Ok, it is August and while we had a very pleasant cool spell a few weeks back, it has been August like with hot days and high humidity.  So I haven't been sailing in a while.

But, now we have a problem... Ernesto.  It has been churning away south of Florida.  The predictions have wavered from full and powerful hurricane to a tropical storm.  Of course weather "science" (I have always thought that they have nerve calling it science... and how would you feel if your family doctor were no more accurate then your local weatherman?) being what it is, the course of Ernesto has changed too.  It originally was aimed for New Orleans, but that changed and put Tampa Florida in its target, then it brushed against Haiti and their mountains sucked all the power out of the storm and then if that weren’t enough it slammed into Cuba.  After exiting Cuba shores it took aim on South Florida.  Now the "forecast" says up the Florida coast for a few days then a short jump in the Atlantic, then it will make landfall in South Carolina (I bet they still remember Hugo).  It is slated to meander up through SC and into North Carolina and continue on into Virginia and then Maryland, home.  It is slated to be just a mere tropical depression, but there is a history of named storms that peter out in NC and VA only to reform with vigor on my Chesapeake Bay.  We just have to recall the names of Hazel and Agnes and Isabel to recall just 3. So, I will be keeping a close watch on this nothing storm as it makes its way North and into my home cruising waters.  I hope it stays well to the West.  If you are in harm's way with Ernesto my thoughts are with you!