North Wind

Today was a day for sailing!  We were very happy to have the Dwyers (Alice, Steve and Mick) graciously meet us at the Rhode River Smithsonian Education Research Center for an excursion on Gerty.

They were a hard working crew as we beat upwind in about 20 knots of wind to the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.  Downwind at the same 20 knots made for a steady lunch on our return trip.

It was great to have family onboard, but it was our afternoon sail to Tred Avon River that really got our blood pumping.  At NNE winds averaging 25 knots with gusts to 31 knots, with a max boat speed of 10.2 knots, Michael was ecstatic!

I was thinking, I should be scared, but I’m not, because Michael is ecstatic and we really seem to know what we are doing. We reefed, Michael poled out the solant, and Gerty sailed like a champ.

The day ended with another incredible sunset as we raced to our Oxford, MD anchorage against the last daylight.