At the Cape

6/23 Sailed to Strong Island with the floatilla. The Golden eye, yellow 2 man and FIDDLEHEAD, a 6hr canoe. All the paddlers beat me over to the island. Had a interesting experience sailing along the edge of a shoal with the tide coming in. I was beating into shore and thought I'd have to beach and walk the boat across, but the incoming tide was strong enough to hold the boat about a foot clear of the edge and I was able to skirt along the boundary until I made the channel. Very interesting. Great reach back to Quanset Pond. Hit most of our favorite beaches with the fam; Skaket, Nauset and Quanset.

6/25 Rained hard yesterday, Hail. Pumped about four inches out of the boat.

Wooden Boat Festival at Philly Seaport

The rebirth of a boat festival at the seaport. Good sailing for the Delaware, with all the usual building deflection, reverses, wind gusts, gaps, etc. plus tide rip that always make sailing here interesting. It is really the folks that make the event. John Brady was the smiling host to the event, coordinating the folks who came and presented. A good number of boats; WHITECAP from Tuckerton Seaport, VIDA MIA from Cape May, a herreshof H28 from Riverside, BULL & BEAR sandbaggers from Barnegat, and ELF from Maryland made up the contingent of larger boats. The really big boat category was JUPITER and GAZELLA from the Ship Preservation guys.
The smaller craft came from TSCA members and other contacts. I had URCHIN sailing about, the LITTLE KEY resprented Delaware, There were the tuck-up, two duckers, my two 6 hr canoes, Carl's Melonseed, REDUX, MUD HEN, Ron's Celebrity, Phil's Enterprise, the museum's garvey and sneakbox, and some others along with TRIUMPH from Rocking-the-boat in the Bronx.








Sailed Friday, on MARION BREWINGTON, our TSCA tuck-up bringing her to the event from Gloucester City with Tom & Ed. Saturday, sailed on BEAR, took URCHIN out on the river in company with MARION and THOMAS EAKINS, Pete's ducker. Phil came out in his Enterprise along with Rocking - the - Boat in the garvey. The garvey looked terrific! Sunday early morning went for a lovely sail in elegant comfort on MUD HEN with Ron & Tom, then back again on BEAR. Love sailing sandbaggers.

Tuck-up Back on the Delaware

Tom tapping in the mast wedges.
Wendy, putting in a reef.

Skipper Tom doing a good job avoiding tugboats & barges.

Ed, the ever faithful bailer.

We ran down on three tacks, sailed down to look at Jupiter, and then fought our way back beating into the wind against the tide to the basin entrance. Took about five or six tacks to work out way back down river to the seaport. It was an historic sail. Tom told me the last time a tuck up was on the river was in the seventies.

Here we are tied up at the museum in good company with VIDA MIA, a friendship sloop from Cape May.

June TSCA

The June meeting was held at Cooper River Yacht club. It was the yearly pond boat meeting, which I missed because I was sangbagger sailing on the Delaware. I did make it after dark, just as the last three guys were leaving.

Wading River

Sat. June 7. the dragons paddled the Wading river down in the pines. It was hot.

Spring is Here

I've been out sailing for weeks now. No time to write when the breeze is up. The wind has been over 10 all but one day. URCHIN sails best at about 15. She has new topside paint and about 2/3rds new varnish. I am working my way around her gunwales. I was finally able to get numbers so I can use the engine legally. Next step is making some trailboards since I don't want to disgrace her all the time with ugly digits & plastic stickers.