Today I carve another big notch on the age-stick. Today is my (mumble mumbleth) birthday and I’m feeling good about it. I must have achieved some pretty awesome wisdom by now, right?
Yesterday I sailed out of Galesville on a Catalina 30, though, which was surely at least a little unwise, because there were storms all around us. But the radar showed them all passing northwest of us, so we risked a quick excursion out onto the West River. The Chesapeake Bay was tempting, but after collecting all of our wisdom together into a pile and consulting it, we decided that the Bay could wait for a less stormy day. That was a good choice. The storms came gradually closer, and we could hear thunder in the distance. We began to look at the weather radar with deeper concern, and decided we had adventured far enough for the day.
No one on board was struck by lightning on the way back in, but the rain did find us. We sailed through a downpour. I had to emerge from sheltering canvas as we approached our slip, because I had to get out on the foredeck to snag the dock lines. I was soaked. And all of it, including the thunder in the distance and the soaking on the foredeck, was wonderful. It was a joyful day.
I know what you’re saying: sailing in a downpour, being drenched on the foredeck, that was wonderful? Joyful?? Well, yes. Yes it was. (Of course I was younger then; that was yesterday, before I attained the fullness of my (mumblety mumble) years.)
