Yesterday started off rainy and cloudy, however by lunch time the sun was peeking through so I checked the weather. SW 20 kilometers with higher gusts....
Perfect for moving the SX18 from my long time Club (Kanata) down to Nepean SC, (about 4 miles downriver) where I will be mooring this year. I'll sail at both clubs.
By 4.30 when I got home, the sky was mostly clear, and the wind had clocked around to the NW. Mmmm, a front had come through....off we went, and as we started to rig, Laura was worried that the wind was piping up, and the chop had started to build. Never fear, I said: wetsuit, PFD, hockey helmet, gloves, cell phone, I was ready, and I launched solo, to sail downwind to NSC.
Go here to check the wind...
http://byc.ca/webcam/plotwind.phpWNW wind, average 12 knots, gusts up to 20 knots, and the chop quickly built to 3' to 4'. What a wild ride, fully downwind, jib furled, main traveler out all the way, steering to avoid pitchpoling, and for the first 2 miles, there were no other boats on the river...lucky I had the cat trax secured (upside down) to the hulls just in front of the bridle wires...I am certain that the air in the tires saved me from one pitchpole.
After 30 exciting minutes, I swept into the calm behind the breakwater at NSC, the same time as a Tornado returned from their wild ride....and with help from friends, we brought the SX ashore and put it away in its new home.
We looked east, across the bay to Britannia Yacht Club, and saw some excitement there....
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/News/Ottawa/Rescue/6633921/story.html ...lucky me, I was warm and well covered, and most important, safe.
This will be a good season.