Three hours of heavy downpour last night, coming down on an already saturated forest—so lots of runoff. Tyson’s creek, for example, a raging torrent.

After a frustrating morning trying to trim out places that were not built plumb or square, and, suspecting there might be considerable flowing water to watch, we decided to take a break and walk the the Kagawong River trail to the Falls (which we had not done yet this year). What we saw was stupendous— surging power, twisting and shouldering its way from the roaring cataract to the bar at the mouth of the Bay.

After noon, an email from Wolf let me know that a Windrider 16 had come to town (part of Pat’s new business), and that there was a hope to have three boats out for an afternoon ride. Mike C. would be taking the 16 since he has an interest it buying one. Wolf and Pat would be in their yellow boat, and I’d be in white.

We rigged up and headed out and were perhaps half a mile down the east shore when a front came though, dropping the temperature and blowing up a gale, from the west. I struggled to get the main reefed, finding the reefing line tangled (which, of course, I should have checked before setting out). It was blowing so hard I couldn’t get the boat to tack, so had to ware about, which, even when controlled, creates a monster gybe and sends you down-wind a good long way.

Poor Mike was out for his first time in a trimaran, and a boat that may not have been quite up to the conditions, even with an experienced skipper. We were all being forced down onto a lee shore, but both Pat and I, in the more capable 17s, were able to claw off. Mike finally got blown ashore (but with no harm or damage). He waved off an offer for a tow—which would have been a dicy operation given the windage of the big tri and the limited power of the 2.5 hp. motor.) But then he ended up having to walk the boat back to the marina, wading along the shore, and that may have taken him more than an hour—I couldn't stay to watch because it was long past Pax's suppertime.

Video courtesy of Sue.