Got to the lake and it was blowing white caps into the launch ramp again so we left the sailing rig on land and rowed out to the lee of an Island and enjoyed the sun, a cup of coffee and each other. The pine trees on the island were the special treat filling the nose with the scent of pine and the ears with the swishing sound that they make in the breeze. It's against the law to land on these islands but anchoring in the little bites or bays of them is fine and that is what we did. It is almost preferable to stay aboard and just spread out in the bottom of the boat. The waves bob us around and the sun heats our bones. The dog would prefer to explore the island, and chase some of the geese that roam there, but eventually she settles down and lies with us in the boat.
I think that I still have a few residual affects from the April sail lingering around in my head. While rowing out in the skiff the wind would gust up and push on the topsides and our bodies, enough so as to heel the boat slightly. It made me aware of it, and reminded me how much I prefer full displacement boats with all that ballast below the water line to keep the top of the mast above water, and the keel under the water. We had a 17 foot daysailer for a while and I was always concerned about getting it knocked down. I guess this says more about the kind of weather I've tended to go out in. Since I learned to sail and have mostly sailed on ballasted boats I suppose my sensitivities to wind strengths are more appropriate to them. I should think it would not be a bad thing to learn to be more conservative, as would be appropriate with a light weight boat, in my judgement of wind strength.
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| on the lake |
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