Christophe and I had a wonderful time this weekend. I finally bought a wetsuit for our October Atlantic sailing and I'm sure glad I did. I drove up on Saturday morning, we met up in New Hampshire, drove to Portland ME, and put into the harbor by late afternoon. We were a bit back and forth about the conditions because it was REALLY windy, and I'm less experienced but we decided to go out and assess the situation once we were underway.
I am Zinea, Pterodactylus took off like a rocket through a tornado! We had 2 reefs in the sail, and were both hiked out on the rail and were blasting through the waves. I think we covered about 6 and a half miles in a bit over an hour. We would have been quicker, but punching through every wave slowed us down some. It was a wild ride, and I am now much more comfortable with the boat and her capabilities.
Also Christophe is a very enthusiastic and capable sailor and I learned a lot. Once we decided that we were properly prepared and fully commited to enjoying being cold and wet it was nonstop fun and excitement. By the time we got to the campsite our wetsuits were soaked in and out from taking waves over the bow and across the back and shoulders while hiked out on the rail trying to keep her upright. The next day was a great deal calmer and I got to take the tiller for much of our return. Our destination was directly into the wind, so we spent a leisurely afternoon tacking back and forth across Casco bay and playing with sail trim and pointing so I could get a better feel for the boat.
It was a blast in every way and I am in love with the Maine coast. I cant wait for next season when I will return with my own boat and do more exploring. I hope this was the first of more rockin' cruises with the burgeoning northeastern Goat Island Skiff fleet.
-Al