Disaster strikes!

The calm before the storm

As we discussed in previous blogs, the path to getting Lea Oh into the water went, well, flawlessly. In fact, for a boat that was in storage for over 10 years, the boat’s inventory of everything from scrubbing brushes to near new sails was quite astonishing! Even the engine started with little effort and pushed Lea Oh steadily across the marina to her new berth.

We also got to participate in the Galway Sea Fest festival with the opportunity to meet thousands of well wishers and holiday makers who come to this event every year. Most exciting was the opportunity to meet with Enda O’Coineen, an incredible round the world sailor who took Conor and I to heart. He spoke about his experiences sailing alone in some of the most hostile and unforgiving waters in the world, almost as one would speak of going for a walk. And if there is one take away Conor and I took from this chat it would be this: Great Sailors are not born, they are made through their experiences and the paths they choose. And once committed a willingness to accept life’s uncertainties with gusto. As Kipling once put it: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same; yours is the earth and everything that’s in it”. And Enda has truly made the earth his own.

Trouble ahead

So out we went training, full of enthusiasm and eager to see what would be possible for Conor and his new boat. He participated in local race meetings and daily sailing sessions testing both man and boat. Then the inevitable issues started to arise with a boat just out of storage. Within a two week period we tore the boat’s Genoa sail, fractured the mast, rendered the propeller unusable and broke several control lines. Under most circumstances these problems would put a sailboat out of commission for the season. And to be honest I felt a bit down for Conor. But then we thought of Enda O’Coineen and what he faced alone thousands of miles from the nearest land. If he could triumph against the greatest of odds so too could we get over our comparably minor issues! Not to mention that Conor has already powered through some incredible personal challenges associated with his autism and has literally survived to tell the tale!

Delivering on the promise!

So as I write this blog I can say that Lea Oh is now safely ensconced back in Galway marina. We have contacted several specialists including Yannick at west sails, Brian at O’Sullivan’s marine, James at Western Motors and of course the Galway harbor master, Brian Sheridan. Plus many of the local sailors for their advise and most of all encouragement. We have exactly one week to the the first gun and yes, I’m chewing my nails even if Conor isn’t! And then I think, if he could learn how to communicate, to program, to sail against incredible odds, then I know we can get him back into the water!