The 70-mile course was according to plan. The cruising division's short course -- aka the "Navigator's Course" -- took us on an inside route from Falmouth, past Seguin Island (but inside Mile Ledge), inside Moser Ledge off Muscongus, past Two Bush Light and eventually to Camden.

While this course broke tradition (the Monhegan race has generally started and ended in Falmouth), it had all the ingredients of a typical Monhegan. For weather, there was nice breeze, dying breeze, no breeze at all, a beautiful sunset, lots and lots of stars, the Milky Way, fog that totally obscured the sunrise, then sunshine and wicked hot. Only one tanker came through, but she made things interesting for a couple of the boats. We had tidal currents that were sometimes favorable and sometimes, not so favorable. For wildlife, in addition to the sailors, there were porpoises, whales, seals, and birds that made really freaky sounds in the middle of the night.

We had two moments of pure ecstacy. First, we pulled off a beautiful port start at the pin without fouling anyone. Second, in just a hint of breeze we passed an Ocean 80 (PHRF 27) just outside Owl's Head. That's kind of fun when your own boat rates 165, especially when you pass a boat that kicked your butt in the Rockland-Castine race the prior year. Sweet revenge. The rest of it was doing anything we could to keep the boat moving and avoiding the worst of the currents, which were a big factor in Hussey Sound (beginning of race) and Penobscot Bay (end of race).

There was some luck, too. Our mantra was "Follow Fred," as he (J/44 skipper) was one of the more accomplished sailors in our class. The J/44 and the C&C 110 did a horizon job on us Saturday, then the wind died and we started to catch up, then it got dark and they stretched out their lead again during the overnight. When the fog finally cleared Sunday morning, they were still quite a bit ahead, but we slowly caught up enough to correct on them. To my knowledge, we were the only double-handed boat in the class. I'm spent, just starting to feel human again.