Monday, October 20, 2008
Annapolis Sailing Capital
Good place to need engine parts as there are about a 20 marine stores around that you can dinghy to or walk to. Dick had gone to three by the time I had got my second quilt block out to assemble this morning. Luckily I had sent him out with his walkie talkie and I was able to get blow by blow accounts of his hunting. We headed up to the State Circle to see some shops in the afternoon. The parts are back on board and at the time typing this the engine is purring away. Does the new alternator work stay tuned. We ran into some sailors we had meet in Ashtabula several years ago and they are heading out tomorrow. They kindly offered us their van which was the least they said they could do as they had offered it to all the other gang from Port.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
We made it to Annapolis post Boat Show
Sunday October 19, 2008
Last night has got to have been the coldest night we had since moving aboard. When we got up and were eating breakfast Captain said we are moving south today. We set the dinghy and disengaged the mooring ball. After saying Bon Voyage to Myrna and Albert we headed out the Sassafras River and headed out to the Bay. It was sunny and the wind was strong coming out of the North. The weatherman even said the high pressure was a front from Canada. All the Maryland growers had been subjected to their first frost of the season. We had a following sea and were able to sail with the Genoa almost all the way. The wind was dead and I mean dead downwind which meant we kept gibing and gibing and gibing. Some of the attractions we passed by were a thousand crab pots, Aberdeen Proving Ground, a huge bridge and a Naval Anchorages that had a sailing regatta going on while we motored by with the wind dead down wind. The anchorages we headed for is called Back Creek Basin, There are thousands of Docks in the Anchorages and the boats that want to Anchor just drop a hook in the middle of the Basin. Never really experienced anything like this. When we got here and warmed up yesterdays chili the Refrigerator was not staying cool and Dick looked at the Motor and the arm of the Alternator had broken so we need to get parts here and get the new one installed. Lots to do and lots to see tomorrow.
Last night has got to have been the coldest night we had since moving aboard. When we got up and were eating breakfast Captain said we are moving south today. We set the dinghy and disengaged the mooring ball. After saying Bon Voyage to Myrna and Albert we headed out the Sassafras River and headed out to the Bay. It was sunny and the wind was strong coming out of the North. The weatherman even said the high pressure was a front from Canada. All the Maryland growers had been subjected to their first frost of the season. We had a following sea and were able to sail with the Genoa almost all the way. The wind was dead and I mean dead downwind which meant we kept gibing and gibing and gibing. Some of the attractions we passed by were a thousand crab pots, Aberdeen Proving Ground, a huge bridge and a Naval Anchorages that had a sailing regatta going on while we motored by with the wind dead down wind. The anchorages we headed for is called Back Creek Basin, There are thousands of Docks in the Anchorages and the boats that want to Anchor just drop a hook in the middle of the Basin. Never really experienced anything like this. When we got here and warmed up yesterdays chili the Refrigerator was not staying cool and Dick looked at the Motor and the arm of the Alternator had broken so we need to get parts here and get the new one installed. Lots to do and lots to see tomorrow.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Living Aboard Grace C
Life Aboard Grace C on a Mooring Ball at a Marina in the Chesapeake
The days are flying by with a myriad of activities; showering, laundry and biking two miles for groceries then with our basic needs of life meet we hike out to tour the area. The sun of late has been streaming threw our forward hatch at 8:00 am and that gets us up and put sing around the cabin for a few hours. Dick is usually reviewing the charts but that was an issue of late as we had run out of the paper charts and had to get to a marine store that had the ones we need. That actually happened yesterday so we can move forward now. Checking out the yard and stores here we ran into a nice couple from Brockville, ON who have been in Trinidad for two years doing engineering on Building Restorations. They hauled their boat here and have left it for two years. They are back now and are planning to get it ready and head down south like us. Yesterday when we were chart hunting we ran into the Bridge Operator and he was from Georgetown Maryland and was just getting off shift. He is 81 and works five days a week but he said not to worry he says they have Satellite TV and Internet Apparently Hurricane Isabelle had ravaged this area with flooding and that is why there is so much construction around here.
Last night we took our dinghy to a Pizzeria with the gang form Nova Scotia and had everyone back to Grace C after. The nights cool down and this morning we had frost on the hatch so it is time to head south again. Our companions from the club are in Annapolis still but Dick does not want to head there until Sunday as the Power Boat show is still on. There will be more room when we get there. Diane on Vertigo tells us she meet a Potter there who works for a Program like Hutton House and apparently they want to talk to Dick about his glazes. Small world.
To all our Google map fans sorry there has been no pin pushing of late. :)
The days are flying by with a myriad of activities; showering, laundry and biking two miles for groceries then with our basic needs of life meet we hike out to tour the area. The sun of late has been streaming threw our forward hatch at 8:00 am and that gets us up and put sing around the cabin for a few hours. Dick is usually reviewing the charts but that was an issue of late as we had run out of the paper charts and had to get to a marine store that had the ones we need. That actually happened yesterday so we can move forward now. Checking out the yard and stores here we ran into a nice couple from Brockville, ON who have been in Trinidad for two years doing engineering on Building Restorations. They hauled their boat here and have left it for two years. They are back now and are planning to get it ready and head down south like us. Yesterday when we were chart hunting we ran into the Bridge Operator and he was from Georgetown Maryland and was just getting off shift. He is 81 and works five days a week but he said not to worry he says they have Satellite TV and Internet Apparently Hurricane Isabelle had ravaged this area with flooding and that is why there is so much construction around here.
Last night we took our dinghy to a Pizzeria with the gang form Nova Scotia and had everyone back to Grace C after. The nights cool down and this morning we had frost on the hatch so it is time to head south again. Our companions from the club are in Annapolis still but Dick does not want to head there until Sunday as the Power Boat show is still on. There will be more room when we get there. Diane on Vertigo tells us she meet a Potter there who works for a Program like Hutton House and apparently they want to talk to Dick about his glazes. Small world.
To all our Google map fans sorry there has been no pin pushing of late. :)
Living Aboard Grace C
Life Aboard Grace C on a Mooring Ball at a Marina in the Chesapeake
The days are flying by with a myriad of activities; showering, laundry and biking two miles for groceries then with our basic needs of life meet we hike out to tour the area. The sun of late has been streaming threw our forward hatch at 8:00 am and that gets us up and put sing around the cabin for a few hours. Dick is usually reviewing the charts but that was an issue of late as we had run out of the paper charts and had to get to a marine store that had the ones we need. That actually happened yesterday so we can move forward now. Checking out the yard and stores here we ran into a nice couple from Brockville, ON who have been in Trinidad for two years doing engineering on Building Restorations. They hauled their boat here and have left it for two years. They are back now and are planning to get it ready and head down south like us. Yesterday when we were chart hunting we ran into the Bridge Operator and he was from Georgetown Maryland and was just getting off shift. He is 81 and works five days a week but he said not to worry he says they have Satellite TV and Internet Apparently Hurricane Isabelle had ravaged this area with flooding and that is why there is so much construction around here.
Last night we took our dinghy to a Pizzeria with the gang form Nova Scotia and had everyone back to Grace C after. The nights cool down and this morning we had frost on the hatch so it is time to head south again. Our companions from the club are in Annapolis still but Dick does not want to head there until Sunday as the Power Boat show is still on. There will be more room when we get there. Diane on Vertigo tells us she meet a Potter there who works for a Program like Hutton House and apparently they want to talk to Dick about his glazes. Small world.
To all our Google map fans sorry there has been no pin pushing of late. :)
The days are flying by with a myriad of activities; showering, laundry and biking two miles for groceries then with our basic needs of life meet we hike out to tour the area. The sun of late has been streaming threw our forward hatch at 8:00 am and that gets us up and put sing around the cabin for a few hours. Dick is usually reviewing the charts but that was an issue of late as we had run out of the paper charts and had to get to a marine store that had the ones we need. That actually happened yesterday so we can move forward now. Checking out the yard and stores here we ran into a nice couple from Brockville, ON who have been in Trinidad for two years doing engineering on Building Restorations. They hauled their boat here and have left it for two years. They are back now and are planning to get it ready and head down south like us. Yesterday when we were chart hunting we ran into the Bridge Operator and he was from Georgetown Maryland and was just getting off shift. He is 81 and works five days a week but he said not to worry he says they have Satellite TV and Internet Apparently Hurricane Isabelle had ravaged this area with flooding and that is why there is so much construction around here.
Last night we took our dinghy to a Pizzeria with the gang form Nova Scotia and had everyone back to Grace C after. The nights cool down and this morning we had frost on the hatch so it is time to head south again. Our companions from the club are in Annapolis still but Dick does not want to head there until Sunday as the Power Boat show is still on. There will be more room when we get there. Diane on Vertigo tells us she meet a Potter there who works for a Program like Hutton House and apparently they want to talk to Dick about his glazes. Small world.
To all our Google map fans sorry there has been no pin pushing of late. :)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Sailing Heaven
Today was go grand. The Chesapeke is gorgeous, the fall colours are out for the first time but we had an unseasonably warm day of 80 degrees so there was no wind but the motor trip threw the bay was breathtaking. What peace and pastoral tranquility. I am so thankful we made it here. Not to mention we have two other companions who joined us on a leg to the Sassafrass River.
There are mooring balls at the Georgetown Basin Marina which are 80 cents a foot and include all the necessary amenities such as shower and laundry and my favourite wifi. We meet some Canadians from Quebec and had a chat with them about their boat they had built out of steel.
Dick decided we could motor to the fuel dock with the oars and leave the motor on the boat. That worked well until I was left alone and had to row myself back to the dock. You could hear Albert's laugh all over the anchorage. Stay tuned guys all the pain is worth this experience.
There are mooring balls at the Georgetown Basin Marina which are 80 cents a foot and include all the necessary amenities such as shower and laundry and my favourite wifi. We meet some Canadians from Quebec and had a chat with them about their boat they had built out of steel.
Dick decided we could motor to the fuel dock with the oars and leave the motor on the boat. That worked well until I was left alone and had to row myself back to the dock. You could hear Albert's laugh all over the anchorage. Stay tuned guys all the pain is worth this experience.
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Monday October 13, 2008
Parting is such sweet sorrow,
No words were ever truer. Seeing the kids again and sharing time with Elyssa had been a wonderful interlude. They had a long journey ahead of them so ate breakfast with us and headed out. Dick and I had to be out of the Marina by 11:00 a.m. And since low tide was around then it seemed a great opportunity to pass under the 55 foot bridges into the Cape May Canal to the Delaware Bay.
When we got to the bridge the tide had brought us down to 58 feet clearance so that was a go. When we had been at Cape May we had meet two families from Nova Scotia and Albert and Merna had decided
to join us for the journey up the Delaware Bay. We had a great wind and sunny weather and motor sailed up the Bay. The current was assisting us part way and when it came time to decide where to anchor we decided to keep going all the way up threw the C D canal that joined the Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake. The canal was light and all the bridges were beautiful. We passed by the opening to the Canal originally but Captain realized in time and we headed in. The cruising books did not give much information for anchorages in Delaware Bay due to currents but when we got to Chesapeake City
we found a beautiful basin. Even though it was crowded we laid our claim to a spot and kept a vigilance all night to see that we did not hit anyone. We were exhausted and even if we got a little sleep it would be better than none.
Tuesday October 14, 2008
Woke up and made breakfast and took a tally of where we were. Few minor engine maintenance things like draining the 25 hour old fluid from the brand new transmission. We had made a long passage the day before and our water heater was overheating and releasing water into the bilged. Dick had brought a new Alternator with him and decided it was time to install. The folks we had left Cape May with had opted to stay in the Cohansey River for the night and arrive in the morning. Albert gave Dick a lift in his dinghy to go and look for parts to install the Alternator, and pick up Swifter Sweet cigars for Albert.
Chesapeake City is an artsy village with no necessities of life so Dick had to walk about two miles for the bread and cigars and the motor part were not available. First Mate decided to stay on board and have an afternoon nap. When Albert and Dick came back in the dinghy we joined them on board Tip Toe and during the time I had been sleeping another couple Peter and Heather (good friends and companions of Albert) can come in and were rafted off. Our first cockpit party in the Chesapeake lasted until around 9:00 pm. We had toured the boats and learned lots if stories. When we returned to Grace C Dick had to put the old Alternator back in so we can have lights for the night.
Parting is such sweet sorrow,
No words were ever truer. Seeing the kids again and sharing time with Elyssa had been a wonderful interlude. They had a long journey ahead of them so ate breakfast with us and headed out. Dick and I had to be out of the Marina by 11:00 a.m. And since low tide was around then it seemed a great opportunity to pass under the 55 foot bridges into the Cape May Canal to the Delaware Bay.
When we got to the bridge the tide had brought us down to 58 feet clearance so that was a go. When we had been at Cape May we had meet two families from Nova Scotia and Albert and Merna had decided
to join us for the journey up the Delaware Bay. We had a great wind and sunny weather and motor sailed up the Bay. The current was assisting us part way and when it came time to decide where to anchor we decided to keep going all the way up threw the C D canal that joined the Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake. The canal was light and all the bridges were beautiful. We passed by the opening to the Canal originally but Captain realized in time and we headed in. The cruising books did not give much information for anchorages in Delaware Bay due to currents but when we got to Chesapeake City
we found a beautiful basin. Even though it was crowded we laid our claim to a spot and kept a vigilance all night to see that we did not hit anyone. We were exhausted and even if we got a little sleep it would be better than none.
Tuesday October 14, 2008
Woke up and made breakfast and took a tally of where we were. Few minor engine maintenance things like draining the 25 hour old fluid from the brand new transmission. We had made a long passage the day before and our water heater was overheating and releasing water into the bilged. Dick had brought a new Alternator with him and decided it was time to install. The folks we had left Cape May with had opted to stay in the Cohansey River for the night and arrive in the morning. Albert gave Dick a lift in his dinghy to go and look for parts to install the Alternator, and pick up Swifter Sweet cigars for Albert.
Chesapeake City is an artsy village with no necessities of life so Dick had to walk about two miles for the bread and cigars and the motor part were not available. First Mate decided to stay on board and have an afternoon nap. When Albert and Dick came back in the dinghy we joined them on board Tip Toe and during the time I had been sleeping another couple Peter and Heather (good friends and companions of Albert) can come in and were rafted off. Our first cockpit party in the Chesapeake lasted until around 9:00 pm. We had toured the boats and learned lots if stories. When we returned to Grace C Dick had to put the old Alternator back in so we can have lights for the night.
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