[Sloop Scoop 2004] #9, August 11 -- August 22

[Sloop John B]

What happened to the summer!?  I have a lot to log, but first the sailing 
opportunities!

PERSEIDS TONIGHT (or tomorrow)
Tonight is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.  Our annual attempt at 
this cruise is usually clouded or fogged out and tonight sounds a bit 
choppy but if it's clear we may try it.  If it's not clear tonight, the 
forecast says clear for tomorrow night so we could still see meteors if not 
the peak of the shower.  Let me know if you are interested, preferably by 
phone since I'll be out later today.  The cell is 773-343-0153

LADY SKIPPER RACE SATURDAY
Looks like Sailor Mike can't make it, but if the weather isn't too rough 
and I can get a few more bodies I may still try to do it.  The last attempt 
was on a rough day and the hardware for one of the shrouds snapped (that 
was an adventure) and the first race we were committee boat so I'd like to 
do at least one of these this year!

STILL TWO MONTHS TO GO
The boat doesn't have to go in until October 15th and if the weather holds 
we'll stay in.  August is typically breezy but we'll keep trying.  Sailor 
Mike and I are both on break from teaching through the end of September so 
I'll have a lot of weekday and weeknight time.  If you don't get a Sloop 
Scoop in a while, write or call.  I usually still sail I just don't get 
around to writing.

AIR & WATER SHOW
The practice day is the 20th of August and the show is the 21st and 
22nd.  There was a pre-practice on Thursday a couple of years ago, 
too.  We'll try to go on Friday and either Saturday or Sunday, depending on 
weather.  I like to say Saturday with Sunday as the rain 
date.  Interested?  Let me know.

MORE SEASONAL SAGAS
After a virtually perfect 30th season last year, the Sloop has been 
constantly clamoring for attention (along with Cap'n Jack who has had 
several vet trips for a leg infection and one surgery for a small tumor, my 
house which had a plumbing induced flood in the kitchen through dining room 
through hall, Tonka my truck which went to the mechanic and came out with 
as many problems as it came in with, and my body which had gotten so sore 
and worn out that it hurt to move).

It's been a study in perserverence.  The long-distance race in early July 
was hard.  The first couple of legs had no wind, and the second mark had a 
curse on it.  Anytime a boat got near it, the wind would shift and you'd 
have to tack and try again.  Usually you can see the wind moving on the 
water, but on that day anything that looked like wind wasn't and anything 
that looked dead had some bit of wind.  Go figure.  It got to a point where 
we were avoiding anything that looked like wind.

We did have a challenge to pass the time.  Laura told her nephew we were 
sailing and he asked our names.  She told him our names but he was 
unimpressed and asked "But what are your PIRATE names!"  Thomas decided he 
liked Marlinspike but that's all we came up with that day.  The 
conversation was engaging though, and allowed us to stick out the race 
(unlike quite a few other boats) and by the end the winds were blowing and 
we were sailing between 6 and 7 knots for the last two legs.

We headed back to Jackson Park for the party, but before we could eat there 
was a dog in distress and I jumped in the help it--with my glasses 
on.  Someone got to the dog before me, and I spent the next hour-and-a-half 
diving until I found them amidst the seaweed and the mud.  I've had to dive 
at least three times this year, once for a runaway dinghy, once for the 
glasses, and once to check out the prop which was acting strange.  I'm 
getting tired of swimming in that mucky harbor.

We have had few work days so lingering problems with the bilge pump, 
instruments, and rigging still plague us.  We headed up for the Lady 
Skipper Race in heavy winds and rough weather mulling over pirate names.  I 
think that's when I decided on Skipper Scud and Mike thought he liked Black 
Bart.  We also wondered if we really wanted to do this race until were 
greeted by a loud pop.  "What was that?"  "The shroud."  We quickly dropped 
sails.  I guess the boat made the decision not to race for us. The shroud 
incident was a bit unnerving, but the crew and the boat stood up to the 
challenge and it was fixed by that afternoon and the rigging has been fine 
tuned since then.  Thanks to Thomas and Laura for their quick work under 
pressure, and to Laura's dad for helping with the tedious re-tuning job.

We have attempted to get out every Wednesday as I mentioned in the last 
Sloop Scoop, but the weather hasn't been very permitting on Wednesdays this 
season.  Jessica's parents are visiting from China and we did find a 
cooperative Wednesday night to get them out for a fireworks cruise.  We 
also fell into a late Sunday afternoon schedule and got out for a couple of 
sails then.  I think it was one of the Sunday sails that Laura found a 
pirate name she liked.  I forgot what it was though. I hope someone 
remembers.  Let us know some good pirate names!

We'll keep sailing!  Let me know if there is anytime you want to 
sail.  We're wide open for suggestions now.

Skipper Schuy/Lisa
Land:  773-752-6266, Cell:  773-343-0153
E-mail:  sloopscoop@jewellgems.com
----------------------
SCHEDULE (many things permitting . . .)

___Wednesday 8/11
Possible evening cruise to see the Perseid meteor shower.  Meet at the 
harbor at 2000 hours.  There's food to buy at the harbor; they have a grill 
going on Wednesday nights.  It's a late night since Perseus doesn't rise 
until after 9:00, but we usually give up before midnight.

___Thursday 8/12
Possible evening cruise to see the Perseid meteor shower.   Meet at the 
harbor at 2030 hours.  It's a late night since Perseus doesn't rise until 
after 9:00, but we usually give up before midnight.

___Saturday 8/14
Possible Lady Skipper Race.  Meet at the harbor at 0900 hours.  We need to 
leave as close to 0930 hours as possible.

___Sunday 8/15
Afternoon/early evening cruise.  Meet at the harbor at 1500 hours.

___Wednesday 8/18
Evening cruise.  Meet at the harbor at 1830 hours.  There's food to buy at 
the harbor; they have a grill going on Wednesday nights.  We should be back 
by 2130 hours at the latest, unless people can stay out later in which case 
we can watch the Wednesday evening fireworks from the water.

___Friday 8/20
Late morning cruise to see the A&W show practice.  Meet at the harbor at 
1030 hours.  Bring something for lunch--we can grill if you want.

___Saturday 8/21
A & W show cruise.  Meet at the harbor at 1000 hours.  Rain/other 
unpermitting weather date Sunday.
----------------------------------------------------------------
ON THE HORIZON
Possible crossing to Michigan City and back during the week.  If you're 
free on weekdays or need an excuse to take a couple days off, let me know.

TRI-STATE race--Labor Day weekend.  We'll probably cruise to St Joe's 
during the day on Friday rather than doing the night crossing, and only do 
the legs on Sunday and Monday.

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DIRECTIONS to the HARBOR
--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.

***2004 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 it ends.  It ends about a mile south of the 
Museum of Science and Industry, and there is actually a sign that says 
"Lake Shore Drive Ends."  Be sure to get and stay in the left hand lane 
once you pass the museum.  Turn left, following the signs for US 
41.  You'll be curving around the harbor on your left. Stay in the left 
hand lane which becomes a turning lane which turns into La Rabida 
Children's Hospital (There's actually a light there now). Take this left 
and at the fork bear left and continue on the road straight past La Rabida 
(eventually on your right) and 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. Get in the left hand lane which becomes a turning lane 
which turns into La Rabida Children's Hospital (There's actually a light 
there now). Take this left and at the fork bear left and continue on the 
road straight past La Rabida (eventually on your right) and 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.

--------------------
Bicycle, in-line skates, walking from the north:
The construction affecting the bike path is done!  Take the bike path 
south.  You'll know you're close when you pass the Museum of Science and 
Industry and then the large beach house for 63rd street beach.  The harbor 
is just south and east of the beach house.  Continue south, turn left with 
the path as it continues around the south end of the harbor and when you 
reach the first street, with the sign for La Rabida Children's hospital, 
turn left onto the street.  The road goes uphill (this is relative, it's 
Chicago) and at the fork bear left around the harbor.  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), and you have a few options:

Take the #6 bus (Jackson Park 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) to 67th and South Shore Drive.  Cross 
the street to the lake and walk along the sidewalk/bike path north 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!

Better yet, if it's a weekday, take the #14 (Jeffery Express) (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!

Again if it's a weekday, take the #28 Stony Island Express (again check the 
CTA for where to wait downtown) to 67th street and take the #67 bus east 
(see rest of directions in previous paragraph).


"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!