The winds swept in last night, but we didn't have any more than a couple of drops of rain. The wind was strong all night and we did a second rate job of tying down the halyards, so there was intermittent banging on the mast. We managed to sleep through it anyway. It was a very cool night for this time of year.
We had
a nice dinner in town with Kirsten (or is that a niece dinner?). Today we need
to decide whether we venture out with the winds forecast to be over 25 knots,
stay in, or if we go, where it will be. Decisions, decisions, decisions. The
sky is fairly clear, and the haze is gone. We really need a little moderation
in the weather!
The sky is clear and despite the dire predictions of wind on the radio, we
set out. The day is sparkling clear. 
As
we leave the harbor, the water looks flat calm, and the wind is only blowing
at about 8 knots from the East, not 20 from the northeast as advertised. We
do, however, see a ketch off in the distance rolling rather severely.
As we get beyond the shelter of the point, we find that the Sound is, indeed, a bit bumpy. Fairly long swells, often a couple of feet, are coming from the southeast. They are on our stern quarter as we turn on our course up the Sound, and they are of relatively little bother. Marion feels a little queasy, but turns to killing flies, who are back with us, failing to have understood the fate that awaits them.
We decide to go to Norwalk, tie up at a marina close to town, and try to eat at one of the restaurants we missed in our last visit. This, however, turns out not to be in the cards. All the marinas are booked because of the local Oyster Festival. This sounds like fun, but we decide not even to call Norwalk Cove Marina (a cab ride away), going back to an earlier plan to anchor in Oyster Bay.
We expect that Oyster Bay will be all but deserted, now that the summer is over.
Marion is bundled up in jeans and fleece jacket, with her hat pulled down to guard against both sun and breeze. I find the sun more warming, but it's not the same weather we had just yesterday.
We arrive in Oyster Bay, sun still shining brightly, and the lawns of the surrounding bay lush from all of the earlier rains. Our favorite anchorage here is occupied by only three or four other boats. One, of course, looks to be a 100 foot plus motor yacht, but still, the place is nearly empty.
Now for
a few hours of quiet relaxation, reading and dinner. The oyster festival
would have been nice, but Oyster Bay is pretty good too.
We get to see one of our first sunsets of the summer, and probably the first wide angle stars in the night. This has certainly been a strange season, weather wise.