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Saturday, June 11,
2011 Preparing to launch on the 7:30 high
tide this morning, Wally and I got Chip Ahoy's 8hp Honda four-stroke out
of the shed in my yard and loaded it into the Blazer. Along with
Barbara, again the official event photographer, we headed off for
Riverhead Beach. On arrival It didn't take long to mount it, connect its
gas hose and electrical cable.
The morning was cool – only about 60° and
not expected to get much if any warmer –
and overcast with occasional spits of rain. Not a perfect day for
launching, but more rain was forecast for later this morning and heavier
this afternoon. We had a short window as this weather is supposed to
persistently stretch until Thursday or so –
apparently a return of monsoon season.
I got the boat set up while Wally hooked up the Blazer to
the trailer. We launched Chip Ahoy at 7:45, Under heavy cloud
cover I was on my way out into Marblehead Harbor and around the
peninsula to my mooring on the other side, in Salem Harbor. |
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Light rain began to fall before I had
cleared the entrance to Marblehead Harbor, so I donned my foul weather
jacket. The plan was to motor around to the mooring as quickly and
directly as possible, hoping to beat the rain. It went well
— intermittent light showers all the way
until Chip Ahoy was back on its mooring — and then real rain began.
As I was setting up the mooring and
covering the main sail I noted how dirty the boat's topsides and cockpit
had become — in one day defeating all the time and labor I put into the
clean-up. The slime and growth from the mooring lines alone stained the
foredeck (and me) heavily. Oh well, its now all "new" dirt, and
hopefully the monsoon will wash it away before I get back out to the
boat.
Chip Ahoy has its bottom wet and now
swings on its mooring; Season 2011 for us has officially begun. (Jun. 11, 2011) |
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