First Day Sail
I arrived at Sebago on New Year’s Day to rig my melonseed skiff and don my wetsuit to do that “first day” thing of kicking off the new year with a sail. John Thomas joined me in a sunfish, and we had a brisk wind and a nice sail. We launched just ahead of the numerous kayakers dressed in drysuits who were heading out to the bay for the Frostbite Regatta. We sailed down the basin with the wind at our backs. Passing under the bridge and heading off toward Ruffle Bar, we said we’d head for Mill Basin later.
John in his sunfish Sailing with a brisk wind Chris in his melonseed skiff
Instead, after rounding Ruffle Bar, we headed back for the club for the potluck and social. The wind was so intense we would have been right to luff up and put a reef in our sails. But we made it back just fine.
With the tide flooding and the wind coming out of the northwest we got to feel lots of spray over the bow as we plowed thru the rollers. Sorry there are no pictures of us jumping over the short waves. On the way past the day marker we waved at the fast group of kayakers heading for Ruffle Bar. As we entered the basin under the bridge, the wind was off our bows. We tacked our way up the basin to the dock and the festivities! Many thanks to my backpacking, canoeing, and sailing buddy John Thomas!
— Chris Bickford
Lovely account of a great day!