Every day's a dog day these days

Ship's log, 31 July 2010: Bumbo's first trip out of the dock in nearly four months follows weeks on end of high temperatures and slack winds punctuated only by the occasional thunderstorm. It's a common late-summer pattern that's prevailed in this area since around the beginning of May. A hopeful forecast spurred the crew to head for the lake on Saturday, but whatever wind was promised had deserted us by early afternoon.



Out of slip at 1:05 p.m. Bumbo motored around the south-central portion of Lake Lanier in hopes of catching the promised southwesterlies, finding only brief spells of air estimated at less than 5 mph. Ice-cold beer was the only respite from the blazing sun and temperatures in the low 90s. Back into the dock shortly after 3 p.m., when winds naturally began to freshen.



It still beat the last trip either of us made to the boat, most of which was spent killing hornets that had nested in the cabin. Another nest formed under the sail cover between that late-June visit and this week, but its inhabitants were quickly chased off, the nest stomped onto the dock and left there as a warning to the others.

Suggestions for next time: Start later. Bring swim trunks and towels.