A New Inexperienced Crew

Elda, Eva (me), Melinda

Thursday, August 24, 2017. There was deteriorating weather predicted for the afternoon and the weekend. Sahara dust in the air, hazy skies, strong currents, low wind. East winds 5-10 knots, seas 3-4 feet, and after previous north swells, churned seas and poor visibility for snorkeling. The crew: Eva (me), Melinda, David, Elda, and Domingo. We sailed from Isleta Marina, Puerto Rico at 9:30 a.m. to Palomino, and back at 5:00 p.m.

            We had been planning this sail for sometime and had to postpone it more than once due to bad weather. This being hurricane season in the Caribbean, we’ve had Harvey’s in-the-making, and many other tropical waves and thunderstorms in the previous weeks.

           

Domingo, enjoying a nectarine

My savvy sailing friend had to cancel, and suddenly I only had two couples, dear friends, but with little or no sailing experience. I hesitated sailing but didn’t say anything. I decided to give them specific little jobs—how to wrap the line on the winch for raising the main, hoisting and dousing sails, doing a horn-cleat knot, using a boat hook, assigning each to a small area forward, aft, port, and starboard. I specifically told them that if I asked them to do something they didn’t want to do for whatever reason, it was OK, but to tell me so I could assign someone else to the task.

            It worked out perfectly. Leaving the dock, working on the rigging, tacking and gybing (jibing), and catching a mooring line. Docking at the end of the day, all were assigned the same posts as when leaving. It was clockwork. In a sense, it was smoother than at times I’ve sailed with an overconfident more experienced crew.

            In between, as good friends, we enjoyed stories, shared food and wine, and played with Andariego’s water toys. Lots of laughter. Sea therapy always provides a respite from life’s hectic pace in an island financially bankrupt, but still rich in flora and fauna, its people, and the bounties of the sea.

           

David, enjoying water toys

Friday Sail

I love to sail on Fridays because most people are on land. There are moorings galore from which to choose. With less sea traffic, flora and fauna are more present. There's less human noise. The sea and the sails sing to the tune of the stays' metal strings. 

On Friday, 2/24/17, we left the dock at about 9:30 am with SE winds and an all female crew: Brenda, Madeleine, and me, Eva (middle pic). North swells (resaca) and windy, 15 knots with higher gusts (ráfagas) kept us well heeled and cutting waves. Andariego behaved well without hobby-horsing. We tacked three times and moored in Palomino for the day. 

There was a Pelican convention near us and like us, they sunbathed, ate fish (salad Niçoise for us), frolicked on the water, and socialized (top pic).

Unlike the pelicans, we toasted to life with Albariño and Pinot Grigio, and took selfies--Brenda, blue cap and me with khaki cap (bottom pic). In the blink of an eye, it was time to sail back on a beam reach. We got back home at night.