Day 28 - Sailing the Feathercraft, a first for Monticle!

Jason Wang
Hi, people, Well today is Monday August 15,2011. We are the first Monticle group to ever launch the sailing kit for the Feathercraft kayaks. Well we woke up at 6 o'clock AM this morning to pack up my personal things I am not staying at Steve's place after today. Then we went to Billy's home to eat breakfast. When we finished breakfast we came to HQ to pack up the things we needed for today's kayaking/sailing lesson. Well when we got there we unpacked and Billy and the 2 girls went on their way. It was so boring sitting there doing nothing. So we ended up falling asleep until Billy and the girls were finally in sight. After helping them ashore Edwin and I got to go kayaking/sailing with Billy. Once we got back we ate lunch at T&T. Th ere we saw Edwins chipmonk eating habits. It was so funny! His cheeks puffed with food while he chewed. When we got back to Monticle HQ we unloaded/unpacked everything and cleaned the items up and now I'm writing the blog! Well today was a eventful day.

Edwin Lo ☺
Today I woke up at six fifteen. Then, I ate breakfast in Billy's house. At seven o'clock, I went to Monticle and I cleaned the thing in the Monticle. After That, I went to take a part of the sail. Then, I went to classroom to take some thing form Cherry Beach to Lake Ontario. After finish, Jerome tode me to find the questions in the web. ☺

Alastair Yu
Today was my first day back from healing my feet, I can walk without pair now ;)! Anyways, I arrived at 8:00 this morning and helped Billy pack the K2 onto the sprinter. After that I stayed behind to help Jerome, because he is the one I help mainly.

Michelle Tien
Today was the last day of our kayaking trip. We started off by driving to HQ after eating breakfast. Unfortunately, Michael already ate so we couldn't pile anything into his bowl. We then took down the sails at HQ, HQ destroying our hard work from yesterday. After loading everything in the car. We took off for Cherry Beach again. This time we took the K2 with sail and a K1.
At the beach Jenn and I put on those annoying wetsuits again while Billy, Jason and Edwin re-built the sailing kit. We started off with Jenn in the K1, Billy in the back of the K2 and me in the front. There wasn't much wind so we had to paddle a bit. Riding in the K2 was really relaxing so I slid down in my seat so I was almost horizontal and relaxed. I proceeded to fall asleep for a while until Billy had Jenn paddle over to switch seats. That part was a bit of a hassle. We climbed out of our seats and had to swing our legs into the next boat. WHile we were climbing in and out, we kept forgetting to hold the boats together. As a result, the boats drifted a bit when we had one leg in and one leg out.
Paddling on the K1 was completely different experience than paddling on the K2. For one thing, it was a lot easier to tip over. Every time it started to lean to one side, it felt like it was going to capsize.
The K1 is fast and gives a lot more control, but I felt really alone on the water. Whenever Jenn and Billy were out of a certain range. I felt really anxious and paddled a lot harder to catch up. It didn't help that the waves kept pushing me further away. Also, when I stopped paddling forward to turn, which was a lot, the kayak would stop and the waves would push me back. Even when I started paddling again, it felt like I wasn't moving for the first few strokes. By the end, I even anticipated that, but it didn't stop fear from flooding my senses every time it happened.
When we got back to the beach, Jason and Edwin had their turn on the water, and then we went to T and T for lunch. I've had so much to eat for the past few days that I still feel like I'm going to throw up when I see food for the next week.
Altogether, this trip was an extremely enjoyable experience that I will never forget.

Edwin Cheung
Today, I am really happy. This morning we pick our kayak and start our kayaka/sailing magic. We did a quiet build up and have a lot of time when they when out. When they when out. When sleep for sometime when they ave sailing. We sail for sometime then we when to T and T for lunch. The rest of the day we did a clear up for the kayaka and do the blog. tomorrow it will be cool. I am closer to the school day. I have to get myself up to speed for my furture Education. I love you Mom and Dad. Miss You.... have a good tme. Stay Conneted.

Jennifer Wang
Today is our last day. We woke up even earlier in anticipation of a unique opportunity. We've spent the last few days figuring at how to assemble the k2's sail, and now we get to put it in action.
We had another Monticle-sized breakfast once more; this time consisting of some sort of pasta noodle in soup. Michael had already eaten, and both Edwins were in the other room, so we couldn't...share. :)
After disassembling part (read:most) of the sail to load it onto the car, we headed down to Cherry Beach again. There were few people in sight, and the beach was quiet. Seagulls flew overhead and the waves lapped at the sand, creating an overall tranquil setting just perfect for kayaking. However, we weren't just kayaking today... We were also sailing. We'd brought the K2 (plus the sail) and the K1. Michelle and Billy started off on the K2 sailboat, and I, on the K1. I have to say, the k1 is AWESOME! It is pure, epic WIN in the form of a softshell Feathercraft kayak. Imagine a gentle breeze out on the lake. The kayak beneath you, around you, an extension of your legs, bobs and rocks along with the ripples of scinttaling waves. The deep green of the lake water is placid and nearly opaque, and the perpetual motion seems to lull you, relax you, and you turn your head up at the sharp calls of waterfowl as they skim low across the water's surface. There's silence save for the whisper of your paddle sliding through the shimmering water, as easy as butter, and you can feel it moving, swirling, curling around your paddle as if it's a playful old friend. Yet, even with this bright companion, and melodious gurgling murmur of your paddle strokes, you are hit with a pang of loneliness. It builds up in your chest, starting as a faint flicker, then becoming an almost empty, hollow sensation of solitude. There is nothing but Lake Ontario for as far as you can see in all directions, the kayak beneath you and the paddle in your hands. You keep paddling. I guess that will e sort of what it's like when Billy and Michael cross Lake Ontario. I got a taste of that feeling out on the lake today. We paddled all the way out into open water. I could feel the waves grow bigger, and it was a ... different feeling. It's hard to describe. A 'rocking motion' and 'rolling waves' doesn't seem to do it justice. It was an incredible feeling-the surging power beneath the surface seems to want to pull you away from your companions and the shoreline, and sometimes, you just want to let it take you away. It's very... moving. Pun intended. :) Well, as for sailing, there was hardly any wind-paddle power was faster than the miniscule puffs of wind that the atmosphere managed to cough up. When Michelle and I reached the shore, we switched with Jason and Edwin. That's when the wind picked up. Those lucky ducks. But then again, that's also when it began to rain (in which case, Michelle and I could be considered the lucky ones.)
We had yet another Monticle-sized meal for lunch (at 3:00 in the afternoon), this time at T&T, where we observed the strange eating habits of a creature called Edwin. Picture this: chipmunk stuffing cheeks. What we thought would take him 4-6 bites took him about 3 bites instead!
After lunch, we headed back to HQ where we cleaned off all of the kayaks.
I have to say, over these few days, I had a great time -learned new things, met many people and had fun. I also didn't succeed in shortening my blog like I said I would... :)

Michael
As I am going for crossing Lake Ontario (from Niagara On the Lake to Cherry Beach at Toronto) at Tuesday midnight, and I wanted to do more preparation for my body and mind, therefore Billy offered me to send HQ to do the kayak preparation and planning like contingency plans, knowing how every stuff which we will bring works, work out the navigation and directions, who to drive us and lastly how to react if Billy passed out or went into coma...
Well, as Billy and other guys went to the Cherry Beach to have their first ever (Monticle's first ever!!!) trial for sailing K2. Hopefully they enjoy it and Monticle will probably leave them good memories! Anyway, I got my own job to do like doing weather forecast research and emergency stops (Even though Billy told me we will just travel straightly at the middle of nowhere to Cherry Beach, so there should be no emergency stops at shorelines), so I did it and ate my macaroni with meat balls, adding numerous condiments like tabasco, ketchup, mustard, relish, BBQ Sauce etc. Just want to try another new taste with Chinese food :) Well I didn't mean it's tasteless, but I just want to have a new sensation of condiments :) After that, I was told that my sister is going to film me this afternoon, so guess what? Come to the unexpected, we just did everything by contingency plan, but however we still worked it out! Thanks to my sister's profession and experience got from Ryerson :) Just to tell you the truth, most of the scenes taken are just fake! Including running, climbing... well better not to talk too much because I will make you feel less interested :D
Anyway, thanks to the filming team, including almost every Monticle staff :)
(P.S. Thanks Steve to lend me the suit or else I won't be that handsome on the camera :))
Lastly, and hopefully, I could be well-prepared enough for tomorrow's challenge so that another Monticle legend will happen, and thus our story might appear on the newspaper press and let everybody know!!! Well, anyway, I won't put fame as priority, but my life achievement and an ice-breaking challenge of my endurance level!
See you on Wednesday morning :D