Is This What You Call A Nor'Easter?

SHIP'S LOG:

I actually never thought of this storm we have been, and are, having in such a term but I would guess that it is exactly accurate. The winds are out of the east, now mostly north east (appropriately) and have been blowing a steady 15-20 with gust anywhere above that, some even in the 30 knot range. As a result, there isn't a lot of sailing going on and not much in the way of projects being done as there is too much pitching and yawing and rolling to do much more than perhaps rearrange lockers if they need it. Anything requiring the slightest degree of precision is out.

If you know anything about sailboats, then you know the name SWAN. They are beautiful sailboats. They are expensive sailboats. They are built somewhere in Scandinavia and are really top-o-the-line. there is one at TYC, an older boat, circa 1969, perhaps one of the first built and sold here in America. It is 36 feet and has more varnished wood on it than you could possible endure. The pennant on SWANSONG's mooring became detached and she was blown through the mooring field and went aground 100 yards from the club house. The first miracle was that she made her way, unguided, through the most of the boats in the northern mooring field and didn't hit a one! The second miracle was that she went aground missing the rather massive dock out in front of TYC and miss a smaller but still massive dock next door. The third miracle was that she gounnded on soft beach sand. No one actually saw the trip and the launch drive was notified by a neighbor on the phone.

Considering the weather, there were few people at the club, but four of us got into the launch with the drive and went off to try and save the boat. She had grounded but was still swinging a bit which mean she wasn't stuck hard and fast. However, with the tide going out she soon would be and eventually go over on her side. Tying the launch to her, we couldn't pull her into deep water as her draft was too much. We tried all of the ways we could think of to lean her over and so lessen the draft but none seemed to work. I remembered seeing something in a book about such problems that you could lessen the draft by seating someone on the end of the boom and swinging it out to the side of the boat. This would induce a heel and perhaps enough to free the boat. Since it was my suggestion and since I was the youngest( how about that!), I got to ride the boom. It is not as easy as it sounds. Even on this 36 foot boat, the boom doesn't have much of a diameter and aside from the topping lift, there isn't much to hold onto. But we did it and there I sat, dangling over the water, while the launch drive gun the engine of the launch. A lot of grunting, and pulling and colorful language and launch hauling and voila, we were able to haul her off the sand and out to a free mooring where she sits now.

When she first got free, the launch driver called the guy and, not getting him, left a message that his boat had broken loose and had gone aground. After the rescue, he called again and got the guy. so the first thing the guy heard about his boat was that it was safely back on a mooring. He was greatly relieved and thankful. I can just imagine what I would have been like if I had been the guy and had gotten the first message first!

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

Slept like a log last night, though I did check my pennants and leave the key in the boat's ignition just in case.