Who remembers Braden? I got a text that he was sailing in Penobscot Bay last week and headed toward Castine. Then his phone went on the fritz and we lost communication. I went out Saturday on a close to home solo overnight sail.
I needed to get the covers off the sails and stretch out the wrinkles.
The day turned into a great sail as soon as I locked into the winds preference. It may have been intuition as I sailed through the 'islands' and past Perry Creek. I haven't visited Perry Creek in a couple seasons. Gliding past the entrance, there she was. MERIDIAN, Braden's red HR Rasmus out of NY.
He didn't recognize me, I couldn't text and I assumed he didn't have the VHF on (proved right later). So I just tacked back and forth as I saw their sails go up making the typical mid day exit from an anchorage with co-boats also out of NY.
It took close buzzing and many gestures before he realized 'who is taunting me', on that old boat. I raised my camera high. Then he got it and we were off like a shot.
I fell off toward Grindstone Ledge with him on my heels. Both boats went onto a stiff beam reach.
Braden is a true sailor raised in a sailing family. Old school. I caught him framed by the churning turbines of the Fox Island Wind Co-op, -that like us- had the wind by the tail!
Few boats sail through the channeled sticky wicket off Grindstone, fewer still do it in tandem. It was a glorious sail with a friend.
Yep, he's getting closer. I sort of had my hands full watching the channel, markers, focus, wheel, etc. But I kept my lens on him.
Things open up, buoys stretch apart and we have some breathing room. I put a little luff in the genoa and MERIDIAN came alongside for a few words. The words weren't that important (where you going etc....). The memorable exchange was the tandem sail. We'll remember that.
I needed to get the covers off the sails and stretch out the wrinkles.
The day turned into a great sail as soon as I locked into the winds preference. It may have been intuition as I sailed through the 'islands' and past Perry Creek. I haven't visited Perry Creek in a couple seasons. Gliding past the entrance, there she was. MERIDIAN, Braden's red HR Rasmus out of NY.
He didn't recognize me, I couldn't text and I assumed he didn't have the VHF on (proved right later). So I just tacked back and forth as I saw their sails go up making the typical mid day exit from an anchorage with co-boats also out of NY.
It took close buzzing and many gestures before he realized 'who is taunting me', on that old boat. I raised my camera high. Then he got it and we were off like a shot.
I fell off toward Grindstone Ledge with him on my heels. Both boats went onto a stiff beam reach.
Braden is a true sailor raised in a sailing family. Old school. I caught him framed by the churning turbines of the Fox Island Wind Co-op, -that like us- had the wind by the tail!
Few boats sail through the channeled sticky wicket off Grindstone, fewer still do it in tandem. It was a glorious sail with a friend.
Yep, he's getting closer. I sort of had my hands full watching the channel, markers, focus, wheel, etc. But I kept my lens on him.
Things open up, buoys stretch apart and we have some breathing room. I put a little luff in the genoa and MERIDIAN came alongside for a few words. The words weren't that important (where you going etc....). The memorable exchange was the tandem sail. We'll remember that.
