Monday, May 9, 2016

Friday Luck



I have often wondered why I make so many mistakes in our races and why my boat speed is the same as a Laser dragging 2 large anchors.

I now have the answer - because I am racing on Fridays.   As John Vigor explains in his excellent blog, Friday was the day of Frigga, the Norse goddess of love and fertility, the wife of Odin, the most powerful of all the Northern gods.  Then when the Christians came along they claimed she was a witch and all sailors became very superstitious about starting a voyage on Friday.

I get it now. Frigga is watching me, incensed that I have started my race on Her Day.  She sends her minions to wait for me at the windward mark, snarling my mainsheet just before I need to bear away.  And then they scoot down to the leeward mark, making sure I round up just a tad too quickly after the gybe, catching my boom in the water and laughing derisively as I take a swim.

Yes, I know everyone else in the race also started the race on Friday, but they somehow escape her wrath. Have they made some burnt offerings before the race?  Sacrificed a goat ? Do they know some ancient Norse incantations ?

Are there any Frigga worshippers among my readers that could suggest the best remedy (not involving hard work and more training) ?

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