the end is near

A light frost on the lawns, windshields and roofs gave way to the rising sun this morning as I walked laps around the neighborhood.  It was the first frost I have noticed this year, a mild one.  A hard frost should arrive in the next week or two.  

The was barely enough of a breeze to rustle the leaves.

I had hoped for a good day on the water.  It is late in the season and I want to get out a few more times before I begin the winter maintenance.  Clear skies, eight mph of wind was the forecast.  On the drive to the ramp I looked out from over the bridge and saw a heavy chop on the river.  I'll need to tuck in a reef, I thought.  At the ramp I walked down to the water's edge and it was bitterly cold.  Blowing 15 mph just made the temperature in the mid-40's seem even colder.  It was not a day for a relaxing sail, the kind where I could bask in the sunshine and tend the tiller with a nudge of the kneed.  I turned around and headed back home.

The last sail of the year will be in the next few weeks.  Last year I sailed after Thanksgiving, above, the wind strong enough that I finished the afternoon under mizzen and jib.  The temperature was more comfortable than today.

In 2010, as far as I can tell from this log, my last sail was late October when I sailed with Paul and Dawn, above, for a few days in North Carolina.  I came home to find a heavy work load and and early winter, one that brought an early season snow and then the heaviest snowfall I have seen here in over 20 years.  

In 2009 my last sail was just a few days before Thanksgiving.  Anytime I sail close to Thanksgiving I am happy.  I know that by December the water will be cold, the cool fronts will be rolling in from the north bringing gusty breezes.  

I hope I have a few more chances to get out this season.  Maybe this coming Friday, when I'm off from work, I'll sneak out for the day.  I need to hope that the weather will have settled down from the predicted mid-week nor'easter.  The nor'easter seems to be close to a certainty, but the strength in unknown. ( A strong nor'easter would not be good for the outer banks, many areas of which lost their protective dune lines to Sandy.)

I have ordered a new camera for next year's sailing season.  I've concluded that I will not find a better waterproof point and shoot camera than what I have now - all the waterproof point and shoots have flaws of one sort or another.  I've decided to stay with that camera, a Pentax Optio W90, when waterproof is needed, either because of rain or salt spray.  When waterproof is not needed, I hope to use the camera above, a Canon PowerShot SX160.  The camera has a few features I like such as being powered by aa batteries, a 28 to 448 mm zoom, image stabilizer and the controls for shooting on full manual.  

Is it a good camera?  I don't know.  The reviews have been good, but reviews can't be trusted.  When this camera arrives I will put it through the paces.  Should it not be the camera I want, I will use Amazon's return policy to the fullest.

steve