Hey Suzeh!
Temendous feeling isn't it? That lump in your throat as you pull out of your slip hoping nobody sees you if you accidentally ram that boat portside due to prop walk. Then, motoring away as you clear every obstacle in the marina to the open water trying not to white knuckle that tiller and trying to remember what to do next. Is it ease the vang and harden the topping lift before hoisting the main? Damn, the sail cover's still on!! Eventually, however, you manage to get your sails up still in irons everything sounds frenetic until you pick your tack and your boat heels as you try and get comfortable all the while admiring how beautiful your sails look as they do their thing. Then,.........the moment of truth is upon you. You shut off your engine and all there is is sweet tranquility and more of it as the minutes then the hours pass. The sun warms your face and the wind gently caresses you while your boat, all the while reassures that she's there to take care of you no matter how much you err during your voyage. You remember nothing else except how heavenly the feeling is and how you wish that it would last forever.
Yeah, I remember my first solo on Tessa and each voyage reveals more and more about myself and my boat and I hope that you get the same experiences on Suselle and I'm sure you will. Congratulations on your maiden voyage.
José
p.s. With regards to a more accurate reading on your speed, I recommend getting a good handheld GPS unit and using that to track your speed over the ground. A really good unit for less than $ 200.00 is the Garmin E-Trex Legend H. It's a chart plotter unit which last approximately 18 hours on two AA batteries but please practise plotting your course on a paper chart as a backup using sound navigational practices such as Dead Reckoning, Running Fixes, etc., etc......Happy Sailing! Two more months to go till haulout.
J.