Took advantage of the light air Monday before last week’s Northeaster set in and after it left for a pair of quick sails. Monday had a strong current from the north with a light ENE breeze allowed little speed over the ground. Thursday had a 5kt ENE breeze fill in just after I rigged the sculling lock. Good reading conditions both days.
On the Sjogin plans front, Paul Gartside has been receiving deposits and I had a nice note from him yesterday. Next step is The Measurement of Sjogin. I spoke with Tom and I’ll be able to put Sjogin in the Paint Shop this Summer to take off her lines. It will make it easier with painted plywood on the floor for the grid. I’ve had a few offers of help so I’ll try to set up a weekend in July for a version of Tom Sawyer and the fence.
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Beating up the Mantoloking shore last Monday. Lite, dry northeaster.
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With the breeze in the ENE I can raise sail in the slip. The temporary spring line holds her just so. Cast off the bow line, pull her forward with the spring and away you go. With the wind out of the NE to E I need to make downwind landings. More on that later.
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No boat traffic makes for nice light air sailing.
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The warm stove felt good below with a chilly Northeaster blowing over the barrier beach. Carried the Starboard tack up to the Mantoloking Bridge.
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Thursday’s sail provided a good reading breeze.
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This is Spyder, the Seaside Park YC A-Cat ready for a new season.
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The latest Beaton’s rowboat glowing in the Duckboat room.
Strange to see your book open to a chart of the Blackwater – my boat’s moored at West Mersea!
StJ,
I’ve long had an interest in the Thames Estuary and all thing sailing in those waters. I have a few books by Maurice Griffith and others in Sjogin’s library that always mention saving one’s tide through the Swin. Hope to heave to there some day.
The book is Michael Kent’s Half a Gale; his story of learning to fish and cruise in Boadecia, an Essex smack.
What kind of boat do you have?
Russ
Next to the Oyster smacks and Thames Barges around the Blackwater Sjogin would look right at home.
I have a bilge-keeled Hurley 22 (Welkin). Not so beautiful as Sjogin but very practical for the Essex mud and great fun at this time of year. Last weekend we kept pace with a smack on the run back from Maldon to West Mersea. Mind you she was only flying her jib!
The tides are quite something all the way up the East Coast. In light airs last week we were losing ground against an ebbing tide. Really should have given up the fight and gone with it but that would have made for a very long day.
If you’re ever on this side of the pond I’d be happy to show you around the estuary.
St.J