Weeks 27 and 28 Coffee with...... and Sailing!?

Well summer was astonishingly but undeniably with us for much longer than we all expected but I still didn't manage to do one challenge that I really needed to do in the warmth!
.... Ah you thought I was going to mention what it was? - no, no better to keep you guessing (and if I don't end up doing it, you'll never know!!!)
Anyway, back to those things that I have done :- another coffee with.... This needs no explanation since I've written about this previously. However, that in no way lessens nor underestimates the special and significant time I spent with my coffee date.I just love spending time getting to know people, properly.
Someone whom I had the privilege to spend more time with this summer was the amazing Peter Caldwell who offered to take me out on his boat and teach me to sail. I had never as far as I could remember been on a sailing boat and I had certainly never held the helm and navigated across the open seas!!
From the outset, I realised that this was not only a whole new world, but also a whole new language. I learnt nautical vocabulary which included a ketch and a genoa; I discovered that there was great skill in reading the tide and weather charts, the water depth, the wind strength and speed and the importance of timings. I found out that maintaining a straight course required great concentration and may I say even considerable skill! (I do not presume to have mastered it)
Peter and his sailing buddy, John, showed incredible patience and tolerance in allowing me to take the captain's position at the helm. They subtly and graciously moved between giving me the freedom to learn and then taking the helm when potential danger threatened or they sensed I was getting out of my depth!!
Moreover, they wanted me to experience a full day of sailing and took me from Conwy to Puffin island, out to Colwyn Bay and then returning into the marina round the Great Orme and coming close to West shore and Deganwy beaches.
The things that surprised me were just how far the boat tipped over under the force and strength of the wind, the way my feet ached from standing still on deck at that sloped angle and how difficult it was to go to the toilet in such a small space and with a vacuum operating system!!
 It was a brilliant day though and I couldn't have asked for better teachers. I could definitely do this again; there is simply so much to learn and I could absolutely appreciate why people get hooked on sailing and the level of skill which is needed.
 Thank-you Peter and 'Island Girl' for helping me achieve challenge no.28.