Big sail day
When the student is ready the teacher will appear. This past winter I wanted to learn so much before I went sailing but was never motivated enough. Let me tell you I am motivated! So when it was time to trim in sailing school, I thoguht I was paying attention but apparently not. So we met up with Nancy n Darrell again. Good friends that taught us about docking and anchoring. Welp we had a wonderful time with them and Darrell talked about this book called power sail (or something like that). So all day Ben and I tried something different. We checked the line of the luff and the twist of the sails and we sailed more off the wind. Last time it was windy and we were nose into wind (beating in to wind) we did about 3.3 knots but today we played with this and that and got 5.5-6.5 knots. We felt pretty special.
This morning we left the small bay and sure enough guess who run aground but this time I ask you ... If the guy looking at the gps tells you to go to port and you driving run aground does that make it me running aground? Later in the day Ben said he has not run aground yet. I kindly informed him that he told me to go to port when I should have gone starboard. I checked the gps track to see what happened later in the day. Oh well I wiggled and wiggle the boat back and forth and got her free. Phew. There was a lot boats passng me. They all said don't worry it is low tide going to high. I knew that.
How many of you all are going to sail with us if we keep telling you stories like running aground. Anyway the day was long and fun. We did 48 miles which is a record for us. When we left this morning I thought we are going to have to motor but nope. Today Ben successfully reefed the main, he did an amazing job. It is No small task when the winds are 18 knots or so we think. (my iPhone said 18) so I'm going with it. I think when it is my turn to reef I'm going to have to start the engine and head into wind. Of course doing that is like admitting I bottle fed my babies (which I didn't.) well I did some time cuz I did but don't tell anyone. Silly. It would be like not being manly enough to reef the main in the driving wind. Oh yeah I'm not the manly type so I shall do things with engines and winches and pulleys cuz I can. Ha ha ha
Oh! This was exciting I had a huge tug boat pulling a freighter hail me. It was bens watch. I was below and I hear this guy hailing a sailboat near wolf trap ( well I had been navigating and Ben just happened to ask me what was that marker called it had a funny name wolf trap. We tacked back and forth a few times. I was below and I answeered I am a sailboat near wolftrap. We switched to another channel. He asked what my intentions were. Ahhh then he said. Tell me what you see off your starboard stern. I popped up my heAd and I came back on to say. Oh my a tug boat pulling a huge freighter. He said yup that is me. Now what are your intentions. I stumbled on my words cuz I was just thinking the same thing what is Ben doing getting so close. Mind you I am on the safety conservative and he is on the other side that most everything willl be fine. Ahhh was my reply. He said he was on a line to York river. I said I'm goi g to mobjack river. He came back with two options. Either stay your course and he will move a few degrees but if I decide that we have to do it now. Or tack out of the way. ( he was very nice and polite. I'm amazed he didn't say you're a dumb blonde move out of my way) Ben was wondering what was going on. I said the guy behind you wants us to move or stand firm. He said whatever. I in no way want to be close to anything one million tines bigger than me. I kindly told the guy I'll tack right now out of your way. I popped my head up and said tack tilll he is far far away. I felt like such a dummy to have to have them hail me to move. Good lesson I learned. Look behind you. I figure I have the right of way if I'm ahead except with those big boys. Wowwza! The only thing is... The tug boat captain had a different boat answer his hail and that other sailboat was not the right one. But while they were talking they addressed each other as captain but he never did that with me. Probably cuz I sounded so stupid. And I should not have been addressed that way cuz I was not paying attention like a "good" captain should. New lesson learned. Uffda!
Going to bed. I got sun burned cuz of that medication I'm taking. Grrrr. I put sunscreen on and am allergic to many sunscreens I thought this one was good but nope. My face is so red oh and add wind burn too. I'm beat!
God grace is sufficient.
Humbly
Captain Pam signing off
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