Weekend sailing

Starboard!

The crew

Saturday was an awesome day to be out on the water. One photo shows Blue Runner dicing with another boat, the other the crew watching Stinky. Thanks Harbor House for the pics.  The racing was good, the company excellent with three kiwis on the crew, the result was not as we wanted. A second. The dolphin was with us all the way, usually a good luck charm. Not today, we just enjoyed his company. 

It turned out that Sunday was not such a good day to sail. It was a little rough, choppy waves and moderate to high winds. I must say I wasn't that enthusiastic on going out for some reason, unusual for me. I must have known what was going to happen!

We tacked  few times, I had some repairs to do laying across the boat at a precarious angle while sorting ropes and that went okay. It was beginning to be fun. Then we headed out for race practice with another boat. We hit some quite big waves, I hung on at the front. The next tack, I stood and headed to my usual position to round the mast. Suddenly the boat tipped more than it should have and the mast gap closed. I had nothing to hang onto and off I went careening down the deck, grabbing at ropes that didn't hold, and over the side. I hit the water hard and went under the boat as it tipped back up then flattened. 

Luckily I had my life jacket on. It pushed me up as the boat went down. I got a small hit on my head and then popped out and the lifejacket kept me upright.  I was in the water a little while until they could get close enough to grab me, tricky in the rough seas and shifty winds. Lucky the water was warm, the cold set in a bit later. 

I'm not sure if it was concussion or a bit of shock, probably both, but I didn't feel that well. We had to abandon practice, I was quite shaky. It took me a while to warm up and I was really sore with a bad headache. My couch got some time and I after an early night, I felt better except for the sore bits. 

Next weekend is more of the same, two days of racing on Mayhem. I'll be up for that, there's series points on the line as well as a place in Race Cayman. I'm in New York that week so won't be here for the second year running for this international event. Last year I was at Noah's second birthday party, hard to believe he will be three soon. How time flies.