Riding Fay was wild!
Sunday, August 24th, 2008Fay kicked Florida’s ass but somehow missed Tampa Bay. Conincidence? Maybe not, if we are as protected here as the Native Americans believed, they who called this area Safe Harbor because hurricanes seemed to venture elsewhere. I am glad, however, that we don’t live in Melbourne where folks were sloshing around in 24” rain within 36 hours.
But a little weather wasn’t going to deter Wayne, Sam, Donna and myself from venturing out onto the Bay in the middle of this tropical storm.
Right out of the channel we were swooping into 6 foot crests! The Bay is choppier than the Gulf, and even a 22 footer might have gotten in real difficulty. But we had 31 feet to steady us and a solid motor to use when necessary. Nobody else was crazy enough to be out on the Bay, testing Fay. No surprise. Monkeyman Sam helped throw up the jib (mainsail was proving uncontrollable). Amazingly he maintained his bare footing no matter how violently we pitched and yawed. Years of practice.
Then we freakin’ hauled ass southward and made record time, barely scraping our mast top on the Gandy bridge. We picked up W’s friend Carol down on Gandy dock. She showed up with a flask of vodka. A quick squall hit, so Sam and Wayne got completely drenched, but onboard smokers kept puffing, keeping those cherries lit somehow.
Rolling and rocking like on a wild bronco, I realized something early on. Whether I was going to have a good time or a bad time on this trip was entirely dependent on my own frame of mind. I could feel queasy and reach for the dramamine, or I could relish the elements and the power of Nature and just go with the intensity. Like Sam and Donna were doing, drinking wine from sippy cups and getting soaked up near the mast. Glad I didn’t bring the guitar. That wouldn’t have been too smart under these conditions! But warm wind and warm water were welcoming, even when crashing straight into my face. I wound up leading some singalongs and giving the ladies neck rubs.
The trip mellowed into another gorgeous tropical sunset. One of the fringe benefits of a sky full of changing storm clouds is that the setting sun catches their underbellies. Photographs don’t do it justice. But a pair of rose colored shades are highly recommended. Very trippy! And I also had a chance to ogle that 70 foot yacht, Golden Lady, as we reentered the harbor. It’s a real space age beauty. I’ve been tracking down the owner so I can perform on it!
MC Radiance http://www.scorpiocraft.com/
