Lake Somerville Moonlight sail

By:  Scott Stillman

Jennifer and I joined the Brazos sailing Club.  On August first we attended our first pot luck meeting.  It was at one of the members homes.  It was very cool to be around so many people who get it.  We had a veritable smorgasbord of goodies.  After dinner we watched a 20 minute video/ad from Sunsail, then had visit time.  

We were invited out to Lake Somerville for their monthly full moon sail.   We arrived at the lake around 4pm and mounted up.  Randy Yates invited us aboard his 1978 O'Day 23.  We had never been on something that size and were expecting a little bitty spot of a boat.  I was absolutely amazed at how sturdy and fun his boat was.   Randy has put a lot of elbow grease into his boat and it was very cool.  We are slow and stupid.  Randy was very patient and babied us along.  He gave us a great experience.  

We went out and sailed down wind for about an hour and a half to snake island.  This is the first sail we've done where we put up the spinnaker.  We set the anchor and had a good wallow.  Chest deep in 80 degree water with some nice adult beverages.  Ah!  Life is hell.  

After a few hours of wallowing, we climbed aboard, raised the anchor, and sailed over a secluded cove.  We rafted up with several other members from the sailing club and had a great barbeque dinner.  

After dinner we had a great sail.  The moonlight reflecting off the water created enough light to sail around for a few hours.  

What a great day.  Thanks Randy.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

This is my second attempt at baking bread.  I'm told it is a mandatory cruising skill.  I've got a lot of work to do.  This is banana bread, or a crumbled pile of banana bread crumbs.  It was yummy I just forgot to let it cool.  

Kemah, TX - Day sail

By:  Scott Stillman

This week a couple of members of the Brazos sailing Club Grant and Wendy Wolfe invited Jennifer and I out for a day sail.  The crew was Randy Haynes and his wife, and Randy Yates and his wife, with Wendy and Grant Wolfe, Jennifer & me.   We drove down to Kemah, TX which is about 2 hours from our house arriving at the dock around 1130.   We took about 30 minutes getting the boat ready to go out.  The worst part of sailing is the getting ready too and just got done with.  

Grant and Windy have a very nice Catalina 350.   She looks like it was just unwrapped last week.  Although, I've been told that she's been to the Bahamas and back, she looks brand new.  This boat is immaculate and has some very cool toys.   We had a very relaxing day.  The winds were 5-15 in the bay.  The only waves were from some big v-hulls digging holes through the water.   

One thing to remember when dragging behind a boat: always, always, always make sure your shorts are tied tightly.  

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

By:  Scott Stillman

I turned 35 today.  I have been moping around the house all day, feeling sorry for my self.  I took the day off.  I can do that I'm the boss.  

I started reflecting on life.  

I'm half way to 70.  Life sucks.  I want to be cruising, which I'm no where ready to go.  I've had some major failures in life.  Very dramatic.  Some times I don't get what I want.  What has my life amounted too?  

I have a wonderful wife, Jennifer, and 2 great kids, Coach and Chaney.  I am very successful at work.  I love my career.  We spend less that we make.  We are able to take trips and pretty much do what we want.  We have good friends.  Maybe I can't retire yet but I'm only 35.  That's only half way to 70.  

July Log     September Log

Revised: December 29, 2006

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