Launching.
Somehow this was delayed until after Christmas- and even then, with one thing and another, it was 9pm before she slid off the rusty trailer at Charteris Bay and into the water. I waved goodbye to Penny, bumped a few rocks, and we were sailing.
Somehow this was delayed until after Christmas- and even then, with one thing and another, it was 9pm before she slid off the rusty trailer at Charteris Bay and into the water. I waved goodbye to Penny, bumped a few rocks, and we were sailing.
She was covered in sawdust... but snuck out into the gloaming on a gentle breeze.
The cartoon sea shimmered in the dying light.
As is common around nightfall, the breeze was dying- and as I neared King Billy Island, it was almost 10- and I was a little concerned about getting through the passage- and missing the tide at home.
But- with a couple of tacks in the narrowest part- I snuck through- and whizzed across to Manson's Pt on a nice 6 knots. Then just off the beach, the wind died almost completely- and it took another 20 minutes to get in. Anchored and secured by moonlight- great to have her back in action.
Jan 3.
Jan 3.
Poor weather- a series of southerlies and rain- has plagued the summer. One sunny afternoon however I nipped down for a quick sail. A southerly was blowing through, and I was lucky that even while the beach is sheltered, I was getting blasts that indicated it was fierce. So I put the reef in before heading out- which took quite a while, but proved worth it.
Sailed across to Moepuku and back- and that was enough. The gusts were howling- and I was having trouble keeping her up, spilling wind, struggling. I still think it was gusting well over 30 knots- although the Lyttelton Port Company figures show 26 ish gusts, this is a one-minute average, and the gusts were fairly short. When I got back, big Bridget wondered why I'd been so quick. Long Beach is right out of the Southerly, and the sun was hot.
Sailed across to Moepuku and back- and that was enough. The gusts were howling- and I was having trouble keeping her up, spilling wind, struggling. I still think it was gusting well over 30 knots- although the Lyttelton Port Company figures show 26 ish gusts, this is a one-minute average, and the gusts were fairly short. When I got back, big Bridget wondered why I'd been so quick. Long Beach is right out of the Southerly, and the sun was hot.
Jan 5.
Beautiful evening sail in 6-12 knots. Cruised up-harbour, tacking into Cass Bay, and over to Diamond Harbour, before a fast run down to Church Bay- taking in the sewage plant, various houses and jetties, and a good look at Black's Point- soon to be "developed" with a preposterous 50 houses. Back through the King Billy passage and home.
1 comment:
looks pretty great where you are!
Martin
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