Interesting posts. I enjoyed getting a better sense of locales and conditions during this short heat wave.
We sailed a large rough circle over 3 days staying at least 10 degrees cooler than the mainland at any given time thanks to the cooling over the ocean water. Winds were light so we always kept a breeze going over the decks that was really pleasant.
Farther up the bay we found warmer sea water temperatures (pushing 70F) on the falling tide and got in the water quite a bit. Following rushing tidal flows over bars with water from our ankles to above our waists was refreshing in the hot sun and high humidity.
It wasn't until we closed on the mainland yesterday that things turned. A forecast West wind came out of nowhere and sent our lunch platter and all the contents clattering onto the cockpit sole. The sudden wind was like a Scirocco with sustained gusts to near 20 knots. But the memorable part was how HOT that dry wind was.
We tucked into our lee home harbor and while protected by a high treed shoreline 200 yards to the West, we listened to the mooring pendant strain under the gusts.
Dripping sweat, I could only flake the sails before the heat on deck was too uncomfortable (I needed shoes to stand still on the fiberglass decks). I normally like the heat.
Mary Ann (Celtic blood,...) does NOT like the heat and was in the water as soon as we hooked the mooring. I could only hang my legs in the icy water, but that did the trick. Weighing about the same as a 12 pack with handles on their PFD's, we dipped the dogs to keep them cool.
The shore was registering 93F with a heat index of 103 at this very moment. Not bad, some had it worse. The water, about 60F degrees in our deep harbor on the flow, gives us an advantage now.
Fire and Ice.