready for the tri-state.  We'll be 
gone the entire Labor Day weekend, but we'll have at least two more weekend 
and a few more evening sails before we head up the river.  Don't let the 
summer pass without sailing!

Skipper Schuy/Lisa

------
SCHEDULE (weather permitting***, as usual . . . )

___Wednesday 8/27
Weekday afternoon sail and work day.  Meet at the harbor at 1500 hours.

___Friday 8/29--Monday 9/1
Tri-State.  Come visit us in St Joseph, Michigan on Saturday or Michigan 
City, Indiana on Sunday!

___Wednesday 9/3
Evening sail.  Meet at the harbor at 1900 hours. We'll be back around 2200 
hours.

-------------------------
ON THE HORIZON

Late season evening and weekend cruising

---------------
THE USUAL STUFF:  (this will be the same every week)

Let me know if you are interested in any of the times.  Sometimes I won't 
go out since I don't have crew and later I find out someone showed up to 
sail.

Try to give me a few hours if you have to cancel.  I really don't want to 
leave people behind, so I tend to hang around, so let me know if you aren't 
coming. I'll keep the cell phone on (and charged!) when I'm waiting for 
crew.  If you can't get me on the cell phone, leave a message on my land line.

You are welcome (and encouraged) to bring food and/or things to drink.  Two 
things to consider:  foods that can be eaten by hand are best (it's hard to 
use utensils on a boat), glass (bottles or jars) and boats don't mix (glass 
can break easily and boats often make sudden uncontrollable moves).  We can 
always transfer wine into plastic containers.  If you are sailing during 
the day, WATER is strongly encouraged in addition to anything else you may 
want to drink.

You are welcome (and encouraged) to bring friends and family--including 
kids (I do ask that you provide one adult for each kid under about 10 years 
old.)  If you do want to bring guests, just check with me first so I don't 
overload the boat.

It's always cooler on the lake.  I'd suggest a jacket for most 
nights.  Light colored rubber soled shoes (preferably with some traction) 
are best (for you and the boat)>  Non-skidmarking dark soled sailing shoes 
and sandals are fine, but most street shoes with dark soles will leave marks.

A swimming suit *and a towel* are good to have, too.  We don't always jump 
in, but it's nice to have the option.  Of course you have the option 
without the suit, too--there are precedents for fully clothed and barely 
clothed water babies.

***"weather permitting" in general means . . . No active thunderstorms on 
radar or announced on weather radio or visible in the sky, winds less than 
20 knots (especially if the winds are from the NE), waves less than three 
feet, temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  There are 
exceptions--skilled sailors may go out for a wild ride, and if there are 
kids or first-time sailors, the winds and wave limits will be much 
lower.  We also may leave in "permitted" weather and find ourselves in 
"unpermitted" weather, which we will deal with accordingly.

--------------
DIRECTIONS--Driving, bus, "L" and bus, Metra, bike/in-line skates/walking
-----
Driving directions
The address is 6400 S. Promontory Drive in case you want to put it in 
Mapquest or Yahoo! maps. It's at the south end of Lake Shore Drive, by 
LaRabida Children's hospital.

***2003 NOTE: CONSTRUCTION ON SOUTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE (the lanes will be 
limited and will get detoured. I'll try to update this through the summer 
as it happens.)***
Get on Lake Shore Drive going south (you're on your own for that part!). 
Take Lake Shore Drive until you are forced off at the Musuem of Science and 
Industry.  LSD is detoured onto Cornell Drive (also called the inner drive) 
which meanders through Jackson Park.  Stay in the leftmost southbound lane 
through a couple of stoplights.  When you reach 63rd street, there will be 
a stoplight and a left turn lane--get in that land and turn left.  You will 
continue through the park and get a chance to admire the gilded statue of 
Columbus which marked the entrance to the Columbian Exposition in 
1892.  Bear right at the statue and continue past the phantom harbor on the 
left (it's for those OTHER kind of boats) until the road bends 
left.  There's a light at what will once again be the end of Lake Shore 
Drive someday.  Continue straight past that intersection.  You'll see the 
harbor on your left. Take your first left at the sign for La Rabida 
Children's Hospital. When the road splits, stay to your left and you'll 
pass La Rabida on your right.  Look for parking. The yacht club is on your 
left. There will be a gate that looks locked but it isn't; you can still 
open it. If you park closer to the parking lot entrance, walk down the 
parking lot ramp.

 From the south:
Get to 6700 South any way you can (Bishop Ford freeway to Stony Island exit 
and North to 67th and Stony, Dan Ryan to 69th street exit and east to Stony 
Island and then north to 67th Street, call for other options) and head east 
to Jeffery Blvd. There is a park/golf course on the left, a gas station on 
the right, and a light. Turn left at the light and get into the right lane 
immediately. Take the first right (US 41). After the turn, you'll see the 
harbor on your left. Take your first left at the sign for La Rabida 
Children's Hospital. When the road splits, stay to your left and you'll 
pass La Rabida on your right.  Look for parking.  The yacht club is on your 
left.  There will be a gate that looks locked but it isn't; you can still 
open it. If you park closer to the parking lot entrance, walk down the 
parking lot ramp.  The yacht club is on your left. There will be a gate 
that looks locked but it isn't; you can still open it. If you park closer 
to the parking lot entrance, walk down the parking lot ramp.
--------------------
Bicycle, in-line skates, walking from the north:
Until the construction is done, it's really hard to get there on either 
bike or skates safely.  You can take the detour bike path detour, but I 
don't know where it ends up--you can take it until you're on the lake again 
and then head back north and turn at the sign for La Rabida.  You could 
also take the detour with the cars from Lake Shore Drive and use the 
streets, or walk through the construction zone which starts at 63rd Street 
beach, but that's about it.  If you follow the cars, read their directions, 
and at the end of the driving directions add:  Take the road to the end and 
come down the parking lot ramp. Bring a cable lock if you have one; there 
is a bike rack to the left, beyond the small white ice house, between the 
mast rack and the dinghy rack.
--------------
Public transportation:

Bus:
Get downtown (again, you're on your own). Take the #6 bus (Jeffery Express 
it runs south down State Street between Lake and Congress, and then runs 
down Michigan to Balbo and turns at Balbo to get on Lake Shore Drive)--or 
better yet the #14 if it's at weekday rush hour (gotta call the CTA for 
this route but it's on State or Michigan for part of it's route) --to 67th 
and Jeffery. There is a golf course to the north and two gas stations on 
either side of the street to the south. From there you have two options: 
walk or another bus.
*Walk east across Jeffery and then north across 67th street and the golf 
course to the end of Lake Shore Drive. You'll see the sailboat harbor on 
your right (there's a powerboat harbor on the left. You don't want to go 
there. Cross the street (I suggest with the light, here!) and you'll end up 
on the bike path. Take the path east (turn right when you get across the 
street) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!
*Take the #67 bus east. *Every other* #67 goes to LaRabida, so ask the 
driver if he is going there. Take the bus to La Rabida, and you'll see the 
harbor on your left. Walk to the gate (which looks locked but isn't) and 
come on down!

"L" train & bus
Take the Red Line (Dan Ryan/Howard) to 67th street
or take the 67 (67th street) bus to the end of the line (every other 67th 
street bus goes to La Rabida and hence the harbor). You'll see the harbor 
on your left. Walk to the gate (which looks locked but isn't) and come on 
down! (If you don't want to wait for the La Rabida 67, take any 67 to 67th 
and Jeffery and follow the directions for walking from 67th and Jeffery above).
OR . . . (if the green line is more convenient for you)
ON WEEKENDS DURING THE SUMMER ONLY--Take the green line (the branch that 
turns *east*, not the one that turns west--it's every other train) to the 
end of the line at 63rd and University. Take the 63rd street bus east to 
the end of the line--that will be the beach at 63rd. You'll see the harbor 
to the south. Walk along the bike path until turns to the left (at the end 
of Lake Shore Drive). Take the path east (the harbor will still be on your 
left) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!

Metra
Take the "Metra Electric District South Shore Branch" (NOT the "South Shore 
Line", which is a different animal) train from either the Randolph, Van 
Buren, or 12th Street stop on Michigan Avenue stations. You
have two choices. You can get off at the "Bryn Mawr" stop (at 71st and 
Jeffery, named after Bryn Mawr school--which was my grammar school (and 
which has since been renamed) -- just down the block) or the "South Shore" 
stop (71st and South Shore Drive, across from the South Shore Country 
Club). The Bryn Mawr stop is slightly closer, the South Shore stop is a 
nicer walk along the lake.
--From Bryn Mawr stop, walk north (the tracks run east/west at that point, 
so if you face the direction the train was headed in and turn 90 degrees to 
your left, that will be north) along the right hand side of the street 
through the next light (67th street) and along the park/golf course until 
you reach south end of Lake Shore Drive. You'll see the sailboat harbor on 
your right (there's a powerboat harbor on the left. You don't want to go 
there). Cross the street (I suggest with the light, here!) and you'll end 
up on the bike path. Take the path east (turn right when you get across the 
street) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!
--From South Shore stop, cross the street to the north to reach the 
entrance of the country club. Follow the sidewalk/bike path north and west 
along the country club golf course and the lake and the park and parking 
lot until you reach the first street on your right. There will be a sign 
for La Rabida hospital. Turn right and head uphill (this is Chicago, so 
this uphill stuff is relative) and bear around to the left when it forks. 
Walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club (on the left hand side of the 
street). It looks locked, but it's not. Come on down!
-------
VITAL INFORMATION:

Lisa/Schuy Jewell
Land line:  773-752-6266
Cell phone :  773-343-0153
E-mail:  sloopscoop@jewellgems.com

Boat Name:  Sloop John B

Boat location:  Jackson Park Yacht outer harbor.  We're on one of the 
mooring cans, and we'll either shuttle people out in the dinghy or pull to 
the dock by the parking lot to pick folks up.