Date: 23 July 2006 / Depart: 1400 Anchor Marina / Arrive 1420 Anchor Marina / Air Temp: 94 deg F / Skies: Partly Cloudy / Tide: Standing High to falling / Water Temp: 86 deg F/Water Color: Caribbean Blue / Wind: ESE 12-14mph

We stayed aboard Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday morning, I arose at the crack of ten and looked out of the portlight, from the dark air conditioned comfort of the house, where everyone was still sleeping, to the top of the palm trees, which were stirring in the breeze. There seemed to be a bit of motion on the water, and we were rocking ever so slightly, so I stretched, went topside and started bending on sails. It’s been almost two weeks, and I was itchy to get out there. I made a note to self to try and sail more often, as least as often as necessary to maintain sanity…..

It is already hot, real hot outside as I rig the baby sail, the 135 and the mizzen, watching as some of the fishing boats came back in with out of town clients. I think again how nice it is to live here, on the water where I can get out there pretty much any time I want, and the thought of that reinforces my resolve to get out there more often.

D and the girls soon emerge topside too, clean up and are finished by the time that I have all of the canvas ready. Suddenly, I realize that I have left the nav bag in LV so we drive over there, pick it up, along with jw2 who needs a ride to the island to get to work at Jakes. Before leaving, we feed critters and turn off the beleaguered old AC which has frozen up again, trying to keep up with the summer marathon of swelter.

Getting through PI to the Island is mess, traffic backed up like spring break or something, with bastante pinche fresas desde Monterrey clogging the road, driving like they always do, dangerously and without regard to life or limb. Lots of other out of towners too, and we find ourselves creeping along, stoplight to stoplight. Finally drop off jw2, and return to PI, grabbing a quick bite at the Wataburger.

Back at the Marina it is now 1340 and I notice a missed call on the cell phone which I had left on board to charge. It is DH and so I return it (something I don’t do for many on the weekends). They are coming to the beach, to ****terballs and want to know if we want to join them. I think about it for a second thinking about how nice the water would feel, it’s so ****ing hot…..I tell him we’ll be there in about thirty or forty minutes, and hang up. Then I think about the effort to rig the sails, stow the gear, check the engine and systems, the wind, the boat, sailing…….

Damn……I need a fix. A sailing fix.

I’ve already got things ready to go, so I go topside once again, put the key in the ignition, intending to at least run the engine to operating temperature, and crank it over. As usual, it comes to life in less than two seconds. So I keep weighing the situation, talking it over with D. I think she wants to sail as much as I do, or maybe just understands my addiction better than me….

I try to call DH back, but go directly to his voicemail, so hang up and get ready to cast off. He’ll understand…..

We motor out of the slip, passing by Bueno Bye, which is towing K’s little sail dink behind, as they head to their mooring. We follow a Mac 26 out, and set sails. I only pull up the jib and jigger, in order to trim effort, as I intend to just get a quick fix, then head over to ****terballs to catch up with DH and family. I don’t really have a game plan, just want to make a few tacks, let the wind just take us along, and as usual set the sails just outside of 17, alongside the Mac, which heads off in an easterly direction once they have their canvas up. We douse the engine, marveling as always at the power of the wind, the quietness of this ship.

I pick up a southwesterly heading, coming about near the lighthouse, then again by the Pirates Landing pier, before a final line up to sail under the causeway, which we do, ghosting along behind the Mac, which has decided to power their way through, hauling ass with their big outboard.

I let the girls take the wheel as we plow along into the wind, in the slot. We make two more long tacks, and end up near the powerlines, where I spin it around on a broad reach, as D goes forward to raise the baby sail. There are about four or five other sailboats out, and we are passed to the east by a Pearson 30, which appears to be motor sailing as well. D is on the phone trying to get an update from Sash on the upcoming wedding of her cousin (they’re all in Austin this weekend), and I’m wrestling with light air sheets, cars and blocks, muttering to myself; “I need shape…..I need shape”, trying to get the downwind combination right

D finally gets off of the phone, goes forward and tweaks the sails and sheets, leads the baby on the other side, wing on wing….and suddenly….we have shape! Olivia picks up speed, and I can hear the water lapping on the hull. All is well with the world again. But then we are passed by several powerboats as we approach the causeway, and as usual, they pass nearby, upsetting our balance, momentarily spilling our valuable air from full sails, but we manage to slide through, and retrim on the other side on a broad port reach all the way to marker 17, where we strike the canvas, and fire the trusty Westerbeke back up and motor in on a falling tide.

I have some trouble nosing into the slip, getting it over the shoaled up hump in front, but finally manage to do so and with everyone’s help, tie up, squaring things up just enough to pass temporary standards, and head to ****terballs.

As we are getting our passes, DH and crew are leaving, and we chat for a bit. He looks at me knowingly, grins and asks, “decided to sail huh?”

I think about all of the reasons, all of the justifications, but finally opt to just sort of sheepishly say; “yeah….I needed a fix”

He answers;

“I know what you mean….”