This past Thursday, I took ORION out for her last sail of 2021. It was a cool afternoon with blustery winds, and I sailed off her mooring and headed north up the Niantic River. Although I had to beat into the northerly wind, the incoming tide helped push me toward the mooring field and then farther up the river. The foliage was absolutely beautiful, and I ended up sailing as far north as I could toward the area called Golden Spur. I turned around and sailed wing-and-wing all the way home. It was a perfect way to end the season; I’ll be hauling her out of the water later on this week.
Starting out with a reefed mainsail, passing by a nearby Catalina.
I unrolled the jib but was grateful for the reefed mainsail as I passed the few remaining boats in the mooring field.
This little sailboat’s mainsail cover came off during the recent nor’easter we had.
The trees in the Oswegatchie Hills preserve on the Niantic side of the river were stunning.
The tide was so high, there was hardly any beach left at Turkey Point where Harrison and I went swimming back in August!
The fixed bridge at Golden Spur marks the farthest possible point I could sail in ORION.
Turned around and headed south back down the river.
Back on the mooring. She’ll be hauled out later in the week.