S/V Sjokolade

This is the third time I've crossed Lake Erie. Tonight [Sunday) the forecasts were for 5 knots and variable. Tonight we got 10 knots from the South and when I came on watch I put up all the sails and we are doing 6 knots under sail alone, once again the crew sleeping in the quiet. No boats, presumably a full waning moon (I've not heard there was a blue moon this month) in clear skies and a shimmering sea, slowly rocking my brother in laws to sleep. The swish of the water on the boat, the gurgle of the scuppers, and the rattle of the jib block as it gets backed by the main in the rolling sea gently override the groan and whine of Chewbacca, our autopilot, so named for his voice coming up from below decks as he steers us unerring on, in spite of his protests.

I have friends and relatives who get anxious when they are on a boat or an island and focus completely on getting off, being done, getting away. I don't have that at all, rather I want to keep going and see no point in going ashore when we stop for the night somewhere. My little self contained universe is enough for me as long as I have people along to care about and share it with.

9:12 pm Monday: We arrived at Erie PA about 8 after a completely full day of sailing, from 2 am until about 5 pm before we started the motor and began the trek through the channel into Presque Isle. We are anchored across the bay from the city near cranberry bogs, planning for an early start to complete the trip on Erie to Buffalo and the much anticipated Dis-Masting Event (DME), my own personal demon, which, as Scott points out, will be dealt with and over with in a few days, yahoo!!