Yesterday morning we woke to frost on the windows. It was 7 degrees out as the sun rose. Terri wears a wool cap around the house to keep warm. “Mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap.”
Seems not so long ago we were sailing.
Timber to Tide ~ Video
From Timber To Tide from Pixillion on Vimeo.
A new film in our maker series. Ben Harris is a traditional wooden boat builder based in Cornwall, UK.
This film documents Ben Harris’ love of wood work and boat building, how he acquired his skills, and how incredible it is to be able to take something that you’ve built with your own hands out onto the water and sail it across the sea.
Chickahominy River ~ Sea of Glass Video
This is from the first half of the day. It was so quiet there was virtually no sound to record, so I’ve added music added under most of it.
Janes Island ~ Bright Sun, Big Downwind
Harris with a tailwind in Mabu
It’s now gusting over 20 knots, and waves are building quickly. With the second reef tied in, and the chicken jibe out of the way, we have the wind and waves spanking us in the backside. Essentially this is now a five boat drag race across the river, all running for the mouth of the canal.
We’re way out ahead because we started first, but the other boats are coming really fast. It’s not a dead downwind run, which is no fun, but a very broad reach. Still, the Caledonia is amazingly well-behaved. This is probably the biggest wind Harris has had the boat in so far, and I can tell he’s both nervous about how she’ll handle and pleased with the results. Whitecaps are starting to break around us, charging in from the Sound.
Janes Island ~ Bright Sun, Big Wind Video
This is video from the morning and early afternoon, up to just before the wind really kicked up and we decided to tie in another reef.
Great sailing. Here’s the whole track:
The next post and video will pick up where this leaves off.
Janes Island ~ Amphibious Interlude
They’ve redone all the bathrooms at the park. Now they’re nicer than we have at home. Pretty sad when taking the wife for a camping trip is a step up in the world.
So nice, that critters have taken up residence. This little fellow greeted us in the showers in the morning. I stood in the door to the stall, staring at this thing on the wall, trying to get my half-caffeinated brain to register what it was. Too compact for a spider. Shiny and green. Are any spiders shiny and green?
It moved. It dropped with a plop. A Green Tree Frog, Hyla cinerea, and a pretty big one. Dude was having a tough go of it. Scalding hot water would probably do him in. I scooped him up and put him in the shaving kit while the cleansing operation proceeded.
Turned him loose by the campsite. He took a shine to the water jug before heading off into the woods.
Janes Island ~ to Cedar Island Video
Crossing the Little Annemessex River past Crisfiled to Cedar Island.
Two Caledonia Yawls, both built by Geoff Kerr of Two Daughters Boatworks, two Marsh Cats, a Melonseed, and a Curlew.