Infobox
Book Information
Type Name Writer RubberMan ID az_bk_sailingstories
by Stas Holodnak
Wrestling with the wind.
This lake was bigger than the last one. Carrying the word ‘pines’ in its name it had an island filled with densely grown trees - pines and cedars among them. A bear, who some locals claimed seeing swimming in and out, was said to hide over there.
The boat too was bigger. Twelve feet long from the stern to the bow it had a mast, benches along the sides, and a hatch housing a half-flying, half-jumping insect the size of a butterfly that kept making rounds. It would not leave even when chased with an oar.
I wasn’t sure at first if my centerboard was up or down as it refused to move in any direction. Yet by constant drifting sideways and heeling I started to suspect that it was not where it should have been.
The shape of the Pines Lake resembled an overfed figure eight with island in its belly. Pushed by the wind I found myself in the eight’s lower half. This was a place which despite of its scenic beauty I would try (and fail) to leave for the rest of the afternoon.
If boats could leave trace on water, mine would have redrawn a right angle dozen times on that day. I would sail from one corner of the lake towards the island. At the same time, the wind pushed me sideways to the lake’s other corner. Wind puffs were heeling the boat which came close to overturning on a number of times. Twice I submitted to an instinct to take the sail down - not a good impulse since this makes you lose control of the boat altogether.
[The story continues for several more pages]