Heat!

Catskill Creek, N32 13 W73 52
(08/03/04) Boy was it hot today. Our day’s plan was to sail from Shady Harbor down to Catskill. At Catskill we’d spend a day or
two at anchor and see about unstopping the mast.

We were blessed with wind only half the way down. At any rate it gave Nick a chance to see Tarwathie under sail for at least part
of the time.

Halfway down the river we couldn't’t stand the heat any more, so we pulled over into a bight, anchored and swam. That felt
wonderfully good. After swimming all three of us napped a little as we waited for the tide to turn. Nick got the surprise of his
life. He was napping on the little platform way in the stern beside the tiller. A big tugboat came by down the river at full
speed. Since we weren't in the channel, he saw no need to slow down and reduce his wake. I saw the wake coming directly toward the
stern. It was big. I told Nick to look, but he was sleepy. I told him again but he was still sleepy. Finally, the wake overtook
us and washed right over the stern and right over Nick. Boy was he surprised.

At Catskill, we rode up the creek to the end but I didn't see any anchorages to my liking. There are hundreds boats in the creek at
docks and on moorings. It’s an interesting place to explore. A week ago I heard a story that when hurricane Frances came through
here a few years back that there was so much rain that it caused a flood that washed all those boats and their docks out the creek
and into the Hudson river. That must have been quite a sight. I’m glad I wasn’t the insurance adjuster surveying that scene the
following day.

We decided to tie up to a dock that belonged to a restaurant. They allow you to stay there if you eat dinner at the restaurant.
When we got there, we found that the restaurant was closed on Tuesdays, so we wound up using the dock for free.

Libby and I decided to sleep up on deck because it was so hot. Nick was afraid of mosquitoes so he slept below with all the screens
in the windows and doors. Nick made the wrong choice. It was cool and pleasant on deck, and no mosquitoes. It was hot and stuffy
below so Nick didn’t get much sleep.