The pleasures of sailing

[pjust]

I was sailing in light airs yesterday, just past the Whitehead Light (43º58.7'N 69º07.4'W) when I was overtaken by the lovely Laura B, the smaller of the two ferries that service Monhegan Island from Port Clyde, ME (http://monheganboat.com/our-boats/). I wasn't sure what she was doing so far from her usual route, but her captain very considerately slowed so as not to give me much of a wake. I gave her a wave, and she gave me two short toots on her horn. I reached for my signal horn and replied with two toots (and I think I shall evermore be slightly deaf in my left ear as a result). Laura B then gave me a whoot-whoot with her siren. I held up my hands and shouted "that's all I got!" and we all laughed as the Laura B motored on toward Port Clyde and I settled back to lower my stinkpot outboard and crank it up for the return to Spruce Head, the effing wind having just died completely.