Although there were times when I thought I wasn't going to make it home ever again.

Monday started out beautifully, sailed 40 miles on just the jib sail down to Worton Creek where I anchored up and spent the night. Although it was very hot and humid, I have a Honda 2001i portable generator on the boat, which allows me to run the AC/heat pump and the generator is very quiet, comparatively speaking,

After a quick breakfast the following morning, I motored out of the creek, put up the sails and pointed the bow south, though there was not a lot of wind to work with so it took most of the day just to travel 29 miles to my next destination, a small creek just north of Annapolis, Maryland where a friend of mine works during the summer months. Most of the evening was spent drinking Honey Bourbon, talking about old times and how much fun we had on the trip the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas back in 2012. Since then, he and his wife have divorced, he has a girlfriend that is half his age, but not sure how this is going to work out.

I fired up the engine and motored out of Mill Creek at 6:30 a.m. and listened to the marine weather forecast, which called for winds from the southwest at just 5 to 10 mph. Unfortunately, the marine weather forecast is about as reliable as predicting anything else in life - it's a crap shoot at best. I managed to sail about 30 miles farther south, tacking most of the way, and about noon the wind began to pick up. "Great, I thought, at least I should have some wind to sail on today." Well, those 5 to 10 mph winds increased to 25 to 30 with some higher gusts.

Well, it wouldn't been so bad if I had someone along with me to help manage the sails, but as usual, I was sailing single handed. The wave heights gradually increased to 4 to 5 feet, spray was constantly coming over the bow, and the pressure on the sails and helm was considerable. Then, just as I was coming around to change my tack angle, a rogue wave of about 8 to 10 feet hit me broadside, threw me out of the helm seat, sent the boom flying to the opposite side of the boat, and for a few minutes, I thought I had broken my arm. (Turns out to just a bad sprain of my right elbow. My left elbow, somehow, go a pretty nasty gash in it, though I didn't realize this until I saw blood on the cockpit deck.

I covered my wounds with sterile gauze, turned the boat around and headed for home, which was 142 miles away. It was a lot easier ride with following seas, and while underway, I called my friends to let them know I'm not going to see them. They understood, said maybe I should just drive down, which only takes a couple hours at most,go out to a local seafood restaurant, then I could be back home that night, sleeping in my own bed. Makes perfectly good sense to this old fart.

I was behind the helm on the return trip for nearly 17 hours, arrived at the marina at 3 a.m., hooked up the AC power, fired up the AC, took some pain pills and quickly fell asleep at the dock. I woke up at 8 when my wife called, worrying why I didn't answer the phone - I turned it off so I could sleep,

This morning, I made a conscientious decision that this was the end of my sailing days. I'll be 79 in October, if I make it that far, and I have come to the realization that I no longer can do the things I did back in 2012 when I was in much better physical condition. Too damned many body parts are just plain shot to Hell!

The boat is up for sale again, Carol is happy about that, and to be perfectly honest, I guess I am as well.

I'll post some vids and photos later this evening when I retrieve my phone from the car.

Sorry about the rant, but I thought this short story would be amusing to some of the forum members.

All the best,

Gary

I think you are making a good decision Gary. Glad you made it back o.k.
I sold my 19 foot, 150 hp, bass boat and bought a much smaller one, with stick steering. I'm able to get in and out of it much easier. There are some compromises, but at least I'm still fishing!
Yesterday my friend and I were fishing when a storm popped up. We were about two miles from the dock, but managed to get back just in time to not get blown away.
Maybe you should trade your boat for a powered cruiser and still be able to get out on the water.

Wow Gary . . . So glad you are able to post about it, not so glad that it happened! Please take care of yourself!

Hi Gary,

Welcome back. I admire your guts!!! At least you had one last final trip to add to your many other memories.

Hope your arm & elbow gets better soon.

All the best,

Henni

WOW! Maybe I won't make it to your place to sail...EVER!

Just had lunch with a new friend who is information chairman of a
local chapter of a group called America's Boating Club. He has a 38 footer somewhere near you. Supposedly, the club is over 100 years old and nationwide, with over 60,000 members.

BE CAREFUL. I just decided to get off motorcycles permanently...one of the hardest things I've ever done.

At least I am going to do it before I hurt myself or someone else.

Russ

Glad you made it home safely, Gary. All good things must eventually end... but it can't be an easy decision.

----Dave

Gary wow!!!

Glad your ok,... you were lucky this time around,....
sometimes you just have to remember the good times
and move on to what next in life to make you happy..
Good luck buddy.

Gary, Very close call and happy to hear you made it back in one piece. To quote Kenny Rogers song “ya gotta know when to fold ‘em.”

If I've ever met anyone who could live life to the fullest it is you, Gary!! I really think you could write a book about all your adventures. Remember......whenever any adventure ends means another can begin !!! Best wishes. -charley

Gary, what a hair rising story. Yes, there was danger and possible harm, but you have another adventure to add to your long list.


I DID IT M Y WAY
Proud of you my friend, John c.

Gary, your adventure read like a Hollywood script. In fact, I just watched the movie “Adrift”. A lot of parallels. Glad you made it back safe. You are a man of many talents...carry on Captain!
JM

Thanks guys and gals - my wife will tell anyone that our marriage has never, ever been boring.

A far as new adventures, well, the way my lung condition continues to go downhill, I kinda doubt that there is any new adventures for me.

Thanks again, everyone, for just being here,

Gary

Gary....
Talk about a Swan Song to sailing....that was EPIC!

I know I am not the only one here that has been hassling you about sailing alone....but if it took this trip to convince you...and you made it home a little scarred, but alive, then it was worth the gamble. While I never got to sail with you, I remember fondly sitting in the salon of your boat sipping on the the honey bourbon when you cruised into town. I am also glad that I could help you find a marina that could provide the repairs you needed at the time. While it delayed your trip, it was nice having you here for a couple of days.

Knowing (and seeing) the care and improvements you have made to Saturday''s Child assures me that whoever buys your boat is getting a top-notch vessel. I sincerely hope you come across someone soon who appreciates what a fine boat it is and will want it for their own.

Ed

Don't know how long you've owned the boat Gary, but when I sold my relatively new motorhome (my wife was no longer able to travel), I took about a $70,000 hit. By contrast though, when I sold the plane (Cessna 310F) when we moved to Hawaii, I made about 40k. But we know it's not about the money, it's about the adventure. My son is looking to buy a small turboprop, about %5-600k (used). He's had a pilot's license since he was 17. Now his son (16) is starting to take flying lessons over at Dekalb/Peachtree Airport. That poor young girl (18yo) from Mississippi that crashed and died practicing 'touch and go's' sort of put a damper on that, though. Sadly, most adventures usually come with risks. Glad your's are over, this one anyway. Any possibility of teaching a sailing class in your area (classroom only)? I taught ground school for awhile after I hung it up, mostly to keep abreast of the regulations. It'll keep you connected to the sailing community. Just a thought. Let me know when you sell the boat. I'll come down and help you spend some of that money .

chas

Gary, so sorry your sailing days are over but you had a great life on the water and you will always have great memories of that.

Ditto what Nigel said . . . You can take a lot of things away from me, but not my great memories . . .


And Gary, My husband says the same about me, our life together has been anything BUT boring!!!

Hang in there . . .

congrats Gary. I hate to say it but I think you're making a good decision. I guess we can only fight old age for so long. Time to adapt.

Wow what an Adventure ! Don't thin I could of pulled that off. Sell the boat somewhere down there and take a bus home LOL !

Eddie, I remember that 2012 voyage just as if it were yesterday, we've had some great times together over the years, and though I was hoping to make that trip at least one more time, unfortunately, the mind made some appointments the body can no longer keep.

Chas, I had often thought of purchasing a plane as well, the largest thing I ever flew was a Piper Aztec, which was way beyond my budgetary constraints.

As for spending the proceeds from the boat sale, I would be more than happy to entertain you if you ever get out of the sunny south. Remember what the drunks were always saying in the bars "I'm buying!" Well, if you make it up here, I definitely am buying at any restaurant you select. Same goes for Captain Russ.

Thanks again, everyone for your concerns and well wishes. Gonna get a late lunch snack, swallow a morphine with a glass of lemonade, and hope that some of the injury pains subside.

All the best,

Gary

I have 850 hours on all sorts of 3 axis microlights. You bet your life that as soon as we are blessed once again that I will get yet another one - very few things beats flying!

Gary, we all want to chase our dreams, but I have to admit that when you said you were going sailing alone, I thought " this guy can't sing a song without oxygen and a shot of Jim Beam, what the hell is he doing going sailing by himself, he's NUTS!!!" ...
Glad you are safe, now STAY THE HELL HOME with your wife ...

Gary, Sorry to hear about your injury, but it sounds like it could’ve been a lot worse. We’re glad you made it out alive! I know it must be so hard giving up sailing but it’s sounds like you made a very wise choice. Your situation reminds of the words to an old song:

You got to know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away,
And know when to run.

Tony and Paul, thanks guys for your concerns, and Paul, I used to sing that Kenny Rogers song regularly. The boat has been up for sale for more than a year now, but the half-dozen couples that were interested didn't have any money. If anyone here is interested, $15,000 cash will make you a sailing yacht owner. The boat is listed with brokers for $25,000 and you can find them listed from $25,000 to $39,000 on several sailing sites.

Take a look at https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/62940

Thanks again, everyone,

Gary

I didn't have a lot of time to shoot videos or stills during the trip, mainly because of sailing single handed. Thought I would share this with you.\



Gary

Great final voyage Gary...
hope it sells very soon.


Next time take Carol on a real cruise..

Wow what a great adventurous life you are living. Good decision to retire the sailing, but continue living the good life the best you can.