A Twist In The Tail

With just a week remaining in this bizarre year, it would have been surprising if there wasn’t a twist
in the tail of 2020.

A brief visit ashore to the shops in Avalon mid-December put paid to any Christmas plans I might have had. A holiday season in quarantine back in Victoria is a new experience for me …. it’s like being in the cabin of a small boat for a long voyage, without the fun of sailing, or the restorative qualities of the ocean.

But compared to so many in the Australian sailing community, my plight is mild.  Imagine how the owners and crew of SOLVEIG must feel after years of preparation for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart. We talked to photographer Andrea Francolini recently and his big week of the year, covering the same race, professionally and financially has just disappeared before his eyes.  A friend who lives “offshore” on Pittwater and runs a brokerage business won’t be selling many more boats in the near future. Anna, custodian of the OWEN JOHN who lives aboard, spending time between Pittwater and her business in the Blue Mountains is like many others, with her summer income and hope of holiday a little scattered. These are just a few examples of the plight of residents of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, who have always lived their lives moving between the land and the water. The industries that support them now face shutdown during their busiest period.

When we started this website a month ago it was ostensibly about wooden sailing boats in this corner of the world.  It’s been a whirlwind start with thousands of visitors and a wave of interest and communication beyond our wildest dreams. This has made us realise, that when you scratch beneath the surface, it’s not really about the boats, in essence it’s more about the people who use them.

So, after a strange, fractured and confusing year, we at SWS hope our wooden boat community finds a way to enjoy their special craft over the summer, while supporting their friends having a difficult time and for us all to emerge in 2021 re-inspired and ready to sail our special old boats.

From all at SWS, thank you taking time to think about wood on water. Stay safe, sail when and if you can and stay in touch.

We’ll see you next week.

Helm and Sail

SWS
Where the conversation around wooden boats never goes out of fashion.

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