2013 Vacation Plan?

Cruising Boston Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound makes me a slave to tides and currents. My typical vacation plan starts with picking the best week or two, then crafting a float plan that best fits. But with LIQUIDITY on the hard and a 2013 copy of Eldridge in hand, I'm thinking that's backwards.

While I'll always be subject to the short term weather window, I'm thinking I should START with the tide and current tables. Then, as least in theory, I'll leave Boston on an ebb tide, comfortably arrive at the Cape Cod canal when it's convenient to me, pass through Woods Hole on my schedule, etc., etc. I'll plan on laying out the perfect two week cruise.

Of course, in practice, wind and weather will change everything within a day or two. I'll go for it anyway.

That's it; LIQUIDITY is on the hard

I know; it happens every year. This year, due to storms that delayed the hauling of boats at Marina Bay, LIQUIDITY is out of the water a week later than usual, but today I got the call. LIQUIDITY is on the hard.

It's as good a time as any to reflect upon the sailing season. I haven't counted the sailing days and in any case I'm not trying to compare this year to any other. This is just an opportunity to look back. Here are the highlights:

This was the first season in a very long time that I sailed without Roxy. She went to sea when she was about six months old and was with me for 13 sailing seasons.

Gracie sailed with us for six seasons, learning to deal with heeling and bouncing and waves, not to mention navigating dock to deck and cockpit to cabin. She's missed as well.

Taking up the slack, Bear took naturally to sailing. He's not yet learned to tack and tends to stay to windward a bit too long (i.e., he slides off!) but he's as comfortable as he can be on the boat.

Enough about the critter-crew. The season found us off the dock often enough. Ports visited included Scituate, Provincetown, Onset, Red Brook, Cuttyhunk, Menemsha, Lake Tashmoo, some multiple times. We spent a sufficient number of weekends anchored at Peddocks Island, collecting buckets of sea glass.

It was a season of light winds, at least while we were out there. Mostly, it was dry, but not always. Visibility was good, at least while we were out there. I have no complaints.

Time to start counting down to Spring, 2013!

Hey, it's almost Thanksgiving!

Yes, we have Thanksgiving every year and it's always at the end of November. On the other hand, by now, I'm usually out of the water, gear is back in the basement and the boat's being put to bed for the winter.

This year though, Sandy happened, the election happened, a nor'easter happened. (This would be the first season in the 16 years I've owned LIQUIDITY that we've had snow while I'm still in the water.)

I'm looking forward to good boat weather this weekend.!