I SAIL!

Just a few things to say:

#1 Buffalo has some awesome weather! Snow is fun in the winter and 75 degrees and rain every other night this July can't be beat! I can't believe the weather is what I feared the most about this place. We aren't even needing AC! The kids are not as thrilled because they think summer should be about swimming.

#2 We sailed! Actually I sailed, and on my first try.

Last Friday we took the family out again on the Niagara. I remarked to Brent sometime during the experience that I couldn't believe that he liked sailing. It's way too much like farming. A ton of work and too many problems. This is pretty much how it went down.

1 hour setting up and taking down mast and rigging.

3 Times Brent said, "We have a big problem."

1-Brent let go of a key part of the rigging and it went to the top of the mast, right after we got out in the water. We anchored in the river and then lowered the whole thing down. Brent tied a rope to Camille and threw her out the back of the boat to retrieve the cable end from the top of the mast now hanging 15 feet out the back. The rushing current quickly carried her back to the piece we needed hanging from the mast. We pulled her back in cheering, "Camille save's the Day!"

2-Brent almost fell out of the boat hoisting it back up again in the wind. What would I have done then since I had no idea YET how to even turn the thing around and get back to him.

3- We found out how fast he would be carried away when my hat flew off my head. Within 2 minuted it was so far away I couldn't see it. We turned around and gave chase but without luck.

I kept wanting to cry out, "Wilson, Wilson" as it bounced farther and farther away on a wave.

4- After re-rigging the mast we decided to have lunch. When it was time to go we couldn't get the anchor up. After 10 minutes of trying we were about ready to cut it loose. Finally after much tugging and motoring around and around we were free!

----Kashann is taking a much needed break from us this morning and enjoying her first pedicure, thanks to the generosity of her friend Erica. Anyway, she left me here to take care of the kids and her duties which include finishing this post she started yesterday.

One thing I see she deglected to include was how sea-sick she was during all of the above events. There really weren't even any waves to speak of but she just laid there under her hat looking miserable. She didn't finally recover until I started dragging the kids behind the boat, not exactly skiing or tubing but they were having a great time. Once the sailing began, Kashann recovered and started helping a bit. Kennon was our next problem.

She did ok with just the mainsail up because we only healed (tilted) a little, but once I put up the jib (the smaller sail in front) The boat really started to tip in the 18 mph wind. Kennon totally freaked out. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, "PUT IT DOWN RIGHT NOW...GET ME OFF THIS BOAT NOW!!!" This went on for about a minute till I finally gave in and took the jib down before the other boats around reported us for child abuse.

The Niagara river probably isn't the greatest place to learn to sail but you can't beat the convenience of a free boat launch three blocks from home. I have yet to see another sailboat on the river so maybe it's easier or just more fun out on the lake. One of these days we'll have to drive the six miles to Lake Erie or cruise up the canal and find out.

If you are a local, know us well enough to have our new phone #, and think sailing the Niagara looks like a kick in the pants, give us a call. A captain can't sail without a first mate and It's not easy dragging the whole family along every time the winds bring some perfect sailing weather our way.

Happy sailing!