Dogfish Head

Just another summer week in Rhode Island...

On Monday afternoon I went sailing by myself in Bristol Harbor, sailing out of the harbor beyond Poppasquah Point. It was blowing 15-18 knots from the South and there were some nice big juicy waves. Call me anti-social if you like, but I get a special kind of kick from sailing on my own in perfect Lasering conditions. No competition. No need to follow the crowd. Just pure selfish hedonism.

Tuesday evening I trained with a couple of other sailors in Bristol in 10-15 knots from the South, doing windward leeward races with about a half mile beat. The first couple of races I couldn't seem to get my act together, not hiking properly, taking many waves over the bow, filling the cockpit up with water. I got angry with myself and in the next two race started sailing with more intensity, hiking hard, focusing on every wave upwind and bearing off to avoid the sharpest wave fronts. Surprisingly I won both races. I was so pumped (and tired) that I decided to call it a day and sail back to the beach. My two companions followed my lead in spite of their initial protestations that they wanted to do another race. That first glass of Maibock at Redlefsens never tasted so good!

On Thursday a bunch of us sailed at Third Beach, Newport (not in Newport) in about 15-18 knots, more W than S. We ended up doing a long windward leeward course right across the Sakonnet River. For some reason my heart wasn't really in it. Don't know why. The conditions were at least as good as Monday or Tuesday but I just wasn't feeling it. But the first glass of IPA at the Coddington Brewery tasted pretty good anyway.

The weekend was the date for the two-day John Bentley Regatta at New Bedford Yacht Club always one of my favorite regattas. But then I discovered that Sunday was also the day for the joint birthday party for my two eldest grandsons, Aidan (turning 6) and Owen (4). I couldn't miss that! Although I can't imagine what my son was thinking when he decided to let his wife give birth twice in the middle of the sailing season! Didn't he think ahead to the clashes of birthday parties and regatta dates? Thank the FSM that all my other 4 grandkids' birthdays are in colder months.

Where was I? Where am I? Oh yes, whether to sail on Saturday. I could have done one day of the John Bentley Regatta but that seemed to be a bit pointless. Then when I received a report on the regatta on Sunday evening, I wished I had. Saturday turned out to be the best weather of the regatta with a classic Buzzards Bay SW sea breeze of 15-18 gusting 20, sunshine and whitecaps. Bummer. Still I did enjoy the party on Sunday and especially the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA that my son was serving at the party.

Two great sails.

One OK sail.

One missed opportunity.

One party.

Three cold beers.

Just another summer week in Rhode Island.