Monday, November 24, 2008

Last Day of Sailing '08


Well I did it. I managed to get one more day of sailing in before winter came. My good friend Tim manages a beautiful Hinckley yawl and we took her out for a spin. We attempted exiting the harbor two weeks ago into 25 mph winds, crashing through opposing tide and waves that stood the boat up on its stern. Tim, wisely and very ably, spun the boat on it's own length between a pair of eight foot waves (and between the shoals) and took us back in. The tide was so heavy that the channel markers were being pulled under water. The next day we tried again. The water was more calm and the wind was under twenty. Sailing under jig and mizzen alone, we had a great day. It was bloody cold, but we were not alone out there. The Plum Crazy came out to shake some barnacles off her keel. What really gets you on days like this is the spray. If you get wet, you freeze... hence the yellow foulies. Our faces were so cold that we couldn't talk well. I got quite a workout at the helm as the confused seas kept the boat spinning on it's keel. A great day, none the less!

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