PHOTO OF THE WEEK

-- Don Leach

I wasn’t planning on going sailing that day. As a matter of fact, I

got “stuck” going sailing. I was running late and in a hurry when I

arrived at Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing & Seamanship to

photograph beginners rigging and sailing around Newport Harbor.

I was hardly thinking of the photo shoot until I ran into sailing

instructor, Diane Dewitte. I told her I couldn’t stay long.

She was disappointed and seemed surprised I didn’t want to take the

whole sail trip. But she agreed to help me get some shots of the students

starting, with plans to drop me off on the dock afterward. The students

didn’t get a good start.

I reminded her I had a time limit. She reminded me with a big smile

that if a student needed instruction from the water, she would have to

stay with it.

I got in the shadow of a huge sail of one of the students’ boats and

started to get some cool shots. Meanwhile boats of all kinds were

sailing, motoring, being paddled around Newport Harbor. There was stuff

to shoot everywhere and I was getting most of it.

I looked at my watch. Just when I was getting worried about returning,

a huge sea lion surfaced next to our boat. Diane motored around to get me

into position for a shot. Picture possibilities everywhere.

“Guess what,’ she said. “You’re coming with us. I can’t turn back

now.”

I started to relax and forgot about what it was I had to do back at

shore. Sailing will do that. We shared stories about our experiences on

the water.

Diane Dewitte got me out of the grind for two hours and made it

possible to enjoy a fine afternoon on the water after a long work week.

It’s the last time I’ll decline an offer from someone who is so eager to

help, teach and share stories with.