Birthday Firsts

Today was a double first. It being my birthday I have never sailed on my birthday not I have ever swum in the Atlantic on this day. I was able to break both milestones.

We had a frostbite race at the club in JY 15s. I crewed for Dave Duquette a much more able helm than I would have been. Over a series of short races we were doing OK. Either getting second or last but still in with a chance. We were starting to get the hang of it, when we capsized. Neither of us are exactly sure why this happened. Fortunately, we were both able to hop over onto the hull as it went over and stayed dry. 

The RC boat rescued us and then helped us get the boat back up and we kept on racing. I was starting to get cocky. On a downwind leg, I was up on the bow holding out the jib to sail wing-on-wing. It was going well until we gibed. When I have windsurfed or sailed a laser I have found that I could gibe and step round the mast we went about. For some reason I got it into my heard that I could do the same on a JY15. To be clear, you can't. Unfortunately, I did not get a hold of the mast. The boat went one way and I went plop the other.

The water was not quite as cold as I imagined but it was no tropical day at the beach either. The Western end of Raritan Bay is no St Barths. I swam to the RC boat which was close by and then sailed back for a hot shower and dry clothes.

I proclaimed to my friend Ethan that I did two firsts. He was quick to point out that I never got better than a second. Spoilsport!