Sail Caloosahatchee!

Tuesday, 3 March                                                            19.7 SM

Not to get greedy but conditions are ideal!

What are the odds of raising sail yet again? Not good, given the experience of recent months. Then again, the sailing that has been done has all been in just the last week. And today’s forecast does look promising.

So when Kate’s cousin Brad and bride Margaret drive up from their winter home in Naples, an afternoon sail seems like a good idea.

“Rail Meat?” No way!

As an alumnus of Camp Sea Gull on Lake Cumberland, Brad is no novice. Once underway, he also recounts his experience as “rail meat” in a couple of regattas in Naples. So he is right at home at the helm on Steadfast.

The Caloosahatchee River is fairly easy to negotiate under power—just follow the markers—but the channel is fairly narrow, only 9-or-10-feet in most stretches and quickly shoals to 3-or-4-feet on either side. In other words, not the best place to sail a fixed keelboat. Normally.

The Steadfast crew.

But today, the wind blows out of the east-so’east at a steady 9-to-12, perfect for sailing a reach both down river and back up. And that’s what is done, Steadfast clipping along at 4.5-to-6.2 knots. She loves conditions like this, digging in and fairly steering herself through all but the puffs.

Tough to beat the combination of perfect wind, plenty of sun, not much traffic and lots of good conversation with great people. The conversation continues over dinner on the rooftop “SkyBar” at Firestone Grille just a couple of blocks from the pier. The view up there is remarkable, highly recommended.

Wow! Another day of sailing?

Sweet.

Steadfast out.