Bah!
21 July 2006 | Plymouth, MA
Jeanne/cloudy
We are pleased that TC Beryl passed by with no drama, but so little wind was also a bit of a problem.
As I've noted before, at times this boat behaves peculiarly at anchor when wind and current oppose each other. Because Watermelon looks a lot like a cracker box on rails, I expect the excess windage to trump current, but apparently that is not what happens.
The mooring that we're on is a huge steel ball, built for Captain Mario's big charter boat. The light winds in the evening couldn't keep her from being pushed into the mooring ball by the stiff tidal current. Because our dinghy was up on the davits Peter used the engines to back away from the ball so that we could swing around the ball until we were bow to the current. Silly boat, it really didn't seem to like that idea and would turn just enough to bang into the mooring ball. Peter hung fenders on the bows of the pontoons to try to provide some cushion, though I do not know how helpful it was.
We did not get to sleep until two this morning when it became clear that very little wind was reaching us here. There was enough wind to keep us off the mooring ball, but not enough to make any noise and keep us awake. As a serious storm, TC Beryl was a bust.
Peter, in his inimitable style, is now complaining about what a letdown this was. I guess I can agree; he is so laid back that a little drama in our lives provides some exercise for his heart and arteries.
Weather reports aren't promising through the weekend, so we'll stay in Plymouth for a few days and visit with old friends we haven't seen in many years. And when the breeze dies completely we'll put the bimini back up.