First Real Snow


This afternoon the snow started as predicted. Several inches an hour, no wind yet. Not particularly cold. Tomorrow morning will tell the whole story.

Yesterday I spent some time with a group who are trying to leave Newport for Florida. Naturally the suggestion was that they hold off this weekend and start watching the weather forecasts for a window of 48-72 hours; about as much as you might hope for at this time of the year. If they can get to Norfolk, the rest of the trip is easy. It it this first few hundred miles that is trying.

"Norrie The Story"

I wrote yesterday about Norry Hoyt and my fond memories of him. I should add that he sailed across the Atlantic at least 28 times, never mind all the other sailing he did. His stories captured my imagination.

Later in Life I came to understand that the truth should not stand in the way of a good story. My copy of “Addicted to Sail” has numerous annotations in the margins, since for many of the stories I was either present or knew the parties involved. Sometimes multiple stories were blended together. Mind you I am not in the least trying to be disparaging about Norrie. I have reached an age or sufficient time has passed that I am entirely capable of unintentionally doing the same thing. Sometimes the words just plain flow better.

Norris D. Hoyt

Norrie Hoyt, teacher, shipmate, mentor. A wonderful intelligent, engaging, kind man with a tireless curious mind. My English teacher at St. George’s School, with whom I sailed my first Bermuda Race. He was probably responsible for my enduring interest in photography. He forced me into an orderly mind.

Norrie wrote a book titled “Addicted to Sail” a charming little book in which his enthusiasm pours out on the reader.
At school his apartment was always full of students, Norrie and his wife never seemed to mind. They made students feel welcome and cared for. To this day I do not know how they managed. English class was always stories of sailing which kept us captivated.
When Sail Magazine was started almost every cover the first ten years were photographs taken by Norrie.
Norrie held a Phd in English Literature and his swimming records stood for years at Yale.