Sorry it's been so long since I've written anything. It is more an indication that there is a lot going on in my life, not that there's nothing to report. After my week of solid sailing, I had an off week where I did almost no sailing at all. I need to keep in mind that this blog is about more than just sailing. So I guess we will find out together that there is more to life. One Monday I was sitting at work and I realized that I only had three or four weeks before my boat had to be out of the water. The temperature here has already started to drop at the rate of about 10 degrees per month. It may not seem like much, but the first few mornings when I awoke to 50 degrees on the thermometer were not fun. Anyway, as I was sitting contemplating what to do with my remaining time I couldn't help thinking of how much I still wanted to sail to another city, at least once this summer. After a quick scan of the weather report I called two of my brothers and set up a voyage for that night. It was to be the last full moon of the sailing season, and the wind looked to be pretty strong. There are two cities equidistant from Sheboygan, one North and one South. I intended to go to Port Washington which lies to the south about 25 miles away.
We met up at my Mom's house and made a last minute run to the store to pick up beef jerky and granola bars. Down at the marina the 20+ MPH winds were making it very difficult to raise the sails. I made the call to reef the main and not put up the jib just yet. We shoved off of the dock easily enough, but since the wind was blowing strong directly out of the south I had to tack to get out of the harbor. Reefing in the main had changed the shape of the sail a bit and made it impossible to point as high into the wind as I needed to to get out. Spencer had the brilliant idea to drop anchor while we sorted it out. Yes we did get blown up against the rocks again, and we did in the end have to fend off the massive racing yacht moored innocently to her T-dock, but shhh! don't tell anyone. There was no damage done to either vessel, unless you count leaving a small footprint sized smudge in the wax coat as damage.
A nice guy in his tiny aluminum fishing boat came up and offered to help tow. We had to drop sail while he revved the little engine to its limits. Spencer hurt his hand trying to hold the rope instead of tying it off. I was glad that he actually helped us out of the harbor, and not just back to the dock, and I was amazed that his little outboard could pull my 6,000 pound boat against such a fierce wind.
Eventually we were let loose out in the harbor back lit by a brilliant full moon. We sped past the lighthouse and were half a mile out in the lake before we got the main lashed back onto the boom. It was far too windy out there to use both sails. I tried heading up into the wind, but it was impossible using just the jib. We called mom and let her know that we would be heading North to Manitowoc instead of Port Washington, that way at least if we were lost at sea someone would know where to look for us.
The GPS showed us making awesome progress, and it wasn't until 4 in the morning that the wind actually began to shift and die a bit. I had to wake my crew up to help raise the main, and then they went back to sleep. I think Spencer slept most of the trip. The rollers would chase us down and pass under the stern while the dinghy kept trying to surf and slam into the boat. I let both of my brothers take turns at the helm. It was much nicer having a crew that was more confident at steering so I could get a better quality catnap. The wind had blown us pretty far offshore; we had about 7 miles to make up getting back in to Manitowoc. We were all exhausted and at about 7 in the morning we decided to just drop anchor off of a beach and sleep there rather than trying to make it into the harbor. I didn't want to have to radio anyone or pay any fees. We threw out both anchors in about 7 feet of water. The waves slammed us about a bit, and the wind kept howling through the bare rigging as I tried to rest. In the end I had to go up on deck, stow the sails better, and bring in the main anchor because the chain was just too loud for me in the foreword cabin. I slept till around 10:30, bailed out the dinghy, and gave my brothers a rude awakening when I had the jib set and called for them to come bring in the anchor. It was the first and only time we ever had to use the windlass. I had let out about 60 feet of line, and the 20 pound anchor had dug itself well into the sand. Finally we cranked it in and swung around back for home. We never stepped foot in Manitowoc that day, but we were only a couple hundred yards away from their lighthouse, so it still counts.
As we cruised past a the inlets for a power plant several cormorants took flights and began their daily dive for meals. The scenery was gorgeous. We stayed close to the shore so we could see better details of the houses and golf courses that we sailed past. There were no other boats in sight, and there seemed to be a profound silence on land for the first few hours. We dispelled this by blasting whatever was loaded onto the iPod on board. I must say that it was a rather eclectic collection of tunes, but luckily the tiny speakers couldn't reach far enough to bother anyone not on my boat... Perhaps out off-key singing of Styx: Come Sail Away would have though.
We got home at about 5 in the evening to find my younger brother, Liam, waiting at the dock with his surfboard. Spencer left after helping to stow the sails; Max and I went to watch Liam surf for a bit. He did quite well for a rookie on tiny waves. I was unsteady on my feet for a few hours as I got used to dry land again. I can't remember much more, other than that I was really hungry when we got home. It was a great cruise, I learned more. It was a bit more enjoyable, but sailing is not the quickest way to get anywhere. I am becoming more and more aware that the boat I have may not be the best one for what I need in my life right now.
I have finally decided to stop putting it off and head to college. Maybe I needed this summer to see what type of sailing I really do like; what type of boat will I really use, or if I am really up to the lofty goals I have set. I do fully believe that a Bristol 24 could carry someone across the Atlantic comfortably, I just don't think I have the time or resources right now to pursue that goal, and rather than sink any more money into Aequitas I think I will travel by plane and by foot, by train and by car for a while. I have put my boat up for sale on the Internet and will hope to recoup some of the costs so that I may fund my education, and perhaps some of my travels. It is a bittersweet feeling. They say that the two happiest days in a sailor's life are the day he buys his boat, and the day he finally sells it. Maybe I just need to get a little trailer-sailor so I can haul it with me wherever I may go and take advantage of both coasts and inland lakes without needing professional transport or a huge truck.
It is sad though knowing that the trip to Manitowoc was my last time sailing her. I have been sleeping on the couch at my mom's house for a couple weeks now because it's gotten too cold in the marina. I'll miss her when she's gone, and if she doesn't sell, I won't mind if she sticks around for a few years so at some later date I may revisit my dreams of cruising.
I will still endeavor to maintain this blog of any other travels I do. Thanks for reading!
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