With our second sailing season coming to a close, I have to admit that I've got one wonderful crew. He works the lines, checks the engine, and pumps out the holding tank, and maintains his role as chief chef in the galley. What else could a captain ask for. Once a timid sailor, he now sits on the low side of the boat during a close reach in a stiff wind and smiles as if he is enjoying it all. He's almost convinced, that the boat will not tip over in the wind. Actually, it won't. If I let go of the wheel Forte Vento will round up and come to a dead stop in the wind, noisily letting the wind bat the sails. It takes a much stronger wind than we would ever have on the Bay to push her mast into the water. Even if that did happen, she'd pop right up again, albeit a bit drenched and perhaps with a torn sail.
Last Sunday we had a perfect sail -- 10-15 knots -- with the wind at our backs headed north toward Thomas Point we had Forte Vento wing on wing -- one sail out to the starboard and one to the port. A difficult point of sail to maintain so I was proud and my crew was amazed. After a couple of hours we turned into the wind to beat home. A series of tacks (almost too much exercise for my crew) brought us back into Herrington Harbour -- wind burned, sun burned and tired.
It was a perfect sailing day -- the day before, on Saturday, the wind was too blustery to even get out of the dock. So we sat in the sunshine and wind to wax the deck to prepare against the ravages of winter hoping Sunday would bring reasonable breezes and it did. Autumn sailing is the best!
