September Sailing

You drag your gear to the club. Get into the change room, hunt for a spot, and dress warmly. You have to adjust your life jacket due to all the new layers. You debate bringing your windbreaker on board, and nix it. You try to find a boat that has all its parts. You borrow a jib from the locker next door. You get inside the boat and scoop up all those nasty wet leaves that have fallen inside. You rig it, attach the whisker pole for hopes of a quiet run, and you're off!

The regatta is no where to be seen, except-voila- there's a laser regatta taking place and you are now in the middle of it! So you find a place to sail, tighten the lines for the hiking straps, and you're off. No gusts to contend with, only steady winds. And what's a little choppy water when you're sailing in full sunshine? You hike out as much as you can and the boat is still not straight in the water. What fun! The hiking straps and the line you are holding are the only things keeping you inside that boat! Where are the cameras? You can almost hear your teacher saying- trim that mainsail, don't dump that wind (shut up Alex!)

You stay out a couple of hours and don't ever notice the time. You know your shoulders will hurt tomorrow, as will your thighs. You come in, make your approach to the docks, start to jump onto the dock and notice that your painter is all knotted with the job sheet and this approach won't do. You gibe, turn around, and the second approach is a charm. You de-rig the boat, return the other jib to its own locker, and notice the time. Where did the afternoon go?

Some of us know that every time we get in a boat in September, it might be our last time for the season. Which is one of the reasons September sailing is so charming. The winds are steady, the sky is so blue, the leaves still green, and all is right with your world. Maybe I'll get one last sail in next weekend...