Acquainted with the night:

I went sailing yesterday with P-- and some friends of his. I think he was trying to set me up with one of them. Of course, if I weren't moving in a week, I'd be all over S-- so it was unsuccessful. Still, the trip was great. Nice view of the city, though we didn't see anybody practicing for the air and sea show. Oh well. It took a little longer to get back than we expected, though since we had to tack back and couldn't pick up any decent wind to go east. So I didn't get home till 11:30, and I was freezing. Since I was already sick, I now am living off of Sudafed and Halls.

But there's something about being in a tiny boat with no lights almost on the surface of the water (of course, it's something illegal, dangerous, and really dumb. We should have been more careful about going out in the afternoon). You can look out to "sea" and you see a couple of lights on a tanker out there and nothing else. You can look to land and see all the street lights and cars driving by, but they seem distant; they're not a part of your thoughts right then. Your thoughts are the black surface of the water and the ropes creaking as you pick up a bit of wind and the sound of the bow cutting through the waves. It's really completely dark, so you can barely see the people on the boat with you, and you keep your hands on the ropes that control the jib and the mainsail so you won't loose them.

Of course, it's only cool until a speedboat is cutting through the water and can't see you because you have no running lights and can't hear your motor because, you know, you don't have one. So kids, don't try this at home.