Wait till next year.......
2005-11-14

I guess productive is the best way to describe the long weekend. I got a lot accomplished and even managed to play a little. I worked in the yard, lots. By Saturday it was leave free. Now, not so much...
I had to play trash commando too. All of the dead boxes from the recent flood wouldn't fit in our trash. The neighbors on the other hand had plenty of space, so... in the dark of night... I didn't wear face paint, but the mission was accomplished. BTW, they have the neatest trash ever, nice clean little round bags all perfectly tied. I hope they never have the need to look in our trash...
I am now the proud owner of a real big boy ladder. The old wooden one I use for the boat is sort of suitable for that purpose, but a death trap for anything else. After almost killing my self several times while trying to clean the gutters, I know am the proud papa of a brandy new big box store brand 24' aluminum extension ladder. I also am the proud owner of one very bruised big toe from an attack by said ladder. I guess we haven't bonded yet...
The gutters after much attack with the leave blower are now also leave and muck free. I on the otherhand looked like I had been standing under one of those old oil gushers when I completed the task. Yeech!!! I also put up most of the roman shades that M.E. bought to save heat. Fun, fun, fun...
Brother update, blah... They think they may have taken him back off the antibiotics too soon. He also had another heart incident. I have no idea what comes next. He's back up on the 4th floor. The only place in the hospital he hasn't been is maternity. I'm hoping we skip that one.
The sailboat is no longer sailable. It's pretty much stripped down to the floorboards and all the equipment is (mostly) neatly stowed away in the basement. Dispite the warm weather, the forecast was for small craft advisories with winds 25+ knots. Too much for just us two this late in the season.
I got down the the boat early and alone. I looked out at the water and it didn't really look that bad. The thought of missing the last day made me feel more than a bit sad. I got to work trying to take my mind off things, but I never made an effort to take the sail off or remove anything I really needed.
I was on my way to the truck when John came by wanting to know if I was sailing today. I replied honestly. I didn't know. I said I'd check with the boss when she showed up, and that he and Jenn could make themselves at home while we waited for M.E. By the next trip I had made up my mind and started the deisel. It fired up immediately. A good sign.
At by one, M.E. still hadn't shown and I called home. She was project bound and had no intrest in sailing today. She told me to go without her. So after a little not sincere arguing, I did.
Jenn and John are a bit green but very enthusiastic when it comes to sailing. I had them cast off the lines and backed big blue into a perfect take off from the dock into the channel. John was use to having to fend off the pilings on take off and he ran from side to side looking for something to push off of. All he got was air. When he said "You really know how to handle your boat", I felt it was one of the best compliments I could possibly get. Nice...
We headed out the channel and out to an empty bay. The wind started light and we rolled out the #2 and settled in to the tight reach to the lighthouse. They had brought a bottle of red grapes and John poured the first glass. I got the boat settled in and then let him drive the rest of the way out and just sat on the rail watching the view roll past. Our boat is quite a bit bigger then theres and I could tell he was impressed. It took him a while to find the groove, but eventually he did.
It was pretty mellow sailing until we got around the point. We tweaked the sail a bit looked for seals and talked about the upcoming and non-sailing winter. Once we hit the point, the anticipated 25 kicked in with a vengence. The speed kicked up to 8 knots and the seas crashed over the bow.
We were nice and dry in the cockpit and we counted a few other boats in the distance. I was surprised, it was a little bit hazy. Unusual for the fall. We checked out the progress of the new Rt 195 bridge being built at Quonsett. We ducked the wake of the one powerboat on the bay who just had to come within 10 feet (is this a powerboat rule?) and kept on hauling out to Patience Island.
At the R8 bell we did a one eighty and tried to let Jenn drive a bit. She was use to a tiller and the big cross swell was messing her all up. after two minutes she gave up and I took over. My last drive of the year.
Dispite the dirty bottom the boat was flying and tracking straight as a string. We covered the 4 miles back in way too short of a time. I thought about turning back but knew there was still a lot of work to be done. As we came off the park beach I started the engine. I think we were all a bit disapointed. I stuffed the boat into the breeze and we dropped the sail for the last time. :-( I headed in to the channel and back to the YC dock where we made a perfect landing and got things tied up.
A friend Paul showed up and helped fold the Genny. M.E. came down and she and the rest of the folks helped me unload the rest of the stuff. Then we sat in the cockpit and drank and watched the sun get lower and lower in the sky. John and Jenns bottle died first. Then Paul's bottle bit the dust. It was a good thing I had a back up merlot down below. It started to get cool but no one wanted to leave.
I finally put the half bottle back in the now turned off fridge (just in case) and locked up the now stripped out shell and we walked down the dock together one last time.
Till next year....

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