Halloween weekend. The Clocks turn back. The god's smiled on us. We had a glorious two days of sunshine. On saturday about 6 sandpipers and two sailing yachts sailed down Kenmare Bay. I tried out the spinnaker solo. Handling all the lines was a challenge even with an autopilot. At one time a gust of wind hit and over she went emphasizing the point that a spinaker's power is not to be taken lightly. It was great swapping storries with everyone in their tiny little dinghies who had experienced the same exilerating gust of wind. The small little sails on the harbour looked great, flecks of red and white. I was well behind them because on leaving my mouring in Templenoe I snagged the mouring's floatation line with all my sail up. This of course had nothing to do with the fact that I had I red headed woman on board the day before. More to the point that what can go wrong will go wrong. I had sailed off a mouring sevel times before. Each time making sure I was well clear of the lines. This time I said to myself oh I will be fine. Well I wasn't and my bad luck had nothing to do with the fact that I had had a woman on board. But I digress. I sailed down Kenmare Bay chasing 7 little sandpiper dinghies with Finbarr also in his Nicholson 26. Finally at Killmakalogue we were joined by two more dinghies bringing the number of boats to 11. A party followed on shore. Returning to the boat Mossy and I found the good ship Compromise on her beam. Cockeyed, aground on a rock under her mouring. Not to be detered we clambered aboard and went to bed with the boat at a 45 degree angle.
Sunday dawned dead calm and pure blue sky. I moved the boat off the mouring with a rock under it and went back to bed. After a full English breakfast we joined everyone for a bit of sun on Finbarr's boat. Racing was cancelled due to lack of wind but I took advantage of the sun to go for one last swim of the season. Definately a moment to be remembered floating arround in the dinghey, stretched out with a bear in my hand. It was a great send off to summer.