April 23rd: ORION finally came out of her boatshed, and I prepared to take her up to Niantic for her spring launching. I tied the mast down, made sure the tires were properly inflated, and away we went.
With help from my father and son, we brought ORION to the Niantic River ramp to avoid the difficulties we faced last year when trying to launch her from my parents’ beach. It went flawlessly.
May 5th: I took ORION for her first official sail of the season in the Niantic River. It was an absolutely gorgeous day with a steady breeze, sunny skies, and high tide.
I happened to meet my sister, Rebecca, at a nearby floating dock, and while we were talking, along came Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) who was headed out through the bridges! It was nice to run into him.
May 26th: Had a fantastic sail in steady winds of 5-10 knots. I went around Millstone Point and anchored for lunch, heading back shortly afterward.
June 8th: Took my friend Alan Schaeffer out for an enjoyable afternoon in Niantic Bay. We started out with a reefed main and jib, then reefed main only, then eventually full sail, then main only.
June 28th: I sailed in company with Alan Schaeffer (#1676), Dan Meaney (#2024), and Chris Albert (#2718) across Long Island Sound for a three day trip to Shelter Island and Greenport. The first night we anchored in Coecles Harbor and enjoyed a fantastic sunset.
On the second day, after circumnavigating Shelter Island and visiting Greenport, we sailed up Orient Bay to Hallock Bay where we anchored for the night. Check out all the pictures of the trip here.
July 28: I sailed in the Niantic River for a couple of hours and took the opportunity to check out a couple of large boats that had recently arrived in the mooring field.
This large cutter was moored nearby an enormous catamaran, both from the Virgin Islands. It turns out a sailor from Niantic purchased both boats with the intention of chartering them.
August 5th: The start of the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous! Here, ORION is rafted up to Alan Schaeffer’s #1676 at the Niantic River launch ramp.
Fifteen Mariners attended the event, sailing westward and up the Connecticut River to Essex. Here are some boats that just passed underneath the I-95 highway bridge.
Over the course of the weekend, we explored the town, sailed up the Connecticut River through the picturesque Selden Creek, and enjoyed being in the company of so many other Mariner sailors.
September 1st: After a few weeks of not being able to get out on the water, I was able to enjoy a couple hours anchored up the Niantic River. The awning was a real blessing on a hot day.
September 8th: Another nice day for a sail. The wind was light, and with the tide going out, I decided to sneak out through the bridges into Niantic Bay.
I saw a familiar sail headed my way, and it was Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM! He and I have crossed paths more times this year than in all the other years combined.
The light winds allowed us to sail close to each other and have a lengthy conversation without having to pay so much attention to sail trim all the time.
September 29th: It was a blustery day with strong north winds kicking up whitecaps on the water. I put a reef in the main before I left the mooring and stayed in the river.
Anchoring up river, I made myself lunch in the cabin. The butane cookstove allowed me to heat up a can of clam chowder and make a mug of coffee, perfect for a chilly fall afternoon.
October 6th: I motored ORION over to the launch ramp to meet my friend Christopher Grundy and take him out sailing. The glassy surface of the water did not bode well for an exciting sail.
However, the wind picked up nicely, and we had a fantastic afternoon blasting around Niantic Bay. Be sure to check out Christopher’s website here - he is an unbelievable baritone soloist.
October 27th: I took ORION for her final sail of the year in the river. I sailed with only a reefed main, and I’m glad I did as it was very breezy and extremely gusty.
I sailed through a few large patches of leaves being carried away with the outgoing tide. Lots of beautiful colors, even in the water!
November 3rd: With help from my father, I dropped the mast and motored ORION over to the launch ramp. The mild day with no wind was perfect for hauling her out.
After bringing her back to my parents’ house, I power-washed the bottom while my father helped winterize the motor. I then brought her home to her shed in Northford for the winter. Another sailing season has come and gone!
