It's a looper thing

For those of you who know Russ and me, you know we're not your social butterflies. We don't drop in out of the blue, we don't go to parties, heck, we don't even ring in the New Year. But the boating life -- or the looper life, specifically -- is a major social thing.

It makes sense, really. Looper kinda rely on each other. They share stories, tales of woe, places to see, and technical discoveries. They live on the water and the web. We follow each other with tools like Nebo, tracking who's where and what they're doing. And when we occupy the same dock, we gather to commiserate and celebrate.

When I was a kid I remember people would just "drop in" to visit. This was before cell phones and the internet so you couldn't warn folks. But you might bring a coffee cake or pastry. Then you'd just knock on the door. And, if they were home, you were always welcomed. As an adult I don't think that way. I make plans to have lunch with friends days, sometimes weeks, in advance. It would never occur to me to pop in unannounced or invited.

The looper community is just that; a community. Just last week, while at anchor in Fry Pan Bay I realized I needed a vegetable peeler. Next to us were fellow loopers. I called out to them, "Do you have a peeler I could borrow?" They did, and Russ dinghyed over to get it. Just today, someone wanted to make some deviled eggs and lacked mayonnaise. They knocked on our hull, and we handed them ours.

The beer tasting, atop the ship store of the
Big Sound Marina, Parry Sound, ON.

Yesterday, Russ bought a number of beers -- single cans -- from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). He wanted to stock up before we headed out to pick up Jesse but to do that he needed to know what to get. So, he did invited everyone to a docktails where we'd have a big beer tasting. Some brought snacks, some brought even more beer to add to the event. We had six boats (12 people) show up. We all had a wonderful time.

We look forward to seeing a boat we haven't seen in a while, asking what they did and what they'd recommend. People recognize our name -- "We've been chasing you guys for months!" We swap boat cards. We have meals together.

I don't know... it's a looper thing.