Dinghy on a downwind haul...AKA Wheeeeee!

The PIC (partner in crime) and I have been hauling our dinghy to the lake quite a bit since it fell into our laps a few weeks ago. Getting it there has been an adventure in and of itself and then, once there, we have usually found that there was the barest puff of a wind. Somehow there seems to be a dome covering the lake area that keeps all wind out except during dramatic thunderstorms. Then it will rush through making the tree tops sway frighteningly over your house and then disappear as quickly as it came.


This past Saturday we looked at the weather forecast and whooped with excitement when we saw the predicted windspeeds. 11mph!!! Now that is some real wind. So we rolled the dinghy to the lake and the wind was blowing so hard that it whipped the sail around as soon as we put the mast up. We lashed it around the mast to keep it still until we got further out into the cove. I was excited but not the least bit alarmed. Until we decided to put the sail out that is. I was at the helm and as soon as the sail was out the wind grabbed it and it felt like a giant hand was trying to push us over. I realized I was out of my element and traded places with Brian.


We then spent many happy hours sailing fairly steadily from one end of the lake to the other. The sun was shining, it was a beautiful hot summer day and then.....POOF....the wind disappeared almost completely while we were at the far end of the lake. Capricious hussy. So there we were in our 10' sailboat mostly bobbing in the water with dark clouds looming up behind us and our beach much too far away. It was late afternoon and the perfect time for a summer thunderstorm. Folks in their powerboats motored by us and laughed. At one point I'm pretty sure I saw a turtle swim alongside that also pointed and laughed before swimming away and leaving us in its wake. We had managed to drift about a nanometer before Brian finally gave in and started paddling with our daggerboard. More people went by in their boats and laughed but we were making actual progress now. Still, even the main beach seemed far, far away and our own beach was even further past that.


The sky was conflicted. On the right it was bright and blue, but bright and blue's evil twin, dark and ominous, threatened to our left in addition to the ones at our backs. The fact that people were now asking if we were okay and needed help didn't do anything to ease my anxiety. Then the wind from the approaching storm finally decided to show up and instantaneously we went from Are We Ever Going To Get There to Hold Onto Your Collar Toto! I was back at the helm by this time, while my poor PIC laboriously paddled us along, and I think I might have uttered a bad word or two when I felt the wind grab the sail and nearly tip us over. But this time I knew what to do! I let the sail out all the way and we went zooming across the lake like a bullet. We were probably going 5-7 knots in our little dinghy on a downwind haul. The water got choppy, the wind was gusty, and the rudder was suddenly so sensitive the barest movement sent us veering off-course. But I managed to keep her steady and got us back to our cove lickety-split. I handled it quite well, if I do say so myself. And, I must say, it's pretty exhilarating to go flying across the water under windpower. We had a great day on the water and didn't spend a cent on fuel and didn't pollute a thing.

Man vs. Mole: The Release

In the last installment of Man vs. Mole the Mole Hunter had prevailed and captured two moles which, after a day or so of mole patrol, we determined were the only culprits on our premises. Friday found us trekking up the street with our mole containment unit to some vacant lots and trails that lead to our local beach, where we released our new furry pals in a nicely damp and wormy-looking patch of dirt. I was proud of my Mole Hunter for finding a non-lethal method of ridding ourselves of the cute, but pesky, varmints. Alas, after some follow-up mole patrol yesterday, the MH informed me that there were signs of activity in the front yard. So the Mole Hunter is back on the job.

Now on to another topic entirely, but one of my favorites, books. I am a librarian by trade - probably one by birth really - and possibly emerged from the womb waving a book and begging someone to read to me. I have recently been culling my book collection, since it would likely sink the boat, and it is proving to be a painful process. Amputees often feel phantom limbs and I wonder if I will experience phantom books from now on? I have joined a book blogs group, and have actually been friended by a few people, so I'm thinking maybe I should actually start mentioning some books in this here blog. My life of late hasn't allowed for much lounging about with book in one hand and bonbons in the other but I have been rereading a recent favorite of mine, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. There aren't many books that I will read more than once but his laugh-out-loud style always brings me back for more. Sedaris is also known for his commentary on NPR's This American Life and Me Talk Pretty One Day was on the bestseller list for, well, a long time or, at least, quite a while. Nothing all that exciting happens in Sedaris' books but his wry humor and sarcasm can make a walk to the mailbox entertaining. One of my favorite quotes from MTPOD (on growing up gay):

When asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, we hid the truth and listed the people we wanted to sleep with when we grew up. "A policeman or a fireman or one of those guys who works with high tension wires."

Surprisingly, I find that I am laughing just as much as I did the first time I read this personal treasure. So, if you haven't given David Sedaris a try, do your funnybone a favor and pick up one of his books soon. 

Man vs. Mole, Part Deux

The man versus mole saga continues and in this installment man is triumphant! Yes, the great Mole Hunter persevered and has been rewarded with the capture of not one, but two, hostages. We are currently keeping them as pets, and as a warning to any remaining family members, in our specially purposed pet mole containment unit.


We plan to implement a mole catch and release program, but not until we are certain all moles have either been captured or have vacated the premises upon seeing the fates of their kinmoles. Currently, we are keeping a steady supply of worms in the mole cooler and they seem to be content enough. The cat isn't allowed into the bedroom but the moles slumbered next to us on the floor last night in their cooler by the bed. I am an animal lover in the extreme, except for anything with more than six legs, and am a worrywort to boot, so I am worried that the moles might not survive their captivity. When I got up this morning I lifted the lid to the mole cooler and one of them was actually lying completely still on top of the dirt. He was so cute and furry and I was afraid we had lost him. Brian, with his usual blithe certitude, assured me the little guy was fine and, sure enough, when I checked later he had burrowed back into the dirt.

So the Mole Hunter has emerged victorious but continues his mole patrols today to make sure all offenders have been apprehended.


Aren't they cute? And, in case you didn't know, moles have very, very soft fur. You should definitely pet one if you ever get the chance.

Did you know?

Moles can dig up to 18 feet of surface tunnels per hour?

Moles can travel through their tunnels at speeds of 80' per minute through existing tunnels? It'd take a mighty good radar detector to give him a ticket.

A large collection of mole burrows is called a citadel? Isn't that charming?

A mole travels through its citadel of tunnels using a movement similar to the breaststroke.

Moles eat 70 to 80 percent of their weight every day.

Moles can be dangerous? They have apparently caused at least one famous death, that of King William III (William of Orange). Granted, I found this information online, but seemingly reputable sources say that the unfortunate William died after being thrown from his horse, which had stumbled over...you guessed it...a mole hill.

The star nose mole is perhaps one of the strangest animals I've ever seen...brace yourself...

Kozmik kizmet

Brian and I have been causing some excitement in the neighborhood recently by rolling our new Walker Bay dinghy to the nearest beach for some time on some water. We've been stopped many times by folks who believe we are literally dragging the boat up the road. No, we tell them, it has a wheel in the keel. I can only imagine what people must think when they look out their windows and see a couple pulling a boat up the road.

The story of how we found our dinghy is a great example of how things work out for us. We had decided we really wanted a Walker Bay 10 dinghy with a sailing kit. We were checking Craigslist and a few came up for sale, but too far away, and costly. I figured we wouldn't find one for less than $1000 if it included the sail kit. I also figured we'd have to make do with something else until we could find one, but I should have known one would just naturally come our way. A couple of weekends ago we found ourselves at the marina, to pick up some books for a boating class, and Brian walked over to take a gander at the small bulletin board. A moment later he called me over. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw the small, faded ad for a Walker Bay 10 dinghy. We called the number as soon as we got home - I was afraid the ad was old and it had been sold - but no, it was still available. And it included the sail kit! We went to get it the next day and, that evening, Brian sailed it over to our beach.

Has there ever been a time when things just seemed to happen exactly as you wanted them to?

Man vs. Mole

He has the tools....




He has the will....




But does he have what it takes to defeat....

The Mole?

Yes, we have a new guest in the back yard and, not unlike some humans, he doesn't seem to be getting the hint that he is unwanted. Brian has been monitoring the situation for a couple of days now, and even got a brief glimpse of our furry little invader yesterday, but so far the mole as eluded him.

Score so far...
Man: 0
Mole: 2

But the beer helps ease the sting of defeat for a while.