Rockets, Linda & Lynn - Sailing February 21 & 22, 2019

As a rocket launch was scheduled for 8:45pm EST on February 21, I decided to anchor off Merritt Island in the Indian River to observe the night launch.  The forecast called for northwest wind 8 - 14 knots, but actual conditions were a steady 15 - 18 knots from the southeast!  As a result, I didn't allow enough time to motor into the breeze and chop to my preferred anchorage for the launch and tucked behind a small island and shoal just south of the Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville.  Irish Rover and I were about 2 miles further away than we intended, but the view of the launch was still very clear including the reflection off the water.

Launch Pad 39 B was due east of Irish Rover

Similar view of launch, courtesy of SpaceX

Unfortunately, I had significant user error with my smartphone, yes, it is much smarter  :-(  so I had to borrow a photo from SpaceX which is similar to the view I had from Irish Rover.  In addition, there was a full moon that burst over the horizon just minutes after the launch to provide a fine reward for making the evening motor into the wind and waves most worthwhile.  For the post about the Falcon Heavy Launch, Click Here.

Linda and Lynn, experienced cruising sailors joined me for a nice sail the next day.  You may recall they had recently sailed aboard Irish Rover on February 6.

Daysail with Linda and Lynn

We only had a couple hours available to sail the light shifty puffs, so we pointed Irish Rover upwind to the south to create as much apparent wind as possible, but that left us having to rely on the motor to return downwind to the marina.  Going with the breeze dropped our apparent wind to zero and our VMG to not much better than zero.

Solo & Double Handed Sailing, February 11 and 16, 2019

Solo sail February 11, 2019

Titusville weather produced 15 knot breezes on Monday and Saturday.  The wind came from the south on the 11th and from the west on the 16th.  Steadier and more consistent made the sailing a bit easier on Monday, but since Irish Rover had two crew on Saturday, handling the flukier, gustier breezes was still easily accomplished.

Southwest view as we sail north

Broad reach back to the marina

I didn't have any crew on Monday but with the steady southerly, frequent sunshine and warm temperatures, it seemed a waste to not go sailing.  Let's face it, Irish Rover is always ready to escape her slip!

On the 16th when John and I raised the mainsail on Irish Rover we discovered a hitchhiker!  There was a small bat trying to hide between the sail luff and the slot in the mast.  With a bit of coaxing, the little guy flew away.

The breeze required a reef in both jib and main as we sailed south of the Brewer Bridge on a starboard beam reach.  Before long the stiffening breeze had us take in a second reef in the main and trim the sails to a close haul.

Upon achieving our halfway point, we jibed our sails and ran before the wind  until reaching the bridge, where we dropped our sails and motored back to the marina. 

That's a BAT trying to hide in the mast slot for the mainsail

Irish Rover's track on February 16, 2019

John at the wheel fighting weather helm

Sailing Irish Rover, February 3, 5, 6, 2019

February 3rd Karen invited her friends, Mary, Christa, Lea, and Lea's sister for a sail, so I found myself surrounded by FIVE lovely ladies!

Mary and Christa bundled for the cool breeze

Karen and Lea enjoying the conversation

The day was a bit cloudy and cool, but the light breeze was sufficient to carry Irish Rover and her beautiful crew back and forth across the Indian River as we sailed north to a point within a quarter mile of the railroad bridge connecting Merritt Island to the mainland.

At one point we sighted dolphins but the crafty creatures avoided the cameras we aimed their way.  After a couple hours, we reached south down the River and returned Irish Rover to her berth in the marina.

Our Tuesday sail with the drifter

It was a week of good weather so on Tuesday Karen and I were back aboard Irish Rover.  With temps in the low 70sF and sunny, it was very comfortable aboard Irish Rover.  As the wind was very light, 3 - 5 knots, we quickly furled the jib and bent on the drifter.  The red, white and blue half ounce nylon sail captured enough breeze to push Irish Rover a full knot faster, increasing our speed from 1.5 to 2.5 knots.  As the afternoon wore on the breeze continued to improve to the point where Irish Rover was sailing faster than 4 knots!  Not bad for a day with winds sticking in the single digits.

Karen between tacks

We tacked upwind as we figured out how to get the most from the drifter, although I'm not convinced we've got it nailed.  As we neared the railroad bridge we gybed southbound, sailing wing & wing on port tack until we risked running aground on the shoal.  We shifted onto a port reach back across the river then gybed to starboard wing & wing before settling onto a starboard reach for the return to the marina.  A great day of light air sailing!

Irish Rover running port wing & wing

Wednesday was more of the same except experienced sailing friends, Lynn and Linda, joined us for a couple hours sailing the wispy breaths across the Indian River.  This time we trotted out the drifter right away as Lynn and Linda helped with raising and  trimming the sails.

Sailing north of the RR bridge with Lynn and Linda

The breeze was very fluky and variable at first so even though we didn't change our trim, we found ourselves changing direction from northwest to north-northeast then west, then north, finally northwest again.  This sailing took us towards a three foot shoal, so we gybed onto a starboard reach for a steady sail southwards.  Reaching shoal waters again (easy to do in the Indian River!) we tacked around to a port close haul, heading northeast towards the railroad bridge.

This time we tacked onto starboard, remaining close hauled then pinched her tightly so we could slip through the opening in the bridge and explore the headwaters of the Indian River.  This was the first time Irish Rover had ever been north of the RR bridge.  Karen and I had been through here following the ICW aboard Kelly IV, but never on Irish Rover.

Linda and Lynn

Just a few minutes' sail north of the bridge we realized we were an hour from the marina, so we should begin our return.  We tacked and fell off until Irish Rover was sailing a port broad reach and we kept that trim until it was time to drop our sails.

After two weeks without sailing, it was great to get three days on the water.

Port broad reach