Yesterday we officially launched the Quest. She was beautiful in her new coat of red black and white paint. He waited by the shore as we milled about, talking, selling meals and drinks, taking pictures, and entertaining the people who had turned out to see him go back into the water. The dancers showed up. There were 60+ of them and they danced and sang for our proa.

Then, at 1:30, he slid bravely into the water and floated there while the crew got the rigging finished up and prepared him for the sea. They sailed off and promptly ran aground. They got him off and continued out the harbor mouth where a problem with the rigging left them drifting until the fetched up on a little beach at the harbor mouth. Finally they got things squared away and off they went.

The second trip went smoother though our friend Al, a sailing captain by trade, was on board. As they sailed by one of our number shouted out, "Al, sit down and shut up!" He answered, "It isn't in my nature!" Apparently he made a number of comments on how to "improve" things that were not taken well by the rest of the crew. Sigh. Such things happen in groups.

The last trip went out with only one skilled canoe man on board. We were worried about that but Al was there and he was skilled with sailing and handling boats and Frank had been out several times so we decided they would be fine. They were out for a while and when they returned I heard Al comment to the others that what happens in the boat stay in the boat. Three of the crew were suspiciously wet. And the ep-ep was broken, a two inch piece of wood neatly snapped in two. They came in for a great deal of ribbing and had to explain themselves.

It seems they were having trouble with the balance of the proa. Al wanted to sail it with the tam out of the water. At one point while shunting the sail Frank fell off the boat. Later they lost a paddle and Brandon dove in to retrieve it. Then, in trying to hike out on the ep-ep to maintain the balance Paul fell against the ep-ep and it broke under his not inconsiderable weight. pitching him into the sea and nearly capsizing the boat.

They will have a number of lighthearted accusations and jibes over the next few meetings. It may take them a while to live this one down.