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We have all sail set save the studding sail. Wind is on the starboard quarter at
about 13 knots true strength. PRIDE II is sailing along at about 7.3 knots. The
sky is mostly overcast and there has been scattered light rain, but none falling
as I write this log. We are through the Welland Canal and its seven locks with
each of their 55 foot drops. PRIDE II has again come down from the top of the
Niagara Escarpment. A little bruised perhaps, but sailing quietly in the right
direction and saving fuel for later. I am back aboard again after two months at
home. There have been a lot of changes since I was last aboard, but everything
is the same too.
More than 50% of the crew is new since I was
last aboard two months ago. There has been a lot of electrical and satellite
gremlins aboard since my departure as well. Not withstanding the efforts to fix
them before I came aboard, I spent two straight days prior to departing Erie
dealing with them, and its seem we have defeated 95% of them. Time to keep my
fingers crossed.
Meanwhile with so many new crew members aboard
and now also what is in reality a new skipper (me) aboard, a lot of normally
routine details need to be addressed and sorted out. Some details represent new
ways and are improvements, thus deserve being preserved. Some are not
improvements or are instead "make-do solutions" or procedures that do not fit
and need changing. I do not add to my effort of normalizing things to my way by
getting into a jam at one of the locks and crashing the port quarter into the
lock wall, splitting a trim piece of the port stern corner. Made me rather cross
at myself for doing that. PRIDE II has an obvious blemish that will need
attending as soon as possible. But for now it is more important to take
advantage of the favorable wind.
All the above has occurred before, at least
several times, over the last 18 years that I have been associated with PRIDE.
Hence, nothing seems to change; I have seen it all before. But a good sail
brings out the best in all of us and spirits are high with all aboard. We are
living the phrase of marinersâ good wishes, ãfair winds and following seasä.
Looking forward, I am hopeful of reaching and
passing through much of the Thousand Islands tomorrow. I may stop for an
evening to let the crew rest and enjoy, as well give an opportunity for the cook
to shop for perishables one last time before we depart American waters in the
St. Lawrence River and head off for American waters in the Atlantic. I am going
to see if we can get around Canada without making a formal stop. My desire to
do this is connected with avoiding customs and national security formalities in
both Canada and the USA, as well as hurrying along to be sure we remain on
schedule for our destination in Boston -- with maybe enough time saved up
through going quickly for a diversion to Maine waters and a sail with the
American schooners there. I have succeeded in this a few times before over the
last 25 years when coming out of the Great Lakes aboard sailing vessels that
live by the promise of arriving on time at their planned for destination.
My first time in the Great Lakes was aboard
the original PRIDE back in 1981 and I was able to make such a diversion on the
way out. Since then I have made several trips into and out of the Lakes. In
fact, this year makes the 11th time I have made either the trip into
the Lakes or out of the Lakes, or both. It seems to me I have made the
diversion I am thinking of a few times, at least. But doing it and doing it
non-stop has only happened once previously. There are lots of things that can
conspire against this plan, weather being the most likely culprit, especially
along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia. At this time of year, the winds along
that coast are often headwinds from the southwest and are very strong.
With such experiences and memories as all
these, I wonder how it will turn out this time. Bashing the port quarter into
the lock wall is not a propitious indicator.
Cheers,
Captain Miles |
