It was a weird feeling to be hove to in the canal, going 4 knots. But that seemed like a good place and time to raise my fully(previously) reefed mainsail. With the canal boiling out the north inlet ahead smack into the northwest winds, it looked pretty lumpy out there.

The seas were short and steep but the boat and I motorsailed for a mile or so, slowly, until they started to flatten a bit.

It was good to get some headsail rolled out, kill the motor and get sailing. It takes me a while to find a good tempo in waves and wind like that. My old boat has a fine bow and at times I wonder if instead of rising through some waves, it's going to go right through them.