A good Sunday

Went sailing the dinghy again today, 10 to 15 knot winds with 20 knot gusts, 2- 3 foot chop. Thought I was going to have some fun, instead got one hell of a work out and humbled to boot. The boat handles just fine and is a joy to sail, especially with the mods I've made to the sheet lines, but it is still a small boat and it's a lot of water.

The wind was blowing good, but it was shifting in a 45 degree arc out of the NW, sometimes dying all together. Sailing to the wind this time meant sailing in a shifting curve tangent to the intended course. From 20 knots to nothing and back again from a different direction kept me on my toes, literally. There was no way for me to shift my weight around to keep trim without risking going over the side.

Got many face fulls, with about 3 inches of water in the bilge after I was done with the sail. With the confused chop, taller than my freeboard, and having to keep close hauled to keep course there were several times when I was shipping water over the gunwales. Popeye got wet. So did the sail. It was all from splashing, though. I managed to keep the barnacle side down the entire time, but it was a close thing.

After a couple of hours of this I was DONE! I have learned however, that fleece is used in sailing because water goes through it without stopping, giving you something warm and dry to wear. Warm and dry was a good thing. The water was cold and the wind colder. 65 degrees is a little chilly when you're wet and in the wind. I did learn a lot, as I always try to do, and came out of it a better sailor than I went in. I guess that's the point.

I do have an issue with the racing Hobie Cat sailors who where out there. One tried to get as close as he could, just to mess with me as far as I can tell. I was keeping a steady course, trying not to get swamped when I saw a shadow cross over my boat. It was the lee hull of a hobie cat going by over my head. If I'd have seen him coming, as he came up on my blind side, I'd have steered into him and forced him to luff or maybe capsize. Ass hole! The water there was shallow enough to give me something to stand on. Time to kick ass!

Some of the floating condos were out, most of them courteous, but a few seemed to find pleasure in creating 6 foot wakes. It was a wild ride a couple of times. I'm thinking of tying myself to the dinghy from now on, just in case. Looking forward to warmer weather and some night sails.

The band is playing on one of the big stages at Datona Wednesday. It promises to be cold. One more practice and then off to the races. Looking forward to the pay day. Homey can use the money.

Worried about the weather thing. Reports I have been reading from NOAA say that the Gulf Stream is slowing faster than expected and that Winter ice dams did not form in the Arctic and Antarctic this year. Cold water species are seen closer to the equator and the oceans are becoming acidic at a rate that is more than just a little worrisome. I need to get Avalon ready to move. There might not be much time left. I want to be at sea when the changes come. Hell, I just want to be at sea. All my instincts are driving me there. Soon.

No one gets out of here alive, so live it like ya mean it.