The Snow Keeps Falling

New Mexico... mountains and high mesas surrounded by great open ranges of high steppes. Open country with views that stretch for miles upon miles.

Snow... something that, aside from our mountain country, mostly belongs in places such as Colorado, Massachusetts, or Maine.

Albuquerque, central New Mexico... in a typical winter only sees snow a few times, and it usually melts within a few hours to a day. A few days before Christmas, we received a half foot of snow and the town came to a crashing halt. Schools, offices, and roads were closed. We're a high desert town. We don't have the equipment, training, or patience to deal with that much stuff. Six inches is about our quota for the season. We figured that we'd had our big snow for the year.


So why is there more than a foot of the white stuff blanketing our yard?

Yep, all you folks from Min-nee-soh-tah, Kennebunkport, the Klondike, and such like places would feel entirely at home today in Albuquerque.

In the meantime, Carol Anne and the cats just 150 miles south in Truth or Consequences (next to Elephant Butte), where there hasn't been any precipitation. Go figure.

On Friday, we went to the marina to fiddle around with Black Magic and measure her tiller for a replacement. Temps were around 40 degrees, with the wind having picked up to around 10+ knots, with a few scattered whitecaps on the lake. We decided not to sail. Tillerman and his ilk would probably think we were a bit wimpy, but we weren't particularly prepared for frostbiting... at least, what passes for frostbiting in the relatively warm southwest. So, instead we had a nice southwestern dinner (Carol Anne and "Tadpole" both had chile rellenos) and called a couple of sailing friends to update them on conditions.

After bringing Carol Anne to the apartment, we packed Tadpole's big string bass (bull fiddle) in the Cavalier (it's an acquired skill) and Tadpole drove us to north of Socorro, where we switched drivers. At that point, we were in snow, which thickened and began to stick to the freeway as we neared Albuquerque, forcing us to eventually slow to half the posted limit. In Albuquerque we found half a foot of snow, with more coming.

This morning's news tells us that yesterday's snow broke a record. I can believe it.

The orchestra rehearsal that we'd come for has been cancelled, but the Eagle Scout board of review that we'll be attending on behalf of a friend of Tadpole's is still on, though rescheduled for a place that's easier for us to reach.

What does all this mean? Well, it's very good news for New Mexico's lakes, which have been struggling to recover from years of drought. It should portend a good sailing season this spring at Elephant Butte Lake in southern New Mexico, along with high-mountain sailing at Heron Lake near the Colorado border.

Lake Conditions as of Saturday, December 30, 2006

Elephant Butte Lake
4,340.54 feet above benchmark elevation, 511,683 acre feet (0800). About 20 square miles of surface.

Up 1.2 inches and 1,314 acre feet in 24 hours.
Up 4.3 inches and 4,726 acre feet in 71 hours.

Heron Lake
7,140.91' elev., 183,671 a.f. (1000), at about 46% of capacity.
down 1.4 inches and 448 a.f. in 24 hours; down 4.7 inches and 1,468 a.f in 71 hours.



Elephant Butte Lake is up 4.02 feet and 51,353 a.f. so far in December.

The lake is 8 inches HIGHER than its March 5th high point, and six and a half feet higher at the end of the year than at the beginning of the year.

It has risen 32 feet since the July low.

The Butte will end the year 2006 at something like elev. 4,340.74, with 514,700 a.f. Long Point will likely become an island again later this winter.


Elephant Butte Lake Elev. (feet) . . . . Storage (acre feet) . . . Date
4,340.54 . . . . . . . 511,683 . . . . . . . Dec. 30 (0800)
4,336.52 . . . . . . . 460,330 . . . . . . . Nov. 30
4,331.24 . . . . . . . 397,510 . . . . . . . Oct. 31
4,327.10 . . . . . . . 351,800 . . . . . . . Sept. 30
4,325.18 . . . . . . . 331,550 . . . . . . . Aug. 31
4,308.50 . . . . . . . 183,870 . . . . . . . July 28 low point
4,339.88 . . . . . . . 503,030 . . . . . . . March 5 high point
4,334.06 . . . . . . . 430,410 . . . . . . . January 1, 2006

boating classes in New Mexico

NM State Parks Boating classes (abridged from their web site)

Albuquerque -- NM Girl Scout Program/Service Center 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE (West of Jefferson between Singer/Osuna
Instructor:Stephen A. Verchinski 476-3390
Dates:
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007 - Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007 , 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007 - Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Mar. 10, 2007 - Saturday, Mar. 10, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Apr. 14, 2007 - Saturday, Apr. 14, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, May 12, 2007 - Saturday, May 12, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, June 09, 2007 - Saturday, June 09, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, July 14, 2007 - Saturday, July 14, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007 - Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Sep. 15, 2007 - Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007 - Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007 - Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM

Carlsbad
NM State Parks Region 4 Office 324 South Canyon Carlsbad
Instructor:Joseph L Kasuboski 505-457-2384
Saturday, March 17, 2007 - Saturday, March 17, 2007 from 8:00AM-5:00 PM
and
Living Desert State Park 1500 Mills Drive Carlsbad
Saturday, Febr. 17, 2007 - Saturday, Febr. 17, 2007, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Saturday, April 14, 2007 - Saturday, April 14, 2007, 8:00AM-5:00 PM
Saturday, May 19, 2007 - Saturday, May 19, 2007, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

(Also locations at Ute Lake, Tucumcari, Fort Sumner. Presumably later on locations at Navajo or Heron will be added.)


On-Line Statewide
Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - Wednesday, February 21, 2007 from 8:30 AM-8:30 PM
On-Line Statewide
Instructor: Stephen A. Verchinski 476-3390

Santa Fe area
Saturday, December 08, 2007 - Saturday, December 08, 2007 from 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Santa Fe Parks 1220 South St Francis Santa Fe
Instructor:Stephen A. Verchinski 476-3390 Register

For more information about boating safety classes, call toll-free (888) NM-PARKS. To change your registration information click here.

For U.S. Coast Guard Auxilary classes call (505)294-5499. These classes run 12 weeks and are 2 hours each class for 24 hours total. They are taught in N.M. in two to three locations once or twice a year.

weekend update and lake conditions

Friday afternoon "Tadpole" and I picked up Batgal from CNM, where she had been grading final exams for on behalf of her English 100 students. Southbound we enjoyed a meal at Backyard Barbecue" in Socorro. It isn't as no-frills as NM Tech students remember it of old; dessert is even included with the plate lunches. At the lake, we installed a new block (2.25 inch Harken on a becket) at the traveler end of Black Magic's mainsheet and did a bit of other preparation, then settled in at the apartment in T or C for some reading, showering, and quiet time.

Saturday we were up late, but so too was the wind. It finally came up a bit around noon, so we went out sailing. The winds came and went, varying from calms and softer breezes to perhaps 7 knots, enough to give Carol Anne's boat a decent heel and gurgling sound as it began to accelerate. With the wind rather limited, all we did was sail a few laps between buoys near the marina and the New Mexico State U. weather station northeast of the "Elephant".


Then we packed up, stopping by the RGSC mast-up lot, where "Wallygator" was removing some sun-cracked tires from his boat trailer and a park ranger was visiting. We also noticed that a couple of folks had left sailboats mast-down in the mast-up lot. We drove north quickly, stopping only in Albuquerque for fuel, so we could be in time for the New Mexico Sailing Club holiday party at the Coronado Grill in Albuquerque. Mark Paz, who took over the grill less than a year ago, was our host, and had reserved the dining room for us. Fortunately, the NMSC and some friends did a good job of filling the room, with around 48 sailors attending. The white elephant gift exchange was a hit, with even the restaurant staff watching and enjoying the show. Some of the big prizes included some nice sailing books (plus a fresh, partial manuscript in progress of "Murder at the Yacht Club), rum, champagne, a "Hurricane kit", a signed art print by one of our talented members, wind chimes, and even a Hula skirt, a soccer ball, and a box of (treasures?).

Sunday we eventually drove about 152 miles from Albuquerque to the Rock Canyon Marina (still near the Dam in its low-water location, for now). Zorro was there, along with Captain Groovy, so Zorro went sailing on Constellation while we (with Cap'n G) followed a little later on Black Magic. Conditions were forecast to be breezy, so we tuned USA 38 to de-power the rig, which proved wise. Instead of winds in the 10 mph range with gusts to 20 mph, we got more like 15 mph gusting to 25. Fortunately, we had our foulies available and temperatures were mild.

We followed Zorro all the way out from the southern end of the lake up a few miles past Horse and Rattlesnake islands to the race course area and did a mock race across to the west end of the lake and back. In the heavy chop and wind, the boat was a little hard to control completely. Black Magic's cracked tiller was flexing, and the gooseneck pin was showing some signs of stress (we have a new gooseneck toggle to install soon that will accept a much beefier gooseneck pin), so it wasn't long before our skipper decided we'd had enough fun and we lowered the jib, and pointed the boat back toward the marina.

On the way, as we reached more protected waters and the wind began to subside in between strong gusts, we did a partial crew change, letting Tadpole hop off onto Zorro's boat, where he got to helm and help Zorro bring his boat into its dock shortly after Carol Anne, Captain Groovy, and I had docked Black Magic.

We had a bit of an oops en route that fortunately we were able to handle well. Near the Elephant, strong swirling winds kept heading the boat, making it difficult to tack in the congested area and keep enough way on without sideslipping too much. I had released the halyard lock on the mainsail, let the sail sag down a bit, and run the main halyard out so that it would run freely when we were ready to dump the mainsail near the dock. However, before we were ready, the halyard chose a bad time to slip out of its cleat and drop a few feet of main, leaving the boat with poor maneuverability at a bad time. We bore off a bit into a less congested a more protected area, headed the boat up, and were able to re-raise the main most of the way so the boat would be maneuverable. Then we headed back toward the dock, dropped the main about a length and a half out (the approach to the dock was about 45 degrees off upwind), and made a nice soft landing.

After a quick trip to inspect another boat and trailer, and look at the Rock Canyon boat ramp, it was time to motor onward, stopping for dinner at Socorro Springs, where we ate well, enjoying shrimp pasta, a rich rueben sandwich with potato wedges, and a "Conquistador" calzone along with creme brule and chocolate cake with raspberry for dessert. Thus fortified, and with Carol Anne's growler jug filled with ale, we survived the savage interstate and returned home.

********

Date Time(mst) Wind(mph) Vis.(mi.) Weather Sky Cond Air Temp.

10 12:53 S 13 10.00 Fair CLR 56
10 13:53 W 20 G 24 10.00 Fair CLR 61
10 15:53 W 21 10.00 Fair and Breezy CLR 58
10 16:53 W 22 G 28 10.00 Fair and Breezy CLR 55




***********************
Lakes:


Update: Elephant Butte Lake, Saturday, December 30, 2006, 8 a.m.: 4,340.54 feet elev., 511,683 acre feet. Up 1.2 inches and 1,314 a.f. in 24 hours; up 4.3 inches and 4,726 a.f. in 71 hours. It is up 4.02 feet and 51,353 a.f. so far in December. Recent and expected precipitation in New Mexico will sustain the rising waters..

The lake is 8 inches HIGHER than its March 5th high point. It has risen 32 feet since the July low. The Butte will end the month at something like elev. 4,340.74, with 514,700 a.f. Long Point will likely become an island again later this winter.


Elephant Butte Lake Elev. (feet) . . . . Storage (acre feet) . . . Date
4,343.98 . . . . . . . 557,894 . . . . . . . Jan. 31, '07 (1200)
4,340.54 . . . . . . . 511,683 . . . . . . . Dec. 30 (0800)
4,340.00 . . . . . . . 504,591 . . . . . . . Dec. 25 (2000)
4,339.50 . . . . . . . 498,115 . . . . . . . Dec. 22 (0800)
4,339.34 . . . . . . . 496,040 . . . . . . . Dec. 21 (0800)
4,339.04 . . . . . . . 492,157 . . . . . . . Dec. 19 (1000)
4,338.92 . . . . . . . 490,616 . . . . . . . Dec. 18 (1200)
4,338.32 . . . . . . . 482,956 . . . . . . . Dec. 14 (1200)
4,337.96 . . . . . . . 478,370 . . . . . . . Dec. 11 (1200)
4,337.46 . . . . . . . 472,082 . . . . . . . Dec. 7 (1200)
4,337.02 . . . . . . . 466,549 . . . . . . . Dec. 4 (0800)
4,336.52 . . . . . . . 460,330 . . . . . . . Nov. 30
4,334.82 . . . . . . . 439,541 . . . . . . . Nov. 20
4,333.54 . . . . . . . 424,254 . . . . . . . Nov. 13
4,332.14 . . . . . . . 407,850 . . . . . . . Nov. 6
4,331.24 . . . . . . . 397,510 . . . . . . . Oct. 31
4,327.10 . . . . . . . 351,800 . . . . . . . Sept. 30
4,325.18 . . . . . . . 331,550 . . . . . . . Aug. 31
4,308.50 . . . . . . . 183,870 . . . . . . . July 28 low point
4,339.88 . . . . . . . 503,030 . . . . . . . March 5 high point
4,334.06 . . . . . . . 430,410 . . . . . . . January 1, 2006


Heron Lake is down 2.2 inches and 679 a.f. in 24 hours and 6.6 inches and 2,085 a.f. in 71 hours as of Monday, 6 p.m., Dec. 25.

Heron LakeElev. (feet) . . . . Storage (acre feet) . . . Date
7,140.93 . . . . . . . 183,671 . . . . . . . Dec. 30 (1000)
7,141.64 . . . . . . . 186,348 . . . . . . . Dec. 25 (1800)
7,142.80 . . . . . . . 190,765 . . . . . . . Dec. 19 (1000)
7,142.88 . . . . . . . 191,071 . . . . . . . Dec. 18 (1000)
7,143.28 . . . . . . . 192,613 . . . . . . . Dec. 14 (1400)
7,143.62 . . . . . . . 193,930 . . . . . . . Dec. 11 (1000)
7,144.33 . . . . . . . 196,694 . . . . . . . Dec. 4 (1000)
7,145.85 . . . . . . . 202,691 . . . . . . . Nov. 20
7,147.10 . . . . . . . 207,707 . . . . . . . Nov. 8
7,148.03 . . . . . . . 211,484 . . . . . . . Oct. 24
7,144.46 . . . . . . . 197,203 . . . . . . . Sept. 25
7,143.47 . . . . . . . 193,350 . . . . . . . Sept. 1
7,143.47 . . . . . . . 193,350 . . . . . . . Aug. 29
7,143.29 . . . . . . . 192,653 . . . . . . . July 5
7,143.26 . . . . . . . 192,535 . . . . . . . June 29
71,42.29 . . . . . . . 188,816 . . . . . . . June 4
7,141.09 . . . . . . . 184,270 . . . . . . . May 27
7,135.01 . . . . . . . 162,731 . . . . . . . May 2
7,133.93 . . . . . . . 158,684 . . . . . . . April 27
7,144.29 . . . . . . . 196,496 . . . . . . . Jan. 5

Update: Heron Lake water balance figures through November should be available sometime in mid-December.

Visit to Heron Lake, New Mexico Sailing Club marina in winter mode

View of Heron Lake Marina from unloading area showing pavillion, dockhouse, A dock, and A-B connecting walkway. Note cross-brace truss resting on connecting walkway. Photograph was taken Sunday afternoon, December 3, 2006. Lake level was 7,144.33 feet, with 196,694 acre feet, or about 48% of capacity. The highest level in 2006 was in September when the lake had 211,000 acre feet, or 53% of its 401,000 a.f. capacity. The lake usually reaches its annual minumum in April, shortly before the arrival of significant spring runoff from the Azotea Tunnel and San Juan-Chama project. Slightly beyond the left side of the picture is the location of the Willow Creek boat ramp and mast-up storage lot.

View of B and C docks showing 30" x 60" x 20" floats that are being used to support the long trusses. The long trusses are partially unbolted so that they could swing out and up and not be trapped under the piers during next spring's low-water period. Beyond the marina is the "Narrows" and the main body of Heron Lake. To the right is the outlet of Willow Creek Cove.

Trusses have been swung up and now are floating only about a foot below the surface. A long truss is faintly visible near top of photograph.

Heron Lake Marina checkup

View from B dock of pavillion and dockhouse, showing list; north end (note raised slip float behind orange buoy) is elevated and south end is lower.
West side of dockhouse showing listing on s.w. corner of floats for dockhouse and pavillion.

Southwest corner of dockhouse showing some sag where the weight of the dockhouse rests on the corner of the old floats.

Marina pavillion with parts to be used for marina rehabilitation.

View to the northeast showing old docks in mooring cove (line 3).

New Mexico Lake Level Update

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006 update:

Elephant Butte Lake has 472,082 acre feet at elevation 4,337.46 feet above benchmark. It has risen 1.7 inches and 1,763 a.f. in 24 hours and 4.8 inches and 5,030 a.f. in 71 hours. It's rising a bit more slowly with the cooler, drier weather of late, but still rising quite steadily. Rio Grande flow at San Acacia is 1,030 cubic feet per second (954 c.f.s. minimum and 1,230 c.f.s. maximum in the past 71 hours as of noon).

Heron Lake is at elevation 71,44.02 feet with 195,479 acre feet as of 10 a.m., Dec. 7, '06. It is down 1.2 inches and 393 acre feet in 24 hours and down 3.6 inches and 1,215 a.f. in 71 hours.


Monday Dec. 4, '06:
Elephant Butte Lake is up 1.4 inches and 1,492 acre feet in 24 hours.
It's also up 5,454 a.f. and 5.3 inches in 71 hours, and 28.52 feet above the summer low point. The lake rose about 5 feet in November, 4 feet in October, 2 feet in September, and 17 feet in August.

At the current rate, the year-end level should be around 4,340.3 feet or a bit more, with around 508,500 acre feet of water. Long Point may become an island again by February.

Elephant Butte Lake
Elev. (feet) . . . . Storage (acre feet) . . . Date
4,339.04 . . . . . . . 492,157 . . . . . . . Dec. 19 (1000)
4,337.46 . . . . . . . 472,082 . . . . . . . Dec. 7 (1200)
4,337.02 . . . . . . . 466,549 . . . . . . . Dec. 4 (0800)
4,334.82 . . . . . . . 439,541 . . . . . . . Nov. 20
4,333.54 . . . . . . . 424,254 . . . . . . . Nov. 13
4,332.14 . . . . . . . 407,850 . . . . . . . Nov. 6
4,331.24 . . . . . . . 397,510 . . . . . . . Oct. 31
4,327.10 . . . . . . . 351,800 . . . . . . . Sept. 30
4,325.18 . . . . . . . 331,550 . . . . . . . Aug. 31
4,308.50 . . . . . . . 183,870 . . . . . . . July 28 low point
4,339.88 . . . . . . . 503,030 . . . . . . . March 5 high point
4,334.06 . . . . . . . 430,410 . . . . . . . January 1, 2006

Note that the Butte is already recovered to three feet above its January 1 level. The good late-summer monsoonal rains compensated for the below-average spring runoff. The Butte is within three feet of its maximum level for the spring. The year-end level is likely to be at least as high as the March 5 high point during spring runoff.

*************

Heron Lake is releasing water gradually for the benefit of water contractors. It has gone down 1.2 inches and 431 acre feet in 24 hours, and 4 inches and 1,304 a.f. in 71 hours. The marina will likely touch bottom in late March and the cove floor will probably be bare mud, about a foot or so above the lake, sometime in April unless the spring runoff arrives early. The Rio Chama is flowing at 142 cubic feet per second (106 c.f.s. minimum, 275 maximum in 72 hours) but Willow Creek is frozen and is not supplying any water to Heron.

Heron LakeElev. (feet) . . . . Storage (acre feet) . . . Date
7,142.80 . . . . . . . 190,765 . . . . . . . Dec. 19 (1000)
7,144.33 . . . . . . . 196,694 . . . . . . . Dec. 4 (1000)
7,145.85 . . . . . . . 202,691 . . . . . . . Nov. 20
7,147.10 . . . . . . . 207,707 . . . . . . . Nov. 8
7,148.03 . . . . . . . 211,484 . . . . . . . Oct. 24
7,144.46 . . . . . . . 197,203 . . . . . . . Sept. 25
7,143.47 . . . . . . . 193,350 . . . . . . . Sept. 1
7,143.47 . . . . . . . 193,350 . . . . . . . Aug. 29
7,143.29 . . . . . . . 192,653 . . . . . . . July 5
7,143.26 . . . . . . . 192,535 . . . . . . . June 29
71,42.29 . . . . . . . 188,816 . . . . . . . June 4
7,141.09 . . . . . . . 184,270 . . . . . . . May 27
7,135.01 . . . . . . . 162,731 . . . . . . . May 2
7,133.93 . . . . . . . 158,684 . . . . . . . April 27
7,144.29 . . . . . . . 196,496 . . . . . . . Jan. 5

Other New Mexico Lakes:

El Vado Lake 64,376 a.f., up 259 a.f. in 71 hours, 219 c.f.s. outflow
Abiquiu Lake 153,607 a.f., up 112 a.f., 212 c.f.s. outflow
Cochiti Lake 48,414 a.f., up 241 a.f.

Rio Grande at Albuquerque, 910 c.f.s. flow (894 c.f.s. min., 1050 max.)
Rio Grande at San Acacia, 1130 cf.s. flow (1560 max.)
San Marcial Floodway, 213 c.f.s flow, (190 min., 292 max.)

Navajo Lake, 1,549,303 a.f., down 1,348 a.f. in 71 hours
Santa Rosa Lake, 79,047 a.f., down 63 a.f.
Sumner Lake, 25,828 a.f., up 333 a.f.
Brantley Lake, 14,981 a.f., up 345 a.f.
Ute Lake 201,000 a.f., stable
Eagle Nest Lake, 31,716 a.f., stable
Conchas Lake, 145,569 a.f., down 153 a,f.

Halyard block project

Above and below are pictures of one of our many cold-season projects. With the troubles we had with our floorboard supports failing on USA 125, we needed something better than the temporary floor supports to attach the main halyard block and cleat. We'd temporarily cleated the main halyard (the line the raises the mainsail) to a cleat on the cuddy ledge, but that was a horrible position. So, we hand-cut a wooden block to attach to an I-beam on centerline that would hold the block and cleat. The result was a much better cleating position.

Yep, we were at the sailing club party ... though not a lot of other folks made it; we had a record low attendance of around 16 people and 11 presents under the tree. We felt sorry for the folks at the Elephant Butte Inn. Friday just didn't work; too many people couldn't or wouldn't come down that early in the weekend, especially in December. Next year the club will make sure we get reservations way ahead of time so the party can be on the traditional first Saturday in December.

Saturday was better; we had thirty people out on the water with six A Fleet boats ("Zorro"'s Etchells, Constellation; "Dotcom"'s J-22, Imafirst; Carol Anne B's Etchells, Black Magic; "Dumbledore"'s J-24 Kachina; "Esther William"'s J-24, Hot Flash; Jon P's J-22, Sciroccos Song) and three B fleeters ("Apple Lady"'s C&C 30, LunaC; Charlie A's Freedom 21, Wind Rush; John D's MacGregor 26, MacGoddess) and our Commodore, Richard D., and crew doing committee boat on The Hunter. Two "full sausage" G course races were completed. Awards were presented at the fleet 141 compound afterwards, at least once folks found their way there; a lot of people were too hungry to wait and stopped at the Taco House and Hodge's Corner for dinner.

We and the other Etchells, "Constellation", got a tow out to the race course and then we did a bit of a tune-up with the other Etchells, including a bit of a tacking duel that was a preview of what happened after one of our starts; these provided good entertainment for the rest of the fleet, although they showed us skill areas where we can continue to improve and gave "Dotcom" a chance to get ahead of us for a while. Carol Anne and crew started well and mostly sailed well (at least we're getting a bit better) and were 2nd and 3rd across the line and 4th and 3rd on corrected time for the A fleet. ("Dotcom" and "Dumbledore" corrected over us by a minute and a half and half a minute in an hour-long first race, so we had lots of fun and close racing. We and "Dotcom" probably crossed and ducked each other a dozen times in the two races, and we enjoyed a very brief lead over Zorro until he was able to shake us eventually with a tacking duel and false tacks.)

We had one or two goofs but were able to fix them. One of them was a little bit of buoy confusion that gave us an "opportunity" (!) to do a fast spinnaker douse and re-hoist. The winds were not as fluky as sometimes, though still plenty shifty. Also, there were a couple of times when the winds played us a naughty trick and brought some of the mid-fleet boats down upon us, cutting our lead. Such is lake sailing.

After the racing, instead of us waiting for a tow in the moderate winds, "Cornhusker" hopped onto USA 38 with "Seymour" and "Twinkletoes" while "Zorro" came on board to give Batgal and the rest of us some coaching. We ran downwind under spinnaker, and got to play with heeling the boat to windward and projected the chute way out.

Sunday wound up not having folks do anything on the water; our family ran up quickly to Heron Lake to check up on the marina there.

Here's a holiday happening for those who didn't make it south this weekend: the NMSC is holding its holiday party this Saturday, Dec. 8, from 6:00 p.m. onward, at the Coronado Grill in Bernalillo, NM (north side of town, just west of the river, across from the Jackalope and Casino). The manager and part owner is our long-time friend, "Aquawop", the former DamSite Marina manager. All New Mexico sailors and friends are welcome.

We'll be down at the Butte a lot this winter. Let us know if you think you have what it takes to be a hardy happy frostbite sailor and need a ride on a fast boat!