Emily and Sailing

This evening Emily let me know that she wanted to go sailing with a big smile. Eric went along in case there was a need for a rescue. He let us know that if we capsizes that he would get a row boat ans put it in the water and then leisurely row out to us to help get water out of the sail boat so that we could continue sailing. I thought that it would be nice if he got to us before dark.

As we put the boats in the water, Emily was a little hesitant. I boarded the sabot sailboat and she became even more hesitant as the boat racked a little back and for as I waited for her. All she could think about was going in the lake. It must have been the leaving the cell phones, wallet and other things in the truck that gave her the idea that one could really end up in the water.

Emily got in and we shoved off. I let her adjust the sail and I handled the rudder. We sailed out to the other side of the lake and back. She had a big smile as we moved across the water.

Emily learning to sail on Lake Evans at Fairmont Park

Once back at the dock it was time for her to board her own vessel. We had to go through the “Oh my gosh” part of getting out of one boat and into another as they moved on the water. Probably the place where one is most apt to find their way into the water.

Eric pushed Emily out and immediately the wind caught her sail. She was off and moving to the other side of the lake. As I pushed off, there was not a lot of wind. Emily yelled, “How do I stop this thing.” I told her to just go and I would catch up to her. We sailed across the lake and back a few times.

Emily sailing across Lake Evans at Fairmont Park

We sailed all over the lake. I asked her if she was ready to go back to the dock. Her response was, “When the sun goes down.” We kept sailing. We went around the islands and then back up wind by tacking back and forth. Back on the lake I asked Emily again if she was ready to go. Her response again was, “When the sun goes down.”

Emily sailing on Lake Evans at Fairmont Park

Before the sun went down I let her know that I was headed back in. I got out and she was still sailing around. She finally came back to the dock. She wanted to go sailing Saturday morning. I expanded that it had to be later in the day. I received the obligatory why. We talked about how the inland area needs to warm up so that the hot air rises which is replaced by cooler air coming from the coastal areas. It takes until the afternoon for the process to work. Of course, then again, when the sun goes down there is not heating of the inland areas to make the air rise and the cooler coastal air replace it. A good reason to get off the lake before the sun sets and one needs to scull back to the dock.