Why yes, I Do Like Sailing, And Pina Coladas Too.

The Sunfish smile and the tropical drink -- those were the bookends of a really great weekend. 

Saturday was our 2nd monthly Sailing Committee cruise of the season, and it was absolutely splendid. I don't know who at NOAA John D. Our Cruise Director paid off, but bravo, sir, bravo.

I think we had 10 boats and 13 sailors. The wind at the beginning was not heavy, but enough that we got pretty strung out as we launched. I took my usual over-the-bow shot sailing down the basin, and then after that I didn't do a lot of picturetaking because there weren't really any other boats close enough to try to shoot. 

 That's why I ended up doing the self-portrait, it was very easy sailing heading out around Ruffle Bar and I just got silly.

The breeze freshened up beautifully as we got down towards the Rockaway Inlet. John and Sherry had caught up with me and there they are with the Marine Park Bridge in the background - John had suggested a slightly different course than usual and that was fun. 

John had also suggested a slightly different lunch spot than usual but we ended up at the usual Ruffle Bar lunch break beach because the sandbar was pretty much underwater. 

The first cruise of the season, the water was still a little nippy, but this time it was perfect for standing in the water. 

David C's son Ben (who was about to head off to sailing camp) decided to do a capsize drill with the club's new Vanguard in which his dad had brought him and his little sister. 

One, two, three...

 HEAVE! And up she comes. Ben's been a regular pretty much since his dad joined - I think this was his little sister's first appearance at one of our SailComm events (and I'm terrible, I forgot her name :-( ). Really nice having kids along!

We did see quite a bit of wildlife...hello my prehistoric baby!

Yep, lots of horseshoe crabs around, investigating the amorous potential of our feet. Always a little weird having these guys investigating you, they don't bite or anything but they do wander around checking out anything that will hold still for checking out. Good to see so many, though, especially after the poaching incident we had in May, which was doubtless just one of at least a few more -- like roaches, if they caught one, there have to be more.

We left Ruffle Bar in a much tighter group than we'd arrived in so I got in a few more nice shots before the wind picked up enough that I had to put the camera away and use both hands to sail. Really a wonderful day out there, and the watermelon that John and Sherry had left in the refrigerator for an apres-sail treat was the perfect finish to the day. 

And I was going to go on to pictures of the swim support that I did the next morning, also terrific - but I've posted so many sailing pictures now that I think I'll leave it there for the blog -- but if you'd like to take a look, there is a brand new Flickr set! Another fun, fun event. Pina colada was on the boardwalk after that swim was over - it was only 11 am or so but we were feeling too festive to just go home.