Log for June 10, 2002

Today dawned bright, clear--and windy.  Gee, what a surprise.  However, the forecast was for the stronger NW winds to die down a little later in the morning, and it sounded like it would be a very nice day.  The forecast for the week was pretty discouraging--lots of rain and unsettled weather--so of course I decided to go sailing.

I arrived at the boat around 1000 to find heavy NW winds and a nasty chop.  But the sun was strong and warm, and I spent some time working on a few things on board.  I'm just happy being on the boat.  By 1100 or so the wind was lightening, with an occasional higher gust, so I ate lunch and raised the mainsail with one reef in, since I was alone and would rather have too little sail than too much.  Casting off the mooring, I had a pleasant sail through the anchorage as I headed south towards Portland.  The wind was actually pretty light, but as I left the anchorage and unrolled the jib, some nice gusts and generally heavier wind blew off the land behind me and we picked up speed nicely.  

The breeze seemed to be only of local origin, however, and soon I found myself ghosting along in much lighter wind.  Somehow, I picked the perfect moment to jibe the boat and head out into the bay, at which time the wind picked up again and I blew past another boat that was on the wrong (read:  calm) side of the local wind line.  I love when that happens!

I started blowing past a Sabre 34 (obviously from Portland, what with her fenders hanging off the side under full sail...I'll be right back after I clean up the scorn that just dripped off me.).  It's always fun to outsail other boats, especially one that should have no trouble sailing faster.  Never underestimate the true sailing ability of a Triton--they're sleepers!  The light breeze died off suddenly, and I took the opportunity to shake out the reef in the main.  When the wind started to pick up, ever so slightly, the boat started moving and we soon left the Sabre in the dust--but then again, so did the O'Day Tempest that was also nearby (to the right in the photo, right), so the guys on the Sabre had no clue.  (That much was obvious just from the fenders...)

Later, the wind picked up a little more, giving me the best speeds of the day (just under 6 knots) as I headed ENE past outer Basket Island Ledge.  Something big was feeding up ahead of me...I couldn't quite tell what it was (probably a seal), but I managed to catch a photo of the splash.  I can't even begin to describe the pleasure of sailing the boat in this breeze, at this angle (just off a true beat), and blowing away other boats in the process.  What fun!  The joy of sailing a Triton is something that must be experienced to truly believe.  Alberg must have been a genius, because the boat should just not sail as well as she does.  (Maybe it's just the incredible talent of the skipper...)

I came around Basket Ledge and headed up to closehauled towards Cousin's Island, nearing the shore before making my tack back towards the anchorage at Falmouth.  The breeze was perfect...enough for an exhilarating sail, but not so much as to overpower the boat, require shortening sail, or make it wet or uncomfortable.  I'll enter my order for a whole summer of this wind now, thanks.  The sky had clouded over with some high, thin clouds, but there was still blue sky and sunny breaks, and the temperature was warm.  I sailed past Basket Island to port, a small, 1-acre island owned by the Portland Yacht Club and the state.  The wind remained perfect as I sailed as close as possible to Sturdivant Island Ledges, off the southerly tip of the island, so I could watch the ever-present crop of seals lounging on the rocks exposed by low tide. (photo, right)  There was even a nice Osprey nest on the can...no sign of anybody home, though.

I had planned to sail up into the anchorage to a point where I was higher than my mooring, and then sail to the mooring--but the wind kept heading me as I neared, as well as lightening, so I bagged that idea and lowered the sails outside the moored boats.  The wind was light so I decided to bring the boat into the dock for a much-needed scrub down after some time without--she was covered with salt, metal shavings from replacing the gooseneck earlier, and the remnants of our fun gathering at the Triton rendezvous the previous weekend.  I could almost hear her  breathe with relief as the fresh water and soap cleaned away the gross.