I was able to sail for three hours yesterday afternoon and it was sweet. The wind was out of the SE and it was nice and sunny. I rigged a 6.0 on the 88L Axxis and had a blast. I spent most of my time sailing out near the House of Refuge and the spoil island, water was flat and the wind was filled in.

Close encounter with a Coastie.

Wednesday I sailed during lunch and rigged a 7.0 on my Bic. The wind had a little more east to it than yesterday and I tacked down the channel. When I got south of the first spoil island I planned to gybe on the west side of the channel and head between the spoil islands towards the House of Refuge. After gybing I was schlogging on the edge of the channel waiting for a gust. Then looking through my sail I noticed a blue flashing light afixed to a Coast Guard boat bearing down on.... Me? The boat came along side up wind of me. A coastie said I was a hazard to navigation and with no wind in my sail and bumping his boat I lost balance and fell in. While under water and close to his twin outboards I hear him give it some throttle and feel the prop wash. Not wanting to become chum I was able to water start right smartely and was leaving the scene. He shouted asking if I was OK and I gave him the thumbs up and left.... sheesh.

Great sailing on Sunday!

When I arrived at the causeway around 1:00 a storm cell was close by and the wind had shut down. Previous to that it was looking like 6.0. After the cell passed by the wind filled in out of the ESE and it was mostly cloudy. I rigged a 5.2 on the 88L Axxis and was well to overpowered all afternoon. Jon figured the actual wind speed was 25 - 30+ and it was blowing solid. What a day!
I also sailed wednesday of last week on a 6.0. Wind was out of the east and it was nice and sunny. James and I did some drag racing out by the House of Refuge, it made for a great lunch time sail.

The wind was cranking!

I arrived at the causeway around noon and the sun was out and the wind was blowing. The usual suspects were there, plus Dave from Michigan. James had been sailing for a while and had rigged from a 7 down to a 5 something, he said it was building. I rigged a 5.2 and put it on the bic and headed for the channel. I needed the 118L to get me to the channel but wished I was on the 88L once out in the wind line. Fortunately the sand bar on the east side of the channel was cutting down the chop which made for a fast exciting ride. I just wished I had brought the gps and a smaller fin.

Sanibel Causeway

This past weekend I sailed the Sanibel causeway. Saturday the wind was out of the south so I sailed at the entrance of the causeway and the wind was onshore. I rigged a 7.0 on my bic and tried to sail on the outside of the sandbar but I had to much speed in heavy chop. On the inside of the sandbar it was flat water and good speed on the east end which made for some nice jibing but the run was maybe 1/2 mile. Sunday the front came through and I sailed on the island closest to Sanibel. I rigged a 4.7 on my 88L axxis and was well powered in the gusts. After an hour and a half the wind dropped some and I sailed another hour on a 6.0.

We had a front blow through last Sunday and it looks like another is on its way this Sunday. I sailed south jetty last Sunday on a 5.2 and a 92L mistral. The jetty park beach was closed because they were pumping sand. There was 100 more yards of beach since I was there last. I put in at Porpoise park about a 1/4 mile south. I was well powered and was able to sail up to the jetty, no problem. The ocean swell wasn't that big but it was fun.