Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Our First Mini Cruise On Evergreen




Late October 2006:
The sailing season in Maryland was winding down, however, we could not resist the temptation to get out on our new boat. On top of that we had not sailed all summer so we were almost feverish with the need to go sailing. So we drove to Maryland and spent the first couple days on Evergreen in the marina trying to figure her out.

Finally, despite the fact that there were gale warnings posted we felt bold enough to venture out for an overnighter. We had a wonderful sail from Solomons to Hudson Creek on the little Choptank. The expected gale fizzled out and conditions were perfect for a first sail.

When we awoke in the cool, still morning it was a sight for sore eyes. It reminded us of why we were out there. Finally, we got underway and sailed back to our home port. We didn't mind getting back to our slip after dark because backing a sailboat into a slip is never an easy task especially when you don't have a clue what your are doing. However, we accomplished the feat without incident.
It was a short but fantastic introduction to Evergreen and her abilities. While we were there the night time temperatures were in the 40s & 50s and the day time temperatures in the 60s & 70s. The wind was always from the South half of the compass at 10-15 knots.