Insomniatic Eldridge Observations Almost all of you have had occasional bouts with insomnia. Some of you get up and have a glass of milk, others a shot of scotch. Or maybe you count sheep or take a sleeping pill or turn on the TV or radio. If on board, you may climb into the cockpit and view the stars. Most frequently, whether on land or at sea, you pick up the book you've been reading and wait until your eyelids droop as you try to finish a paragraph. I follow this latter course except that my insomnia reading is almost always the Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book.

Several years ago I responded to a Sea Story competition advertised by a reputable maritime book store. I worked hard and submitted my piece by the deadline. I recall a pretty substantial prize was offered for the best submission. Several weeks later I received a letter informing me that the competition had been cancelled for lack of participation. The following year they dangled the same bait, and I prepared another masterpiece. Once again, competition cancelled. In the days ahead my readers will finally have the opportunity to read these manuscripts. I will be starting with "Insomniatic Eldridge Observations" tomorrow.

Today we celebrated Henry's 3rd birthday. We hired Gabby the clown. Both boys were on perfect behavior during the party. They were terrors before everyone arrived and after everyone left. I don't understand it. The party was the eye of the hurricane. The father of one of Henry and Skipper's friends lived on Nantucket for 5 years. Instead of cutting cake or helping to open the new supply of play dough, I bored this poor guy with all my Nantucket sailing disaster stories. Marooned at the dock - 1965. Hurricane Charlie - 1986. The Cape Cod circumnavigation - 1987. More details on these and other Nantucket stories later. He was nice to me and listened. Skipper kept interrupting."Why are you talking to him so much Dad!"

The Hotel is the Ocean House. The Josephine was there July 3rd and 4th of 1990. The log reminds me that our plan while heading down the Sakonnet was to set a course for Nantucket. But a rare easterly changed our mind and we headed for New Harbor, Block Island. After a weather induced lay day, we continued West to Watch Hill. Cocktails at the Ocean House on the 3rd. What I also had forgotten was that our iron topsail failed us on departure. We were lucky enough to get a tow from the Jomar, a Sabre 32. Off Stonington Point, we raised sail and had a rollicking ride home in 25 knot winds. Rounded Watch Hill Light at 10 AM and picked up our mooring under sail in Tiverton at 5:30. About 40 miles in 7 and a half hours. Pretty good for a 30 footer.

An interesting story in the ProJo today about the purchase of the Ocean View? Hotel in Watch Hill for $13 Million. Josephine was in Watch Hill in the late 80's, probably 89. I'll check my logs. Patricia almost went over the side heading for the Race. An interesting meandering passage through the channel past Stonington and Mystic to Watch Hill Harbor. We had drinks at the Hotel which was so run down then that it surprises me that it has survived another 15 years. The boys and Sarah would like Watch Hill with its carousel and shops, although I doubt they'd like the length of the voyage getting there. Even the drive down 95 might be too much for Henry.

After work and not sailing, I stopped off at Whole Foods and purchased an overpriced (even on sale), tasteless herbed lemon chicken stir fry. The boys refused to eat it, so I had to microwave some Purdue nuggets to go with their rice. They are now asleep. So is Sarah. Henry was fussy, Skipper was fine. The reverse of the usual. It must be the Northwest wind and the rising barometer.

A bright sun, but still a brisk chilling wind out of the Northwest. A perfect day for seeking shelter among the cradled hulls nearing the end of their winter hibernation, with sandpaper and scraper in hand, pretending to work on the bottom of the Dry Rot, or Footloose, or Josephine, or Sophie Ruth, or some new vessel of the future. But not today, I'm at work. And not tomorrow or the next day or the next, because it will be work or family for many a year.