A Thoroughly Red-Letter Day! We ordered our sails at the end of August, hoping that we would be able to sail across San Francisco Bay when we arrived there November 4th, but it was not to be. It took five full months to get our “canvas” on the boat so we could sail! The sailmaker delivered completed sails on January 27th and we went sailing the very next day. Our friends from the Pacific Northwest were able to join us as we and they had hoped. The storm broke up enough to give us a good romp, though we were dodging black rain clouds as they swept across the South Bay. We tried every sail except the genoa, and each reef point on the mainsail. Not pushing anything, just getting to know the ropes, we did reach eight knots with little effort and were leaving quite a wake. What fun!

The lapper and staysail are working well as a team. Even though we are in the South Bay, the low clouds are obscuring the land and it feels like we’re heading out to sea.

Nina at the helm... looking like she’s enjoying Rikki-tikki moving along with the wind!

WHERE IS Rikki-tikki-tavi NOW?

This site, copy and photographs copyright Nina Courtney.