The wind and the water kept getting rougher. The boat heeled over sharply once, and Vivian thought she was going to be thrown from the boat. We decided it was time to head back to the marina.

It took three of us to pull up the anchor, with the boat dipping and rising violently and cold, briney water splashing into our faces. At one point Vivian and Cheryl were securing the main sail and Vivian's grip slipped and she was only saved from going overboard by Cheryl grabbing her and the boom and holding on tight. (Three minutes later I looked towards them again, and they were still hugging each other with the boom in the middle.)

Luckily we had the anchor up and the sail secured just before the rain hit us.

We weren't the only fools out in the rough weather.

Our brave captain freezing his butt off as he steered us safely back to port. Vivian and Amber huddle under a towel.

Captain Mike ordered us all below so he wouldn't have to worry about anyone falling overboard as he motored us home through the storm. That lasted a short time. It is rougher below decks, and Vivian soon had to go topside with a bowl to be sick into. When Rusty yelled for the bowl to be passed to him the rest of us committed mutiny and scrambled back up into the fresh air. We all huddled together for warmth as the rain soaked us to the skin. The trip back seemed much, much longer than the trip out.

The marina in the rain.

When we got to the marina we still had to dock the boat (without smashing into the boat next to us) and secure it and clean up all our messes. We were all wet, cold and hungry, and out of a crew of five, two (Vivian and Amber) let it be known that they were finished as sailors.

Not me! We had an exciting adventure and a captain who brought us in safely. I let him know I would crew for him any time!

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Sailing - the second trip