Wednesday morning the wind shifts to the south. Our dock at Goose Watch winery gave us some protection from yesterday's north wind, but exposure to the south. As the sun rose, Eclipse was rocking vigorously to the new wave direction.
The winery doesn't open till 10, but there's one just down the lake that opens at 9:30, so off we go. The vigor of the early morning wind is gone, but we ghost along for two miles to Varick Winery just as they're opening for the day. There's more than wine here. Pickles and olives and cheese and flavored olive oil and chocolates. And u-pick cherries. We sample their wines, and while some are good, none pique our interest.
And now the wind has completely died. And the sun is relentlessly intense. Up on deck there is only shade for the helmsman, while down below it's stuffy hot. Very hot. We picked the wrong week to give up air conditioning.
Eventually thunderheads start building with their promise of fresh wind but also of squalls and possibly lightening. But the afternoon is getting late, so we motor into the shallow weedy north end of the lake and take down sails and mast and boom and rig the tarp for shade.
There are about fifty power boats riding at anchor on a sand bar, wading, swimming, drinking and having fun. We join them. A squall soon comes, and three quarters of the boats leave. By sundown there are four of us left. Fireworks pop up here and there along the lake.
 |
| Panorama photo, both ends of the mast with about 50 boats anchored on the sand. |
Most people think it’s cool on the water, but it’s pretty hot.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you’ll get some reprieve later today?! Have been reading and enjoying your posts. I’m the one you talked with at the Canajoharie Library.