Old Skipper

We had an opportunity to enjoy dinner with Roger and Michele - owners of the Farrier 27 Trimaran that I used to crew on. We were trying to get a sail in - especially since he got some new sails, but as you saw in the previous post, the air was light. I learned a lot about jib and reacher sail management from this guy. I look forward to the next time we meet Roger! I'll have to fly back for one of the long races!

Ship Island Sail

Roger called up yesterday and with a promising forecast (10-15 from 1200-1500, 15-20 from 1500-1700), I got to help break-in the new standing rigging he put up on his F-28.

The wind was howling for most of the trip - close reaching on the outbound run getting 17.1 mph.

Spent about an hour out at Ship Island right by the pier. Nice facilities, but everything was closed (off season???).

The run back was a broad reach (started out as a beam) and we would get swell pushing from the port stern quarter. Made for a quick run back hitting a max downwind speed of 17.9 mph.

The anemometer at Gulfport never recorded a gust past 20 mph while we were out on the water - real efficient sailing.

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Yesterday involved a lot of time "not" at the beach. Errands, work and having fun with my favorite dude (Big M), as well as a decent mid-day nap - but I did get a 4 miler in in the late afternoon. The wind was supposed to be 11 mph from the South, but the frontal passage was progressing a bit faster than forecasted (my opinion) and I ended up with a paddling session (I learned my lesson from last week and brought a paddle). I also got the bug to install a rear position foot strap on the Starboard Blend - did some internet surfing to find a good model and ratio-proportioning and cut the decking material from the new stick'em screw plates. I still have to clean the stripped areas off, but once the foot strap is on, it'll make carrying the board to and from the water with a sail rig on it way easier. More to follow on this.

Last night the wind turned and really kicked up. Heavy rains pelted the house and just as quickly as they came they went.

This morning, the howls of 25+ mph winds, the swaying Yellow Pines and the blaring wind chimes announced that the interface between the passing low and the pushing high was here.

So - with gusts past 30 blowing straight offshore, I decided discretion was the call for today. Keeping two hulls in contact with the GOM might have been really challenging, especially with no crew (La, Big M and Noe have all recently been saying things like "I get seasick when the sky is cloudy" and "BAD DADDY!!!!" - if that isn't a hint I don't know what is...)

I did make it down to the beach to check out the conditions. These shots say it all - strong winds blowing the low tide even lower (I've never seen it this low before - I'm pretty sure this was more local wind driven vice gravitational tide), and whitecaps seen from directly upwind (normally they stick out like a sore thumb from the side - the wind was so stiff that they stuck out from a rear view).

In closing, there are two types of skunks - the one that spoils your session because you don't have enough wind (or surf, or fill in the blank), and the one that gives you too much of a good thing. I've been sprayed by both now down here on the "Third" Coast and I stink of "lack of stoke".

Oh well - at least I can see the water (i.e., I'm not in Baghdad) and there's always tomorrow (for kiting, sailing, SUPing and even dreaming of surfing)!

Lazy Saturday

As much as we have been laying around and moping, we made a commitment to get some stuff done and get out of the house. The weather was crap yesterday and La took the opportunity to put up the Christmas tree - I know she reads this so this is more for her than anyone else - The kids and I don't help. She doesn't want our help. Everything has to be perfect to her and if we try to intervene, it really isn't good for anyone. SO, the kids and I don't help with the tree. The kids even have their own small trees so they can decorate them and not La's tree. This is not a bad thing, so don't interpret this the wrong way. I have just come to realize over the years that La will decorate the tree and it is ok if I standby and watch. So that was yesterday.

Today, La and the kids rode their bikes (Noe and Marlon got upgrades - Marlon has adapted to his with little issue; Noe is getting the hang of starting and stopping on a larger framed bike). My knees have been acting up so I stayed home and worked on the kiteboard and the upcoming flatwater paddleboard.

Around 2pm, I made a declaration that "I'm taking the boat out" - the kids were silent. I guess I'll be sailing alone...

Well they did come to the beach and dug holes and built a cool sand castle. I made a few runs before the sun set. I unfurled the reacher a few times and was able to tack it with no problem (although the wind was light -I'm sure with a stiffer breeze I would not be saying this).

I finally figured out how to rig the reacher so it'll unfurl and furl fully - after raising it with the halyard, cycling it will solve the issue.

I got the beach wheels that I ordered, but not the axles. The drag to and from the beach sucked! It'll be nice to get those fat wheels installed.

Tomorrow should be time on Roger's boat. Hopefully the wind will be decent.

Busy at Work

Sorry for not posting lately...

Been busy with work.

Put on a large Change of Command Ceremony last Friday.

Went sailing with Roger and Michelle on Saturday to Cat Island (yes there is still oil out there).

Took the kids to the pool on Sunday.

And have been putting in some hours this week (even though the wind has been blowing nicely in the afternoons).

I was going to do the YOLO Race out in Seaside this weekend, but there is a Mud Run here on base this weekend that I'll do instead.

Hopefully there'll be some wind over the weekend...

Aloha cuz's!

Holding on to Labor Day Weekend

Did the lawn, checked on the neighbor's car, cleaned the bathroom, checked up on some stuff at work and then...

spent the rest of the day at the BEACH!!!

The wind spiked higher a few hours before we went, but being baked as well as we had been throughout the weekend, it was better that we went later.

I still got some decent runs in (REMEMBER - I AM TRYING TO REALLY LIKE WHERE I AM AT - SO THIS IS A RELATIVE ISSUE). And I nailed some great pivot jibes. This old school trip I'm on is actually fun (TRUTH, NOT REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY).

The kids and I also found an alternate use for a boogie board when there is no surf.

We topped it all off with some sushi and that's it - the weekend is done!

Awesome Sail!

Wind from the SE at 12-18 mph.

HOOYAH was ripping!!!

Slicing through 1-3 ft wind swell on the outbound legs and riding the same swells back in!

I haven't smiled this much in a while!

Eeked one in -

The forecast called for a 90% chance for rain and thunderstorms today.

Upon initial inspection (around 0800), the sky was blue with puffy cumulus clouds pushing through fairly quickly. Checking the GWPM6 weather station (Gulfport Harbor), it was reading 15-18 (Kiting weather).

After we gulped down a breakfast of carne asada, omelts and hash browns, we were loaded and on our way. On reaching HWY 90, the surface wind was not 15-18, more like 8. We doubled back and hooked the boat up.

We decided to try Courthouse Rd parking area for the launch today. What a huge difference! Paved, sand free parking and only 10' of sand to drag the boat dolly through (no burning calves or upper back).

Took the entire family out for the first run - 2 nm out towards Biloxi in SW winds blowing 8-12 mph (steady).

I learned something today - La, Marlon and Noe are stink'in land lubbers! Noe was literally foaming at the mouth (not puking, just solid foam), Marlon gets very sleepy when on the boat and La as big a hooter as she is, doesn't like fair winds and following seas (downwind runs) - too much bump and dump today (short period, 1-2' waves stacked on each other - the 14'5" boat will surf a bit, then fall off the wave in the light-ish winds - ALMOST seasickness inducing water...)

Anyways, got them back to shore and then took the boat out on a solo run, this time East towards Gulfport Harbor. Got up to 9.9 mph - not bad for winds hovering between 8-12.

Turned back because of the massive cumulonimbus column pushing up from the South. It ended up bypassing us to the East, but it never hurts to sail safe.