Blasting

Last Tuesday evening hardly anyone wanted to sailing in Bristol because all the usual suspects were getting ready to go off and compete in the US Laser Masters or the Snipe Women's Worlds or the Farr 40 Worlds or similar really serious regattas for really serious sailors. They are all barking mad as far as I am concerned. In any case, the weather forecast was for crappy wind. Officially.

So I went out over to Bristol on my own on Wednesday afternoon instead.

The weather was superb.

The wind was blowing from the SW at 10-15 knots.

There were waves.

It was sunny.

Perfect weather for Lasering.

So I blasted around on my own for an hour or so, having fun, getting wet, singing crazy songs, just playing, being a kid again.

I hiked hard going upwind for a while and when my legs felt tired I close-reached upwind instead, bouncing off the tops of the waves, having a blast.

A blast

When I had gone far enough upwind I went zig-zagging all over the harbor, broad reaching, riding the waves, trying to gybe without losing too much speed, shouting, "Woo Hoo!" every now and again, just having fun.

There were hardly any other boats out on what was a beautiful early fall afternoon. It's after Labor Day. Everyone around here knows you can't go boating after Labor Day.

They must be nuts.

Nuts

This was the reason I took early retirement - to go sailing on days like this.