My plan, as much as I have plans these days, for Green Cove Springs was to leave on the first good wind for a sail back to Jacksonville after meeting up with my first employee for dinner. I’d just seen him once since the 1980’s, briefly at the Sister Creek public dock last week. He came last night, the first he had free, leaving me free to catch the first wind out of town.
I spent a lazy morning waiting for the rain to stop and the skies to clear. It was still cloudy when I went ashore for lunch and to buy drinking water and a couple bags of ice. The sun was breaking through the clouds when I stowed those purchases and I knew the wind couldn’t be far behind so I started preparing for departure.
The wind was right on schedule. I was hardly 100 yards from the mooring when the weak front let go with a blast. I rolled up the jib again, put a reef in the main, and then unrolled the jib to the third reef. Strider took off. Most of the way up the single long slant to the bridge I was moving faster than she ever goes under power and I don’t remember seeing the “7” digit on the knotlog so often and for such long periods, this on a close reach.
Sunny sky, warm, boat moving so fast I could feel her suck down a bit going over the shallower spots. You can’t ask for more but I do sometimes seem to get it.
The wind eased as I went under the bridge and passed the naval air station. Nice watching landing planes low enough that I could almost see the pilots. I could have sailed up to anchor but the batteries needed some charging and I would have needed one final tack. Sailing the whole day without having to handle the jib clinched the deal and I started the engine for the final mile.
I’m now anchored in what looks like the middle of the river on SPOT but I’m in about eight feet with shoals to deflect any river traffic. I’ll have a nice view of the city when the sun sets and the wind should go down with the sun for a quiet night.
I spent a lazy morning waiting for the rain to stop and the skies to clear. It was still cloudy when I went ashore for lunch and to buy drinking water and a couple bags of ice. The sun was breaking through the clouds when I stowed those purchases and I knew the wind couldn’t be far behind so I started preparing for departure.
The wind was right on schedule. I was hardly 100 yards from the mooring when the weak front let go with a blast. I rolled up the jib again, put a reef in the main, and then unrolled the jib to the third reef. Strider took off. Most of the way up the single long slant to the bridge I was moving faster than she ever goes under power and I don’t remember seeing the “7” digit on the knotlog so often and for such long periods, this on a close reach.
Sunny sky, warm, boat moving so fast I could feel her suck down a bit going over the shallower spots. You can’t ask for more but I do sometimes seem to get it.
The wind eased as I went under the bridge and passed the naval air station. Nice watching landing planes low enough that I could almost see the pilots. I could have sailed up to anchor but the batteries needed some charging and I would have needed one final tack. Sailing the whole day without having to handle the jib clinched the deal and I started the engine for the final mile.
I’m now anchored in what looks like the middle of the river on SPOT but I’m in about eight feet with shoals to deflect any river traffic. I’ll have a nice view of the city when the sun sets and the wind should go down with the sun for a quiet night.
Waiting for the full story!