Penobscot Bay. It was so in the heat wave that blew through last weekend. How hot? 90F in the shade on the water in Maine. I love the heat, but this made me consider how dieing in the dessert happens regularly. Without water, shade, exposed to the power of sun this past weekend, you wouldn't last long.

Before 6 am, the rising sun had a searing edge to it. Heat.

The heat brought good things too. We took advantage of water temps in the 72 to 74F degrees in the middle islands of Penobscot Bay to swim several times. The water was the ultimate refresher in the sun, decadent. We felt like kids in the water.

That hot air was conveyed to us on a westerly wind that felt nearly on fire. The west wind, fickle in strength, took patience to sail. But you had to sail it. Putting the hot breeze forward of the beam and letting it pick up your sails made the difference between oven, and cool breeze in the cockpit.

At times it came off the shore like a freight train suddenly bending the boat 45 degrees, pinning it to the flat water like it was on rails. Then the rush of cooling air in your face, 5, 6, 7 knots. Don't stop wind, don't stop.