First time putting Dangerous around the course this year. We got off a tidy start in moderate conditions, and went off chasing the fleet around the course. We had some rust to knock off after so long away from the boat, but overall the race went well and we managed 6/11, slotting in between some of the J/70s. Not bad for a first effort, and a great evening to start climbing the mountain again.
Photo by Faith Chambers.
Took a brief paddle off SMSA and over to Spring Cove (the waterway, not the marina). I took a lap in the scenic golden-hour light, and stopped off at Dangerous to make sure the boat was sitting well in her new slip. A nice way to relax and unwind in the sunset after a busy day.
Out this evening in cool, drizzly conditions for a paddle up McIntosh Run. I planned for about an hour, but got far enough up the run and decided to do the whole thing. Beautiful, lush greenery, abundant wildlife, and a pair of bald eagles rewarded my putting up with the mist. It was unfortunately tremendously buggy, and I spent most of the trip swatting flies. Still a great run up to the winery & back.
Out for a shakedown sail today on Dangerous to make sure everything is sorted for racing. We headed out in light-ish conditions, rigged everything, put up every sail, and made sure the boat is ready to go. Everything checks out and the boat feels faster than ever. Looking forward to racing this week!
At long last, Dangerous has found her way back in to the water. We splashed the boat, delivered her to the new slip at Harbor Island, gave her a good topside scrub, and tuned the rig. Blisteringly hot and humid today, but totally worth it to finally get the program going, even if it's halfway through the season.
One last paddle off Bayshore Dr for this trip. With the weekend approaching and some chance of storms in the vicinity I went north to the canals around the neighborhood. I paddled over to the back of Jolly Roger amusement park and back around. After climbing up and down a tiny utility ladder all week some friendly neighbors let me use their pier to take my board out. A nice wrap-up to a relaxing and restorative trip.
Decided to switch up the routine today and go for an evening paddle instead. The breeze was stiff, so I stayed close to shore and explored a number of creeks and coves near the launch. Pretty evening golden hour light and lots of interesting houses to look at. I overcooked a turn at the end and nearly fell off, but recovered and otherwise had a lovely evening.
Seeking a more downtown beach experience, I headed to 28th street for my daily lunchtime paddle. I launched off a small seawall, and headed south towards the inlet. I enjoyed seeing the differences in buildings and scenery downtown, though I had to dodge a few fishermen casting off the ends of streets. My original plan was to paddle all the way to the inlet, and possibly to the ocean, but the current was absolutely ripping on my way down and I wanted to make sure I'd be able to make it back. As predicted, the ride back was a slow slog, but a great workout. Spent the afternoon on the beach afterwards, where it was almost warm enough for a great beach day.
Headed out today for a lunchtime lap off Northside Park before hitting the beach. I launched at their pier and enjoyed the surrounding wetlands and natural scenery before heading north to paddle the canals of the adjoining neighborhood. It's finally getting warm again which has been a welcome change from the cool, damp temperatures I've gotten so far on this trip.
Out for a paddle today on the first day of my vacation. It was pretty cool & cloudy, so instead of heading to the beach I launched off the marina in Ocean Pines to see a part of the Bay I had never seen before. I followed the shoreline out to the route 90 bridge, and enjoyed seeing the wide variety of nice homes. I ran the length of the bridge out to the Isle of Wight, and paddled along to the fishing pier. I largely retraced my steps on the way back. Despite the cloudy conditions it was an enjoyable paddle and cool to check out a different spot from my usual fare.