Danièle and I went out for a sail in the morning. We used just the head sail. We got to Dowkers about one PM and just vegetated there. Nice evening with a Steak dinner. No swimming, water was too dirty.
The next morning we got up early, watched the sun come up. But we never saw the actual sunrise (the colourful one)
On Friday morning, we motored back to the club and Danièle visited her parents to see the new dog.
I nursed a sore lower back. Norm bought me Robax and a hot water bottle.
Danièle and I got to the club early. Danièle decided her good deed was to wash Jimmy's boat. It was covered with the yellowish sap marks that were very hard to take off.
We found out it was going to be the Hugh Kennedy race and the course was to upwind to AD 22, AD 28 and a club finish. Winds were from south.
Norm was on BBQ duty and Chris was going to a. Wedding rehearsal in Ottawa the next day, so it was only Danièle, Jimmy and me. Julian was looking to crew so we invited him to join us.
Winds were forecasted at 10 knots, but were actually 15. Good thing we switched to the 135 furling sail.
We had an okay start, with lots of dirty air from competing boats. We tacked eastward and stayed with a lift that bought us too far and when we tacked, we got knocked which killed our speed. Other boats who timed it better, were all ahead.
We never caught up, but we were able to pass Limmoncello twice, not a big deal.
Back at the harbour, we tried out jimmy's single malt, which was excellent. Jimmy went home. Danièle and I BBQ 1/2 the pork tenderloin.
Cederic, Danièle, Norman, Chris and I raced the Strathcona make up race. Winds were forecast at 10 knots so I switched to the 155, with lots of hesitation about the accuracy of the forecast.
Patrick and Sylvie were at Tadoussac
Because Pointe Claire was racing in the lake, we decided to take the reverse course, starting from the seaway. There Bellum, Regalia and four lasers.
Wind were around 20 knots. We were not making much headway upwind until we started ignoring the ticklers and sailed by VMG. Then the tacks were more "effective", but by than we were way behind.
IT WAS A NICE HOT DAY.
After Beaharnois B, we tacked and put up the spinnaker, not without some problems. We got that sorted out and it became apparent the track through the windmill channel was going to be upwind. And we were not making it to A38 to port without gybing. So we were going to take down the spinnaker. That was when she got wrapped into two figure 8's. We eventually that resolved. But I made some bad tacks that cost us some time. We were now so far behind, we abandoned the race.
We sailed through the windmill point channel in gusty winds - up to 20 knots.
When we reached the last pair of mark on Lake St. Louis, the wind died. We tried to sail her, but we weren't moving and motored back. We passed Regalia near the church and Captame Hadock a little further.
It was suggested we go to the sandbars to cool off or to the pool. someone remembered the pool was closed for maintenance, so it was the sandbars.
Got back to the harbour about six. We had four small sausages so norm stayed for a light supper.
So Daniele and I took the kayaks to the Sandbars. Daniele helmed the iron sail and we dropped the hook in front of Zig Zag and Dissidence. They were in the Mega Station.
We kayaked around the sandbars. Nice. Windless. Easy.
Supper was pork tenderloin with a salty Teriyaki marinade. Winds were forecast to be calm so we decided to stay. Nice sunset and there were fireworks in St. Anne.
The night was very rocky. Later Redline reported the night was very calm at Dowkers.
We got up with just and took off with just the head sail and the Kayaks in tow. They towed very well.
Watch the fireballs and Echell's at PCYC.
Saw some very interesting boats - catamaran, trimaran, house boat, and a gaff rigged tiny yawl
Came back to the club and washed the boat. Daniele left about 4 to prepare for Philadelphia and I stayed and whipped all the lines and checked Cygnus and drained the bilge.
Alain, Jimmy and Daniele came out for our Friday Fun Race. First time for Alain on Bellum.
Nice race. Bellum took off and we probably came in first or second. I started the race and Daniele helmed the rest of the race. Very precise crew. No significant errors. We came in fourth out of 17.
There was a loud collision at the windward mark, probably between Earendil and Prozac.
Dropped the hook outside Beaconsfield and had a nice salmon supper. We were expecting Canada Day fireworks that were supposed to be rescheduled from rainy Wednesday but they never happened.
Went back to the dock about 10:30 and slept aboard.
