Its very simple Thom, we're not talking about the English Channel. We're
talking about the 10 to 15 miles of protected water Donal sails through before
he gets there.

Remember, just one or two posts earlier Donal had scoffed at my comment that I
had done a number of open ocean trips last year, the shortest of which was
twenty miles. I even mentioned that I didn't bother to count the distance until
we were in open water, with 3000 miles of fetch to the east. And before that
Donal insisted that it didn't count as sailing unless is was so rough you had
seal up the boat.

I agreed that Peter's estimate wasn't quite right, but pointed out that 30 miles
offshore would put you closer to France than to England. Donal was being rather
disingenuous first by presuming that everyone is fully aware of the details of
his home waters, and then by using a point miles behind an island and a large
breakwater as the beginning of "offshore."

Let me put it another way: if RB claimed he was going 50 miles offshore, where
would we start the measure? City Island? The Battery? Verrazanno? I think
that anyone from the area would say Sandy Hook is where you'd have to start.

"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
Jeff,

I'm not taking side with you and Donal. This discussion of offshore was
started by a statement that in the English Channel France was only 30
miles away. This is not a quote but a recap. Donal pointed out from his
Moorage to the nearest French Port was ( I think) he said 76 miles. That
sounded reasonable. The channel is a rather large body of water.

How the discussion got turned into an Offshore debate, I don't know?
Just wanted to say the channel is a large chunk off water. Doesn't have
to take a back seat to Chesapeake, Long Island Sound, SF Bay or my
beloved Puget Sound.

"nuff said:
Ole Thom