More Sailing

Donavan and I sailed both Saturday and Sunday last weekend, and yesterday as well, at our regular place the Windmill Marina in Afton on the St. Croix. Last weekend was especially good sailing weather--steady wind, not too hot. We frequently got up to 6-7 knots last Saturday. Sunday was a little slower, but not by much. Yesterday the wind dropped away on  a few occasions, so we didn't get as far, but it made for a very relaxing pace.

I noticed last weekend that I didn't get that panicky feeling in my stomach when we heeled over. I think I'm getting used to the feeling. I'm relieved that it's getting easier, because all of that adrenaline rush is exhausting.

Yesterday I taught Jane how to use a winch. I had her help me turn the winch after we tacked/came about, so that the jib was taut. She expressed some boredom yesterday, and so I think the more we involve her in the sailing part, the less bored she'll feel. And it's good to have a little swabbie on board who knows how to help.

Today it's raining and forecasts say thunderstorms. So Donavan's plan to go out sailing again with friends have been put on hold. Jane and I had plans to do laundry, see friends, and catch up on all the things that don't do themselves when we're on the sailboat. I love getting away on the sailboat, and how it forces us to just sit around together and enjoy the outdoors. We might run out of clean dishes and laundry in the process, but that's okay.

Fourth of July Trip to Lake Pepin

Things don't always go as planned. That was the case from July 4-8. Although we had some technical difficulties with a part that connects the jib to the boat, we still managed to spend some time sailing on Lake Pepin, celebrating the 4th of July watching big fire works, trying out the dinghy for the first time, and spending a lot of relaxing time together. The heat and humidity crept up on Saturday and Sunday, and both days we made trips to the Dairy Queen. My brother and sister-in-law joined us on Saturday (yay!) and did some sailing with us.

We planned on motoring the boat both ways, down and back from Afton, but when the connector thing broke on Thursday afternoon, Donavan hitched a ride back to town very early on Friday morning with a friend to get a part, and his truck. We didn't know if the part could be fixed, and thought it would be better to trailer the boat back to be on the safe side. It all turned out okay because Donavan was able to replace the part, and so we had a chance to do some sailing, but it meant that we had to take down the mast and sails and boom and jib, etc., etc. It took a few hours to get that accomplished on Sunday.

One of my favorite parts was on the trip down, going through the lock and dam #3, and also going under the bridges in Red Wing. Here's photos of the trip down. I quit taking photos after we arrived. We were busy just enjoying the time, and then it got too hot to do anything but try to stay cool.

Lori and Jane at the tiller. Jane even took a turn later on down the river, and she did a great job.

The water level was very high, and we saw houses in this state all along the river. 

Since our sail is too high to pass under the bridge in Prescott, we had to radio the person at the tower, and they lifted the bridge, just for us. And the traffic was all kinds of backed up. 

Right after we got through the lift bridge, there was a railroad bridge that also had to be lifted.

This shows the railroad bridge going down.

Sometimes motoring down a river gets a little boring, according to Jane. Good thing she had a book along. 

While we waited for Lock and Dam #3 to let some barges go through (for about two hours), and Northbound traffic as well, we anchored and Donavan took a nap. Although the hole in his t-shirt was not intentional, it probably provided good ventilation. 

Here we were pulling out of the Lock and Dam. We were one of the last boats, on purpose, so that the big fast motor boats could get going. There were about 20 motorboats with us in the lock. We all held on to ropes that kept us next to the wall you see in the photo, and also kept us apart from hitting other boats, while the water level dropped.

This was our view coming through Red Wing. 

Jane had the best seat in the house while we motored in to Lake Pepin.

You can just barely see the frayed metal pieces on the forestay that connects to the roller furling. In other words, look just to the left of where the red and white rope is coming out of the rectangle hole of the boat. There's so many small connecting parts on a sail boat. This part just happened to be one of them that keeps the mast up. Pretty important part.