Today was a great day. We had hoped to sail on Friday or Saturday, but that was not possible due to rain. We decided yesterday, that rain or shine we would venture out today. We were eager to both get in some sailing time as well as practice our docking (docks are completely different here than in SF). As has become the routine, we woke and checked the weather report. Winds 15-20 knots out of the Northeast and scattered showers throughout the day. The thing about here is that when it rains it soaks. Anyhow, we readied Rosario and headed out at 9:30 to catch the 9:45 opening of the Flagler Bridge. If no one is already waiting, you have to call into the bridge to ask for passage. Getting it right is kind of comical but David has it down pretty well. We headed north up the channel through the intercoastal waterway to an area called the lake because you suddenly have great depths (after being in only about 9 feet of water you go to 30 plus). Depth has never mattered much to us before in the bay but here it is everything. It’s hard to imagine that we will be in water in the Bahamas that is only a few feet deeper than our keel. Seeing the bottom so clearly will take some getting used to for sure. Once in the lake we raised the sails and enjoyed a couple of hours just cruising. This boat is truly amazing compared to what I learned to sail on and to what I am used to when we charter. The handling is incredibly smooth and the boat responds exactly the way that you intend it to. Also, managing it with the two of us is pretty seamless b/c the setup is so efficient. I think that we will become quite spoiled with not having to raise the sail but having it in the mast…or at least I will. I’m glad to have learned on some of the rickety boats that I have been on so that I can truly appreciate this treat. We decided to sail the whole way back through the channel b/c the wind was good and at our backs. Then, as expected (though later than we expected) came the rain. Which in the end was not so horrible – we got a little wet and Rosario got a bath to rinse off the salt.
Other news of the day is that I have begun my morse code studying. I can happily report that I am three letters into the alphabet ;) Right now it’s fun b/c it feels like a game. I’ll let you all know how things pan out down the line.
We are in West Palm Beach through the end of the week and hope to head south to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday…weather permitting of course ;)
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