Was PRO for the PSA Race to Rock Hall. Weather could have been better but a very fun trip. Sail back to the Magothy was epic on Bryan's Tashiba 42 in 20-25, gusts to 32. What a ride.
Century Club: Tim Ford
Saturday, October 14, 2023 to Sunday, October 15, 2023
Number of days:
2 days
CRCA start
big dryout after returning
Big breeze and great sail home
Duck a big one
soogy RC crew
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
I went out to eat lunch (cold pizza and an NA beer) and just for grins, took a rod but no tackle. Then I noticed that it was high tide and I figured, hey...I might catch something. 2nd cast, a nice white perch. 4th cast a smallish rock. 7th cast a much bigger rock that may have met the 19 inch size minimum. Unfortunately he knocked off my paddletail and I was done for the day.
But this was all catch and release and that's fine.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
BOXCAR continues its streak of light air domination. The boat is a force below 7 kn of breeze. Weird getting back to the dock in total darkness though. Maybe total twilight would be more accurate. With all the light pollution in Balto Harbor, it's hard to tell when Twilight ends.
I try to prepare myself for earlier sunsets but somehow every year it seems shocking how abruptly they show up...
Friday, October 6, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
In spite of a huge amount of convection over on the mainland, we launched at Old Ferry and did a little hour long tour of the creek and guts. Very beautiful day and conditions, before things got gnarly the next day, with gusts into the low 40s and a struggle to keep three tents from being blown east into the ocean. There's a lot to be said for sand pegs!
A colony of Large Egrets with their youngsters was a real treat to paddle past.
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
DId some touch up on the i550. Then launched a paddle to sling a few lures in the water. In the exact same spot where I hooked the rockfish last week, I landed one of the bigger pickerels I've ever caught, easily 28 to 30 inches. Catch and release though.
Cattle egrets have arrived on the river, and seem pretty tame in that they allowed me very close proximity. (not apparent in this photo, which really looks photshopped but isn't)
Friday, September 29, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
giant spider at PSA post kayaking
Late season Friday night (yes, it did turn into night) Race Committee task on Inc. We set the course, sent folks off (approx 6-7 boats) and dove into dinner. The food on Inc. is always amazing (BBQ from Dickey's). By the time the 5th or 6th boat finished, we could not see the pin. Thankfully there was a fresh set of batteries in the flashlight on board. It's an interesting transition to race at BCYA one night and do race committee on the Magothy in the same week. There are some powered up race boats in the city, whereas the CSC fleet was enitely composed of stately cruisers and I assume a lot of them are very new to racing.
Fun night and good to be back on Inc. I think this season has been my lowest number of races on Inc. since maybe 2010?
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
the usual spot
1st hefty perch
18.7895 inch rocker
catch and rel
2nd big perch
Went down to get the water from Ophelia out of the boat, but took a rod with me in case the tide was high. It was quite high, in fact.
I really hadn't planned on fishing, did not bring anything other than a rod that had a jig/paddletail already on it. I figured I'd fish until I lost the lure. Did not anticipate two large white perch and a striper just maybe a quarter inch less than 19 inches, and I didn't have a stringer with me. So it was basically just a catch-and-release day, which was fine with me.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
gloomy skies 1.5 hours prior to start
Rain and breeze on
bit less on at Papa down
Ugly prerace condits with a quick rainstorm that brought 15-18 kn, which is not our sweet spot. Comments were, as the foulies went on, "this feels more like frostbiting!" But the clouds passed and the breeze settled into 5-8, which completely is our sweet spot. Finished more than 4 minutes ahead of the nearest boat. Probably got us a bullet. Great ending to a fun series.
Friday, September 22, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Friday afternoon, another club member and I took a spin around the mooring field to see if anyone's boat looked "under-prepared." Out of maybe 30? Only two or three looked vulnerable.
We took the inflatable back in and I launced a kayak to head out and see what might be a better solution. I texted the owners, both answered to say please, go ahead and improve! So I brailed a main cover that was probably not going to survive 35-40 prolonged and put a stout backup line on another boats' mooring pennant because the one they'd use looked very, very underspeced.
All-in-all, it looked like the mooring field never really saw much wind. It's a hurricane hole for sure. But it's better to be over prepared than under. At least in my way of thinking.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Odd night in that our preferred conditions 6-8 kn did not happen until the last leg, an upwind finish off Ft McH. Beautiful night though. We've noticed this bulk ore carrier a couple times this season. I'd love to know how those two structures work above the deck. Apparently they are on a track, as when we were coming in one sounds some signals, warnings I guess like a Fedex truck does when in reverse, and it started rolling very slowly aft.
And someone suggested a brief meeting at the marina (on sailing business unrelated to BCYA)as it was convenient and on their travel route. If you like screaming at someone 18 inches away and still not being heard or understood, then sure, a meeting at MarineMax makes a lot of sense.
Helicopters are not quiet.