"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message
I have just returned from several days of sailing. The conditions were
close to perfect
with our commencing our sail on the heels of a norther in winds of 25 to
30 knots. My
guest enjoyed the safe and relaxing sailing except for the second day
where the winds
were steady at about 25 knots but gusting to around 35. Unfortunately, it
was a close-
hauled sail to a little offshore island where we could tuck in behind a
sandbar to get out of the three to four foot choppy waves that had been
kicked up in Hawk Channel. My guest had a hard time getting used to the
heel my fine, bluewater vessel
experienced due to being close-hauled in the strong prevailing onshore
winds. She
was happy when we anchored in relatively calm water in the lee of the
sandbar.
The third day we departed from the shelter of the sandbar and sailed well
out
into the Gulf Stream in winds of only 15 to 20 knots. There were some
left-over rollers
from the open ocean of 4-5 feet variety, so my guest got a taste of ocean
sailing. This is something most of you on this group have never
experienced. She held up just fine,
did not become fearful nor did she become sea sick. What a woman! What a
boat!

Too bad Mooron is too chicken to take this fine woman for a sail. . . Too
bad his
vessel is sad and icebound. Too bad he doesn't remain sober long enough to
sail even when the ice has melted.

You don't know just how lucky you are. I've been suffering with Type B
Influenza for the past three days. It really sucks up here in the land of
ice and viruses.

Max