It has been blustery lately…. Yesterday was no exception. Sunday morning we got up early and visited Linda’s brother 30 miles away then returned to the boat for a spirited evening sail.
Linda’s oldest (Stuart) came to visit Sunday evening with a friend. Most of the TMCA group had left when we got back to the boat after lunch, so I got busy rigging the boat for an afternoon jaunt. I minimized dock lines.. which was easy because the wind was holding me against the alongside dock. I left one spring line and the power cord on to make departing quick and easy.
Since we are on the boat a lot, I toss my main halyard around one spreader to keep it from clanging against the mast in the wind… so I shook out my wrap and cleared the halyard for use, rolled the aft biminis up so I could travel the main either way and we were set to go. I like to warm up the engines a bit before guests arrive so I won’t have to manage chokes and throttles with extra people on deck so I did that….. After settling the engines I had some time to relax before our guests arrived.
All aboard and I hit the keys.. the motors fired up all loose and ready to go. I walked the shore power and single spring off, added forward throttle to the port and aft power to the starboard engine to pin my stbd bow against the soft dock and peel the stern away… after rotating my stern 80 degrees out into the previously broadside wind we backed into the basin then we were off. Exiting Bayland is normally into the prevealing breeze, and today was no exception. I lifted the main into the wind just outside of the Houston Ship Channel with ease and we were set.
Motoring into the wind showed the heavy air’s speed, but when we layed off 30 degrees to starboard the main popped full it was a whole new ball game, the power of the wind against the sails was awesome. We motored out at 5 knots but quickly spun up to 7 on the close hauled main. I backed off on the throttles and switched off the motors, after taking 3 wraps on the jib sheet I released the roller furler. In this kind of wind you better have a good hold on the sheet before you release the furler or you’ll burn a hand. With a tight jib sheet we were bumping 8 knots… I lifted the motors and her ears were laid back as all hatches closed quickly amid the quickening bow spray, SYL was sailing!
I freshened my drink and sat at the table with my guests as we spanked sharply into the wind against shorter than expected waves. I got up regularly stepping outside to check traffic and depths…. I didn’t have to adjust the helm the full length of the windward leg. As we approached Baycliff, I turned to port into the wind and quickly dropped the main mid tack. Of course single handing, the jib backed….. but with our fine forward speed we went thru the wind nicely. The follwing seas and still brisk wind kept me moving down comfortably so I left the jib alone until I discussed a fairly true course home with “Otto”. We agreed on a direction and he took over the helm once again. Everybody has their pet name for the aurtopilot right? Mine is “Otto”.
After the first stab at a compass point home, I took up the main sheet slack to steady the loose boom then the jib enjoyed my attention. She smiled and filled up quickly flexing her muscles while pulling me homeward proud of her singular duty…. gloating to the main over her power (for once) We eased down wind at 5 to 6 knots under the small headsail alone. I drew out the evening a bit by lowering both engines as I didn’t intend to tack again. The crew had enjoyed the brisk upwind, so I knew an extended downwind leg should finish the evening out nicely and I wasn’t that ready to get back….
Checking my breadcrumbs on the gps, me and Otto tweaked in our channel entry point and my duty was done…. more ice, a few jaunts outside to check traffic now and then… double check the depth guage and it was back to the lively chatter inside the cabin.
We love to entertain and be with friends, Stuart and Shea’s visit was truly special. It capped off a wonderful weekend. We discussed everything from empathy for the downtrodden to evolution and levels of sential beings…. litterally solved the worlds problem in one fell swoop. We really like Shea, I hope to see her around some.
I guess in summary.. after boiling down the whole wonderful evening discussion.. the best quote may have been “kids don’t know what they don’t know” it was mine of course…. lol. It’s true too, most kids generally know what to do.. but don’t always do it, right? Then there’s that realm of knowledge we as adults know that they don’t even know they don’t know…….. We (as adults) know that 5 years down the road she probably won’t even remember that jerk’s name that just broke up with her…. emotions pound at their little hearts way too hard and we know it. But they don’t know … the most important thing in their young life is always much too accute, emotions that are so strong they even end some of our children before they have a chance to realize… “things” will be totally different in a few months.. but we do! Sometimes it’s hard to remember how emotional and personal things are to our kids because we know…. what they don’t know. It will all be OK, life goes on and probably gets better than you ever dreamed….
With age and experience comes revalation… remember when your kids decided you are now somehow way smarter than you USED to be when they were 16?… happens every time. If kids automatically knew that vast amount of knowledge they “don’t know they don’t know”… we could all start out life as grandparents.
Anyway.. the Sunday evening sail ended just before dark as we rotated in front of the fuel docks on our own axis and let the wind drift us into the alongside dock at Bayland Marina once again…. I stepped off the boat like Captain Ron himself landing at the yacht club. I dropped the dock lines back on, plugged us in and Linda zapped some of my stand up chicken leftovers for dinner. I wish everyone the weekend we just had. Thanks to all involved.
Sea Yawl Later !! Rusty