EARL's Gone But Won't Be Forgotten!

SHIP'S LOG:

The winds throughout Saturday were actually worse than those that hit during the actual "hurricane!" We had a good sustained wind of 25-30knots and gusts that doubled that. And while there wasn't much in the way of wave action in the River, out in Fishers Island Sound they were getting the wind plus waves 8-10 feet. Several boats left TYC to participate in the Annual Labor Day Weekend Fishers Island Race. All but one turned around and were back inside of an hour. According to the various crews, it just wasn't safe to race. It wasn't just the wind, I've sailed an even raced in winds like that, but rather the wind in combination with the waves that made it unnecessarily dangerous. Around 100 were scheduled to race, 40 showed up and 20 actually started. I don't know the actual results except for the really sad ones, one boat was blown out of control onto South Dumpling where it was eventually destroyed over the course of the day and night. Sadder still, one racer was killed when struck in the head by the boom on his boat. He was a locally well known and competent racer, with lots of experience. The boat he was racing on was well set up for the conditions and was in top shape. Accidents just happen and this one just did.

In point of fact, the race should not have been held. It could have been delayed a day, until today, if conditions warranted delay, and they did, but for reasons unknown by me at this time, the Race Committee let the race go on. I know one of the people on the Race Committee and, in fact, sat with him in our clubhouse early Friday night awaiting EARL. Considering how much he is concerned with safety in sailing and all the races he has been a part of over a long career, I found it had to believe that he did anything but protest even holding the race. Too many people on the race committee had more balls than brains.

I spent the day reassembling ABISHAG and that was a trick in itself. All day long I watched boats head down river into the sound to go sailing only to turn around and come back to their moorings . . . . . . under motor! It was the first time I could look down the river and out into the Sound and have the Sound "look dangerous." When you can see breaking waves from almost a mile away, that's dangerous! The type of wind and waves going on out in the Sound is the type of sea that ABISHAG was actually designed for. It is everyday common in the English Channel and the North Sea in which she was designed to sail. With a competent crew, she would have taken it in stride.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

The season is winding down and coming to an end. A sad way to end it.