It's just the beginning of the summer sailing season but I'm already thinking about the end of the year. But that's just planning.
I received an email from the Sultana Project, the Chestertown, MD group that operates the Sultana, about their annual downrigging weekend. It was an invitation to take part in the event. Tall ships, small classic boats - I'm there. I attended in 2011, a cold and windy affair. I missed last year, trapped on Hatteras Island during Hurricane Sandy. I do want to attend this coming year. The oldest daughter, living in Maryland, has offered to come over as crew.
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Walking through the kitchen each day I pass by our calendar which is clearly marked with a week of "Steve sailing". That would have been the much abbreviated spring sail. Each time I notice the marked off dates I shake my head with regret. This is the first spring in years that I have not spent a week or more out on the water somewhere. This spring it was one day of great sailing, not the five or six or seven we had planned on.
I am glad to see that several friends have been on or are on the water. Above is a nice drawing from Curt as he sailed his Drascombe Longboat "Annie" on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay just about the time Spartina was running into sandbars on the Eastern Shore. You can read about his trip starting here. I find his note interesting: "Going to windward off Bluff Point, quartering 4'chop, NE 20-25 knts." Our high winds on the Eastern Shore were part of that same weather pattern.
Friends Paul, above, and Dawn are sailing Dawn Patrol in the sounds of North Carolina, scouting for this coming fall's NC Pamlico Challenge.
Paul and Dawn's son Alan, a boat builder working with Graham Byrnes, sailed Southbound in the Okume Festival Ultra Marathon with girlfriend Taylor. Alan tends to strike a great pose when cameras are near. You can read about his trip here.
And Burney sailed his Sea Pearl around the Inner Banks, one of my favorite places, which you can read about here.
From where I am sitting I can see the calendar with "Steve sailing." It did not work out for me, but at least I can enjoy other people's adventures.
steve
4 comments:
Geeze, maybe this year we'll meet up at downrigging.
I still can't believe you overnighted on Spartina in the river in that weather. It was awful.
But I'm glad you did, because it meant that I got to meet you and take a ride on Spartina the next day!
Yes, one night 40 mph-plus winds, the next night ice on the boom tent. I figure after that year with the early winter storm and the next year with Hurricane Sandy, the downrigging is due some good weather this year.
steve
Baydog,
the first beer at the Fish Whistle is on me.
steve
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