I went out on the boat by myself for the third time today — the winds were so rough I could only sail using the jib, and turned around to the dock — to get another guy!

We went back out and with both the main and the jib, we were heeling over 20-25 degrees — and the tacks were brutal! Everything in the cabin got tossed, we had bumps and bruises, a cut appeared on my knuckles from I don’t know where — and then the bad stuff happened.

The halyard for the main got stuck on the winch, and since the wind was too strong to allow us to get into the dock to fix it, I had to get up on deck and cut if off to get the main sail down. It turns out I didn’t pick the right guy off the dock, he was panicked and only added to the problems by not paying attention — the wind pulled the boom so hard it broke a cleat and when I asked for my gloves he tossed one overboard.

But we got back in okay, I can repair the halyard tomorrow.

And while it was happening, I was scared, pumped and not knowing what to do …

… And I haven’t felt this alive in a long time!