Friday, October 14, 2005

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Last weekend we were at Elephant Butte Lake in southern New Mexico to watch the first regatta, the Desert Classic, of the Rio Grande Sailing Club fall series. We took our boat down on Friday and rigged and launched it. After the skippers' meeting on Saturday, Gerald raced on "The Hunter", which did well, and I soloed our boat to watch the racers. Winds started out light but kicked in much stronger later; before things got too heavy I dumped the main and played with the genoa jib only. Tacking with jib only is an acquired skill. I also spent time keeping an eye out for a keelboat with a still somewhat green crew and a small sailing dinghy in case they might need any help.

This week has been relatively quiet; people in our area are recovering from the New Mexico State Fair and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. I've been digging up and cutting the stump of our old cottonwood tree. (See "Cottonwood Chainsaw Carnage" in the archives near the very beginning of this blog.)

This weekend will be more complicated; the NMSU students cancelled their "learn to sail" visit to the lake but there will still be a raftup (potluck dinner, get-together, and social for sailors) and Mr. assistant senior patrol leader Gerald will be camping with his troop Friday night.