LABOR DAY AND THE SWITCH

 Usually I never leave  home port mooning on a holiday weekend here in the US. This year I decided to sail the three nautical miles sell to a nearby Harbor rent a mooring and just stay there for four days. I left a few days early to avoid the crowds.  It was a nice 3 hour sail despite the wind on the nose one tack got me to the next harbors entrance.

I had a mooring reservation through Dockwa for Friday through Tuesday. Since this was late in the afternoon on Thursday I decided to use one of the open moorings in the north west Mooring field  which is usually only used by the owners on the weekends. There are hundreds of empty moorings available during the week. Usually I maybe only one of three or four boats in the area.  This time there were at least 15 on moorings and at anchor nearby.  Seems like many more boaters want to get their last sails in before their unofficial summer ends.

In the morning I moved BIANKA to the mooring I rented for the weekend at the Yacht Club.

I enjoyed my stay on the Yacht Club mooring watching the other boats come and go. Listening to the VHF which had it's share of drama to report. An unfortunate fellow had a heart attack. But, there were medical personal including a Doctor and Nurse on other boats that helped render assistance. A Bayliner started taking on water outside the harbor and the six people on board had to be rescued. A disabled boat with no radio sent up a red flare in the harbor which caused quite a stir with the authorities. Then on Monday most of the boats started to leave by Monday night things
were very quiet.

I left on Tuesday morning and it was like a switch had been turned off. I passed no other boats leaving the harbor and only one or two on my journey back to BIANKA's home port. For many summer has ended but, it is still summer. Though the early sunsets and the chill in the evening are signs that Fall is knocking.

SEASON OF THE SWITCH

It's Labor Day here in the United States and the last day of a three day holiday weekend for many. It also can signify the end of the summer season for them. As of tomorrow vacations are over, the kids go back to school etc... Though according to the calendar here in this hemisphere summer does not end until around September 21st. But, there are many other ways to view the end of summer. Personally, I have a few hints that I use. One is when I no longer see an Osprey flying around the harbor searching for fish to eat. Once I notice that I know the summer season has come to an end. Another is when Nor'easters start making their way up the coast. I know then it's time to pull the boat and call it an end to this years sailing.
I'll be on the boat this Labor Day but, I won't leave the mooring. I'll let those who are cherishing this day as the last of their summer just enjoy the waters. I won't add to the congestion. I'll watch them come and go knowing that starting tomorrow there will be fewer and fewer boats out on the water. Anchorages will be empty and I'll enjoy them as my summer on board BIANKA will continue. Yes, tomorrow the waters will be less crowded as if someone has thrown a switch.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Here in the states it is the three day Labor Day weekend. If you are to believe the mainstream media it is the end of summer.  But, a quick check of my Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book  tells me this is not so. Still millions of people believe it and so make a mad crowded traffic filled dash to enjoy it. That goes for those on the water too! Where many harbors and anchorages are very crowded with boaters trying to squeeze in some boating during the last three day holiday weekend of the summer:

Not me. I sometimes live a complicated life, this summer was no exception. These days I work freelance and work when the phone rings. This summer I worked about five weeks between July and August and then my girlfriend wanted to spend a few days on the beach on the eastern end of the Island of Long where I stared at the seagulls and they stared at me:

I'm not complaining by any means. Even though I did not get to spend much time on board the boat in July and August. Having some money coming into the wallet from the work gig and spending two weeks on the beach is not such a bad thing. But, it's not the same as being on board the boat. So today I finally get back on board with nothing on my schedule for the next several months. But, I'm not going to be joining the crowd on the waters just yet. I'll be hanging out on the mooring until at least Tuesday. I've got a few projects on board that can keep me busy until then.  I'll let the crowd of boaters get their frenzied last licks in while BIANKA stays attached securely to the mooring. I'm happy to wait until the crowds leave.While for many this Labor Day weekend marks the end of the sailing season for me it is just the beginning.