Not much to report on from the Island for today, having a bit of a heat wave which is supposed to be joined by some rain for tomorrow. The Caretaker would prefer to have it otherwise but if it must be rain hopefully it will be enough to wash all the snow from the ice so ice skating may be enjoyed once again. As promised today's post is his journal entry from one of the times he nearly died on the Lake, however, before that, lest anyone has missed it:
--The Caretaker
2/26/09
Journal entry from 8/20/2005
(What follows is a slight expansion on his notes, prior to reading over this journal entry for the first time since he wrote it the Caretaker did not realize how rough the notes were and due to time constraints the remainder of this journal entry shall be published over the next few days.)
Part 1:
Much of the day was uneventful, cleaned up the Ghetto a bit, shaved (during which I noticed my shaving cream was misplaced, could not find it, still curious as to where it is or who made off with it--made do with someone else's).
Come the afternoon I started to get my sailboat rigged and ready for sailing. Above and beyond what was needed for daytime sailing I also brought along running lights and a headlamp to do some night sailing.
Set sail at around 4:30 p.m. Wind from the South on the Lake, quite strong, gusty at times. This was the first time I took the boat sailing since the Summer I bought it (2003). Sailed it a number of times that first Summer but never put it in the water for 2004. Having not sailed in over a year I was a bit rusty at first but after a short while started to get back into the groove.
The sky was a touch clouded making for some mild haze that muted the light of the Sun, without it glaring down unfiltered it made for some beautiful sailing. As the Sun reached closer and closer to the horizon its light reflecting off the water colored the waves in pinks, golds, and chromes. Good to be back on the water, sailing serves up a great distraction.
As the Sun was starting to set I attached the bow light by its suction cup base. It held well and during tacks it appeared to not be in the way of the jib or its sheets. I then attached the stern light to the rudder, it held fast to the rudder with no problem. Satisfied that the running lights worked and would not fall off the boat I continued to sail into the the night tacking South towards Lake George Village. Once the dark of night engulfed the sky I brought out my handheld air horn and headlamp. Unfortunately the elastic strap to my headlamp got wet so it did not fit as securely as it normally would. For some reason I never tried to tighten it, I suppose I figured it would be okay as it was. I pulled the air horn from the hatch and tied it to a line on the boat. With running lights on I continued to sail on through the night.
I made it to the Lake George Club, then sailed on with the intention of sailing all the way to the Southern shore of Lake George Village.
Then it occurred to me not to do this.
The night had become cloudy and there was no moonlight because of it. There was also a bit of low-lying haze, overall, not a good night for sailing on a Lake that has many motorboats out and about at night. After recognizing the conditions I made the decision to turn down wind and return to the Island. Was able to keep the boat in a full run for most of my return trip to the Island, however the boat is rather temperamental and tippy when running with the wind. The jib loses wind quite easily. I made it to about halfway between the North peninsula of Basin Bay and Three Brother Islands, when I decided to drop the jib so I wouldn't have to continually manage it. I was tired of listening to it furling, continually losing and gaining wind, it and its sheets would continually wrap against the rigging. It was a good breeze blowing, the night was warm, a touch humid, rather pleasant sail back to the Island except for the racket from the jib, it was bringing down my good time, it was time to bring down the jib. Being my usually foolish self I gave a holler of "Down with the Jib!"
This would prove to be the beginning of my boat's undoing.
Part two will follow tomorrow.
--The Caretaker
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