Friday, September 7, 2007

Off the Big Lakes

September 7, Buffalo, New York
We leave Put-in-Bay Thursday morning with the intention of making Fairport our next port of call ten hours later. A 20-knot blow gives us the chance to enjoy an exhilarating sail for three hours until the wind diminishes.

But Friday afternoon the winds are forecast to pipe up to 25 knots and the seas to five feet, with small craft advisories. So we put Plan B into place and continue through the night toward Buffalo to beat the weather.

During my second watch, a little smile of a crescent moon rises ahead and beams a golden path right to our boat. To me, it’s a reminder of God’s extravagant love that always surrounds us and His lavish faithfulness that always reaches out to us whether our sea is full of waves or mirror calm.

As we approach Buffalo, the water is churned into whitecaps. If we were heading the opposite direction, we would pound into the waves, but on this heading, with our jib unfurled, we comfortably surf following swells at speeds of up to 9.2 knots (compared to our normal cruising speed of 7 knots). All in all, the conditions are perfect for the sailing regatta taking place outside Buffalo harbor.

We arrive at our destination after thirty hours, happy to be off the big lakes for now.

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