An evening single handing across the bay

This weekend was kind of weird, with a couple of rainstorms predicted and so I decided to hold back on Friday and Saturday morning.  But around lunchtime on Saturday I found myself watching sailing videos on Youtube (I'm a fan of Delos and her crew) and realizing that with the weather clearing, I could be doing some sailing instead of watching it.

So I headed up the turnpike and caught the launch out to Seas The Day.

It turned out to be a beautiful evening.  Flat calm waters and a consistent 10 kt breeze was just perfect for a relaxed 3 kt cruise across the bay.

Although I really miss my First Mate (she returns from China in a week), there's an aspect of single handing that I really enjoy.  You can really "live in the moment" ignoring all that is going on in the rest of the world and focus truly at the task at hand.  It seems like that's harder and harder to do, these days.

This weekend, i decided to just do a relaxing sail... I left the jib in, set the mainsail for a close reach across the bay (a broad reach to return) and did a nice 3 knots or so out to the channel and back.

There wasn't a lot of traffic (just a few fishermen around the Keyport #1 buoy) and I just enjoyed the ride.

Eventually, the sun started to set, I saw some clouds in the distance and I returned to my mooring ball in the Keyport Harbor.  I called for the launch right as the sun passed behind some clouds (it creates a very unique quality of light (see the 3rd photo below)

From the top of the dock near the launch shack, it was clear a front was coming through.  So I found some dinner and decided it was best to head back down to DE.