OSSPMC 2008

Continuing a tradition that started in 2004 and continued to 2005 and 2007, Tim and I set out for a little Off Season Sarah’s Pregnant Micro Cruising Trip on Friday.  (Yes, my astute friends, the SP in OSSPMC changes each year.)  With Hambletiny coming in January, Tim and I decided to move the trip a little earlier in the season than usual. The weather seemed like December, so we didn’t feel like we missed much anything in our fingers or toes.
Update:  New pics from Rufas Van Gruisen.

The trip included some significant overland portions facilitated by Tim’s new Beetle Cat trailer (and required by his own lack of a car).

I pick up Tim in Bristol, drove to his mom’s house in North Falmouth and picked up the boat.

(The rig)

We stopped for some dinner and planning:

Mapping turned out to play an important part of our expedition.

The route.  Everything except route C-D was covered in the car at more than 60 KTS!

We tried to camp at Fisherman’s Memorial Park, but someone had closed and gated all the entrances.

Luckily for us, that same person didn’t lock the gates at Roger Wheeler State Beach.  We ended up driving the car onto the sand (cleverly concealed behind a fence) and found a place to sleep.

Where we slept.  (Less wind between the berm of sand and the fence.)

PICT4494 by you.
(probably why it felt so cold overnight.  Shivering was unpreventable.)
Our sneaky parking spot.
Tim used the iPhone’s Google Maps to locate a launch ramp very near our sleeping beach, where we launched and sailed under an impossibly low bridge to YMCA’s Camp Fuller.
When we got there, we met up with 15 other sailors of all kinds of boats, who had assembled for the third annual Archipelago Rally. (Race course shown in Red)
Picture 4 by you.
Did I mention that it was blowing 18-24 kts and some people were sailing windsurfers? Well, the weather took out a bunch of the entrants and all three safety boats kept very busy, especially near the gusty and shallow island at the top of the photo.
Tim’s beefy Beetle Cat was the aircraft carrier of the fleet.  Well, a wooden, shoal draft aircraft carrier with striped sails.   After we finished the race, we sailed around keeping track of all the capsized (and in at least one case, broken) boats.
When we finally came in, we discovered a kid party had broken out in the (heated!) camp dining hall. Here are all the little kids-of-sailors-playing in a spinnaker.
At the trophy presentation, we learned we won first place.  I made a little speech on Tim’s behalf.
And we sailed back to the launch ramp, derigged, drove the boat and Tim back to Bristol and I came home to Cambridge.  (Where I slept for 12 hours, waking up at 8AM)
Tim – See you next year!

64 Responses to “OSSPMC 2008”

  1. sarah Says:

    Rufus Van Gruisen is an awesome name!

  2. Anna at Hank & Willie Says:

    I am teeth-shatteringly cold just reading about this. I scouted a photo location out on the island for 15 minutes in that weather this weekend, and NEARLY DIED.

    How did you two survive!?

  3. B. Says:

    Glad you survived! Why didn’t you sleep in your car?

  4. Claude Says:

    Brrrrr… not my cup of tea, but if it floats your boat.

    Baba is so close, you must be very excited. At this point I’d chewed my fingers to the knuckle!

  5. Sarah NotPregnant or Hambleton Says:

    OK Rush, enough of this nerd stuff…post a new belly pic and some fun stuff about your ‘bun’, wouldya?? 🙂
    I hope you are all doing well!!

  6. Rush Says:

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