This post is pretty long... reliable internet is hard to find...
hope you enjoy our latest adventures
Sept 11 Annapolis MD
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| Latin dancing, Annapolis MD |
After posting the blog last night, we walked the length of Ego Alley. The main inlet / dock to downtown Annapolis. It is literally in the middle of town, the place to see and be seen. One end is a park area was hosting live music and Latin dancing. Most of the spectators were dance participants on and off throughout the evening. All were skilled but some were passionate and naturals leaving me in awe of their talents.
Sept 12
Kind of a a rough night for sleeping last night. There was virtually no wind, allowing the boat to bob around like a cork. The mooring ball rapping the hull in a not so restful manner. We tried running the engine and idling in reverse but that worked only as long as the engine was running. Rain sputtered on and off through out the night as well.
The day promised more wet weather and we had no definite plans so we read and napped. Not a bad way to spend a morning.
Late morning, we decided to bite the bullet on some wish list purchases via internet. We headed to town to get wifi (Starbucks) and spent a few boat units ($$) … We walked around a bit while the skies were liquid free then back aboard for lunch and a bit more reading.
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| Ego Alley, dinghy dock flooded after heavy rains |
We headed to town late afternoon looking for something to do and to stretch our legs again. The streets were quite flooded due to the rain, though not enough to close them to auto traffic. The dinghy dock and surrounding area (park) were mostly under water, the wooden posts for tying were the only reference points for the end of the landing. We found a lively pub to fit the bill for our entertainment needs. Crab dip served hot with mini loaves of bread and beverages rounded out the day. We sloshed back through the still rising waters, secured our electronics in the dry bags and shoved off for home not quite fast enough to miss another quick soaking from the skies. We had a great time in Annapolis but like they say, fish and guest (tourist) go bad after 3 days so… it’s time to leave.
Sept 13 St. Michaels
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| St. Michaels, Inishnee in the background |
Out goal today is St. Michaels, MD. We made an early(ish) start of it, off by 8. It was quite cool out and we had to get our sweatshirts on before long and then the rain gear. Winds from the north, favorable for sailing for the most part. We continued with the motor and the headsail out doing nearly 7 knots. Respectable. Just a bit of current in this part of the Chesapeake. The reason for the running the motor is our electrical needs. We have had 3 days of rain on and off so the solar panels aren't putting out as much, our gadgets (phones, iPads and computers) are needing charges on and off but the big draw is the refrigeration. We have the original Alder Barber unit (25 + years old) that does a great job; freezes meat and I can have all the ice cubes I want, but it is air cooled and the temps have been quite warm so it has to work all the time… so it depletes our batteries on a regular basis. Jim says the batteries are just life support for the fridge / freezer. He attempted to get the fridge water cooling unit to work back in Georgetown but the pump just won’t pump. So, we are contemplating a new, efficient unit. Less energy, better cooling capacity (ice cream anyone?)… but it will come to a couple of ‘boat unit’s in cost. It can’t hurt to talk to the dealer right?…
A bit of rain along the way. Lots of sails working on other boats today as well. We made the port and had the anchor set by 1pm near Navy Point and the Maritime Museum. A quick dinghy ride around the point and we are ready to see the sights of St. Michaels. It was voted one of 10 best small coastal towns (USA Today)… south familiar Saugatuck?
The main street is a couple of blocks off the water, lined with shops for tee shirts, jewelry, souvenirs and restaurants. We found a pub showing afternoon football games (go Bears) but QB Cutler…, well. The Packers came out victorious. We wandered around a bit and returned to the boat for dinner.
Sept. 14
A call to the ‘fridge guy” and he will meet us here tomorrow, 9 am… but we need a slip. They don't come cheap here either. We then went to make arrangements for a slip at the Higgins Yacht Yard after which we bought just enough grub at the grocery store for dinner… we don't want to have to deal with a full fridge if we get a replacement unit. The groveries stowed and a quick lunch and we headed to the Maritime Museum.
The Museum highlights the life of the Watermen here on the Chesapeake Bay. Several out buildings housing boats built and used here on the Chesapeake: Skipjacks were sailing vessels used to collect oysters. In the early days before motors, sail or poling was the norm for a vessel to collect oysters. After motors were introduced making the boat more efficient, the beds were depleted to the point that laws were passed and oysters could only be harvested by sail or poling again. The motors could be used to and from the beds however. The skipjacks are interesting vessels, they were retrofitted with motors that were housed entirely in it’s own boat attached when needed for propulsion and removed and hung in davits for harvesting, in keeping with the law. Other boats included ‘buyboats' (used for purchasing caught fish products, etc, as well as skiffs and log canoes. One of the exhibits housed an Oyster Skiff. It was displayed so visitors could walk around and in it, exploring. You can walk out on a pier to what a Waterman’s Wharf would have looked like. They have live crabs in a tank and a working exhibit for visitors to try harvesting oysters or catching crabs in the waters along the pier. There are lots of Nettles, a fresh water jelly fish in the bay as well. It is our understanding that the natural predators for the jelly fish have been all but eliminated and the with the brackish water temperatures increasing annually, it makes for a haven for them. There are thousands of them… A screw pile lighthouse has been relocated from Hoopers Straight to here, it was built on stilts (screw piles) and sat above the water. We spent several hours wandering around till we ingest no more. We finished the afternoon with a visit to the locally famous Crab Claw restaurant. Raw oysters today… we’ll try the crabs next time.
Sept 15
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| quick haul our, in the slings |
We were finally able to float out of the slip about 4pm. We then needed to round the pier and back into the haul out well to be in the correct position for the travel lift . There were 2 boats in the well staging area already, opposite sides. I am still amazed at Jim’s boat handling skills. In reverse (no bow thrusters) he backed up past the first boat, jogged to the other side of the well and expertly snugged us to the wall. We then tied off and began the prep work for tomorrow. Backstay (cable supporting the mast) removed and lockers emptied where the through hulls would be replaced. A light dinner and a good nights sleep.
Sept 16
St Michaels / Quick haul
We are at the Higgins Yacht Yard. They have been incredibly accommodating. We walked up Monday requesting their services and Tuesday we are getting the work done. We were ready to go and Brian (service tech) had us on the hard by 9:15. I got a quick tutorial on how to power wash and got started on the hull cleaning. The yards here are all in strict compliance with hazardous waste laws capturing the run off in mesh material placed on the ground under the work areas. Jim and Brian got to worked on the through hulls. By noon the entire job was completed. But remember that silly thing about the tide… we hung in the slings for the rest of the afternoon waiting for the tide to come up enough to float the boat. We used the time to cleaning the top sides and put things back in order.
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| Kathy, Marilyn, Ken and Jim |
We then received a call from acquaintances Marilyn and Ken. We met Marilyn back in Lake Erie. She said they lived on the Chesapeake and we should look them up while we are here. So we did and they have just arrived in St. Michaels with their boat, S/v Dream Ketch’r. A 41’ Tartan (Tock). They popped over, up… we are still on the hard, and made plans to meet for dinner.
Brian came back to launch us just before 5pm. Jim then replaced the back stay and we set off right away to anchor. Thinking we could save some time, we choose a spot closer to town near our friends Ken and Marilyn. It didn't take long to run aground in the shallow muddy waters near them so… we backed off and returned to the outer bay. By 6 we were heading back to town for our dinner date.
A bit about Ken and Marilyn. For the last 9 +/- years they have lived aboard their boat and spent most of that time in the Caribbean. They are now back state side and plan to sail here during the summers. They had great information to share and they were sooooo excited for us too. We completely enjoyed our visit with them. We returned to their boat after dinner and before long it was nearly midnight… the real one, not boaters midnight (9pm). We are very happy to have gotten to know them and look forward to our next encounter.. .
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| Kathy, Jim and Bill |
Sept 17
South River / Bill Adams
We hauled anchor by the crack of 10am and bid goodbye to Marilyn and Ken. We were off for South River to meet up with Bill Adams. Bill was our agent while we were boat shopping 8 years ago. Our relationship / search spanned nearly 2 years for this process. He was instrumental in eventually locating and helping with the purchase details of buying S/v Inishnee. We wanted to meet up with him and thank him in person after all this time and services.
We anchored outside his office in the harbor. He met us at the dock and proceed to shuttle us to the grocery store. We all returned to the boat with our purchases and Bill was able to get a look-see at the boat which he had never laid eyes on, the boat being in Florida at the time of the purchase / sale. We thoroughly enjoy our visit with him, sharing numerous things in common. Boating, military connections and exchange student hosts.
Sept 18 Soloman Island
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| small Crabbing boat |
We were up early to head to the Soloman’s, south of here nearly 50 miles. Jim was on the bow retrieving the anchor when we were hailed by 2 guys from a small crabbing boat. They greeted us warmly and stayed to answer our many questions about crabbing. The 2 brothers (never thought to ask their names) were out on this incredibly beautiful morning snatching up crabs from their long line. They had already taken about 2 dozen keepers, all male by law. They had about 1000 feet of line out, buoyed on each end by jugs. The line is weighted to the bottom and baited with chicken necks (or bull lips). The crabs grab hold of the bait and start feasting. The boat uses an ‘arm’ off the side that the bait line runs along as it is being gently lifted up as they slowly move along the line. As the line nears the top, the ‘netter’ scoops up the crab/s with a metal net and plops them in a cooler for inspection: size and sex, tossing back the non keepers. They said we should give it a go, the license not costing much and with little investment we could be dinning on Blue Crabs, the local variety. This could be interesting, and tasty!
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| this little cut makes Soloman Island and Island |
Continuing on, the day was picture perfect. Unfortunately not much wind and all of it on the nose. We motored along passing the time dodging crab pots, watching small schools of fish surface and skip along. A few crabs swimming about here and there too. Then, a pelican! ‘Funny bird that pelican, its mouth can hold more than its belly can’.. (mom Nee joke). Not too many jelly fish today, but there have been thousands of them drifting along in other parts of the bay.
We can tell we are nearing Soloman Island when we see the military jets, then hear them as they do manurers. The Island is conveniently located next to Patuxent River Naval Air Base, a naval air training base. The skies are peppered with aircraft: jets, helicopters and ???. We can hear the jets screech as they bank and then fly over (about 500 - 1000 feet) with deafening vibrations. The guide book reviews say the flights are daytime for the most part. It’s quite spectacular to watch them come and go so closely.
The harbor is small but we secure a great spot in the middle, only one other boat at anchor. There are numerous restaurants / bars within walking distance, a few with music. We head to the Tiki Bar and toast another fine day. Dinner tonight aboard, salmon with pistachio brown sugar glaze and corn on the cob. Dessert… ice-cream from our freezer! I love that it is working better and staying colder…
Sept 19
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| Screw Pile Light house |
Can you say fog bank? We were completely fogged in this morning, dew so heavy is was running down the windows. The watermen heading out passing by could only be heard and felt (their wake) it was so thick. We had a great morning just reading and napping and being completely cozy in the cabin. As the morning turned into afternoon the sun struggled through and the fog burned off. We forced ourselves into the dinghy and took a walk around. The island is having a festival this weekend. Today a car and art show along the Patuxent River. As we walked along we discovered the secret to the island… a ditch / culver / creek that allows water to pass through making the island… an island. Before returning to the boat went on a most excellent dinghy ride to the end of Black River. Again, we are in awe of the many, many boats out here. And they just keep getting bigger and bigger. We spent the remainder of the day being pretty lazy. Sitting aboard rotating between the sun and the shade regulating our temps like reptiles.
Sept 20
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| Extreme Docking, full forward |
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| Reverse and tossing rings |
With the weather being cool and the skies gloomy we sat around all morning doing a lot of nothing again. By afternoon the sun was poking out every now and again so Jim and I decided to head to shore before cousins Michael, Kathleen and Cayley arrived bearing ‘gifts’. They have been kind enough to allow us to use them for package deliveries. Jim and I headed to the south end of the island to check out the excitement we had been listening to for the last couple of hours. Plenty of shouting, engine revving and LOTS of boat traffic. It was a very quick walk. We were soon enjoying what is known around here and Extreme Docking… rodeo type events for Watermen. They are held nearly every summer weekend in a different location throughout the bay. The towns have a festival of some sort to coincide with it. Todays event was hosted by the Calvert County Waterman’s Association. The gist of it is a completion amongst the Watermen in which they maneuver their boats from the start position in a slip, fast forward, then reverse it into another adjacent slip of 4 wooden posts, each with a metal arm attached. These posted must be roped by someone on the boat with one of 4 huge rings. Each heat being timed. The captains were amazingly skilled at these maneuvers. There were different types of heats. One where a woman must toss the rings while the captain drives, another featured children driving and their moms doing the lassoing. One of the final heats required the captain to drive and lasso the posts alone. The winning time was 19.? seconds. As times were getting lower and lower, trying to beat each other or besting their own times, a ‘mom and child’ heat ended with mom tossing the last ring and her going overboard in the process… Cheers and laughter went up throughout the crowd. Faster and faster, more ‘ringers’ going in the drink…
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| Cousins: Cayley, Mike and Kathleen |
The cousins arrived just in time to see the last heat. We then returned to the boat for our own boating excursion. Kathleen and family brought some awesome sweet treats for later too… Thank You! We upped the anchor and set off with 15 - 18 knots of wind. After 2 weeks of being on the Chesapeake we were finally sailing and doing over 7 knots. It was great. The rail (side of the boat) threatening to take a dip every now and again. Everyone took a turn at steering which was a bit of a challenge with the boisterous winds. Kathleen was a natural. With daylight dwindling we had to call it a day. We returned, dropped the hook and set off for dinner together. Stoney’s Kingfisher Seafood House. We shared stories of childhood and current affairs. Michael was able to score tickets to see The Pope this week at the White House !… He has some great connections! Returning to the boat we were laden down with our delivery of boat parts ordered last week in Annapolis. Before long Jim was ‘Nee’ deep in parts and couldn't resist installing one of the new quiet, energy efficient fans. The 5 minute’s to install instructions must have been written by the same people that tells us the grocery store is only 5 minutes away… An hour later the new fan was up and running, quietly and saving lots of amps. We rewarded ourselves with some chocolate and cherry pie, our sweet treat gifts from the cousins.… What a great day
Sept 21
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| yum ! |
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| dinghy riding |
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| S/v Whisper, Carolyn, Larry and their 3 dogs |
A quick chat and new directions for a short cut to the store from Larry and Carolyn and we were off again. We paid our $2.00 docking fee then set off to get our supplies. Within a short time we were back aboard and ready to tackle the installation of the shiny new boarding ladder. There were no installation instructions so what do you do? Measure twice, drill, Goop, screw… attach and whah-la… Drop it over the side (with a retrieval line) and… the legs don't sit properly on the hull, kind of a problem… Then we pull the thing up and a sinking feeling sets in. It doesn't fold up properly either. This is a REALLY expensive, supposedly high quality ladder. Jim got in the dinghy to see if he could adjust it from there… nope. Now, feeling defeated and throughly sick we spent so much money on the darn thing, we call the company. The guys says: ‘yeah, I don't include instructions. People just call when they have a problem.’ So Jim listens patiently while the guy explains what to do… They intentionally leave the support legs long so you can custom fit (cut) them to your boat. Ok, we can do that. And the folding part… just reverse the fold of the ladder and ‘ta da!’ , all is good! Whew! It’s now 5:30. A long, productive day even with the added installation times and mishaps.
As evening approached we realized the low lying clouds had an added benefit for us today. Most of the flight practice for the air base must have been grounded, there were only a few fly overs. Although quite a sight to watch, the noise pollution is very hard to adjust to.
Sept 22
Off to Tangier Island
The plan was to be up and underway by 8…. running just a bit late we were hauling the anchor closer to 8:30. We had to wake our neighbor, Robert, aboard his Hylas 53. He had anchored really close and wanting to avoid any harbor drama so early in the morning, we alerted him to our leaving so he could take up on his anchor chain to avoid a collision…. And we were off, sort of. We headed to the nearest marina for a head pump out and fresh water. After tying off the lines the marina informed us their power had just gone out. So, new plan… we headed to another marina up river. Their power had just returned and could accommodated our needs. Before long we were underway again. Predicted winds did not disappoint. We sailed south with 15 - 20 knot winds from the north, our destination south. We encounter a number of pelicans today and a derelict ship in the middle of the bay. Our guess is target practice for the Navy…
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| Target practice? |
We sailed the entire way to Tangier Island, following seas made it fairly comfortable until we needed to turn toward the harbor where the waves broke over the bow and port sides sending salt spray aboard. The shallow inlet gave us a few concerns but the depths were fine at 7.5 feet. The area is having an extra high tide due to the winds. About a foot above normal.
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| Mr. Parks |
There is little room for error in the inlet for Tangier Island. The cut between the high ground and the low marsh area is narrow. We clocked 21 knots as we rounded the last green / red markers of the channels. Most of the island is close to sea level so there is little to buffer the winds. We were relieved to see the face dock available as we approached so we came about into the wind, mother nature pushed us up to the dock and we secured the lines. Within a few minutes Mr. Parks was there to greet us, driving his scooter out onto the pier. Mr. Milton Parks owns and operate Parks Marina. The only marina here. He is 84 and still going strong but quick to tell you it’s getting pretty hard to keep up. Not like the old days.
We added extra fenders and lines to compensate for the rising tide and high winds which are still blasting through. We then took off for a quick walk before the high tide flooded the lowest parts of the island and roads. The island is very small and has held onto it’s heritage of living off the waters. Many still making a living off the waters, crabbing / fishing, while others take advantage of the tourist season. What little ‘dry’ land there is, is populated with homes and limited amenities. A post office, school K-12, basic medical, restaurants and a small, but decent general store. Golf carts and scooters being the preferred method of modern travel. It is about 13 miles to either shore, coastal or mainland. Their isolation has allowed them to continue as their ancestors did; many individuals speaking an old world English dialect. As with many coastal areas, land is precious. A number of residence have their ancestors buried on their property, many in the front yards. The island has just over 50 family names and just over 450 residence full time.
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| Tangier Island |
For dinner, I made boat version Shepard’s Pie. It warmed the cabin and us. Full tummies topped off the last of the ‘gifted’ pie. The winds were now coming from the south just as strong. The lines creaking and the fenders squawking under the strain. High tide is upon us. It’s almost book drop time (falling asleep while reading) or typing.
Sept 23
Tangiers Island
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| Anna Parks II |
The winds howled all night, steady 20 knots gusting to 25+…. One slapping halyard that we couldn't locate and silence till nearly dawn. The other two sailboats here were planning to leave this morning. The winds and current working against their plans. After much discussion and indecision, Josh and Carmeletta, S/v Sea Hawk, went for it. Their boat was pinned to the dock by the wind and current. With the two of them on board, five others of us on the dock pushing off and holding lines. With full reverse they flew out into the channel missing our dinghy within inches. Josh did a great job of piloting! He should look into those Extreme Docking challenges along the bay…
Next off were Seth and Cindy. Their boat was on the opposite pier so their departure was much less challenging. The wind and current helping to push them off.
Jim had quite a ‘gam’ with Mr. Parks today. He has lived here his entire life, 84 years, working as a waterman. He is now retired except for the marina which keeps him on his toes. He also putters with his crab boat “Anna Parks II” named for his late wife and looks after (sort of) her cats. At one time she had over 50… now there are only around 15… kind of skittish but we saw no vermin about so they are serving a purpose.
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| crab shacks |
The winds eased around lunch time so we decided to explore by dinghy. First up, a crab shack to purchase fresh, frozen soft shell crabs. Stowed in the fridge for dinner we continued on. Nearly every crab shack is built over the water and accessible only by boat, many in disrepair. There are quite a few sunk boats as well. We then went for a walking tour. Just down the dock from the our boat we met Mark who was cleaning hard shell crabs from his pier; home to his former business as a crabber. He was more than happy to share with us the how to’s about cleaning crabs and some local knowledge about crabbing and the area. He now ferries tourists from the mainland here and back. He is passionate about his home, livelihood and its heritage.
Next we hopped aboard one of the many golf carts tours run by the women here. She gave a well rehearsed narrative tour of the highlights of the island and answered any questions put to her. 15 minutes and we were back where we started… It’s a small island. There have been many articles and documentaries depicting the islanders and their way of life. 
Next, we went on a mission to find an old crab float for my collection of unique souvenirs from places we are visiting. After quite a few inquiries we happened upon Mark again. He sent us back to his pier and crab shedding troughs. “Take as many as you want dear…” , much to Jim’s dismay. What can I say, I love items that have memories within them, not a stamp from china that says I bought it there… Mark pulled a few good, beat up ones out for me and I was on my way with my treasures.  |
| Mark explaining the proper way to clean crabs |
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| Shiny new ladder soon to be installed |
The island is ‘dry’ so if you come for an adult beverage, you’ll be served tea or coffee. We enjoyed the late afternoon sipping our usual adult beverage, the boat not being ‘dry’ in that respect. Then on to the soft shell Blue Chesapeake Bay crabs. When a crab molts, its new shell takes about 24 hours to harden. If the crab is ‘harvested’ during this time the shells are soft and the entire crab can be eaten. Several crab shacks specialize in this and harvest the crabs and keep them in a trough until they molt at which time they are frozen to stop the hardening process or eaten immediately. They were cleaned prior to freezing / eating but some of the locals advised us to remove the ‘stuff’ under the back shell plate. Jim tried his both ways, I choose to go clean with mine. We parboiled then flour dredged them and sautéed them in butter and olive oil till golden. A few soft boiled potatoes, smashed and a zucchini to round things out. The crabs were great, shells and all. We tried one each as a sandwich; white bread, mayo, crunchy lettuce and the sautéd crab (as instructed). Also good. We ate 6 of the 12 we bought so we will be eating them again soon. Again our bellies are full and we have had another fine day. Winds have diminished, tide is up. Dishes are done and our books are waiting for book drop.
Just as I was going to call it a night, I heard voices outside; it’s well after dark, then a bow thruster (side propulsion on some boats). I popped my head up to see a huge 49 foot Hunter sailboat circling and attempting to dock. Jim and I were on the dock in no time. 2 other boaters were ready to assist as well. It’s after dark. A new harbor and dock for newcomers. The winds are well over 20 knots and the current is 3 + knots… They made it out of the main channel and threw a line to one of the guys who managed to get one wrap around a piling. Repeated attempts to throw a second line to shore proved useless. Jim ran to our boat and got a long line, tossed it to them and the 4 of us were able to wrestle them to the dock. They threw a few more lines to us and Jim was able to quickly lash them together to make lines adequate to hold them securely in place. It took nearly 45 minutes to get them secured. We retrieved our line while the family of 4, mom, dad and 2 children thanked us all profusely. They had had a rough time today. They had run aground at a near by island, threw 2 anchors over to prevent drifting while waiting for high tide, one of them getting wrapped in their prop. They were able to free the anchor and get off the sandbar at high tide so they decided to head to Tangiers, the next closest port. They are safe and the rest is now history… way too much Harbor Cinema tonight.
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| before... |
Sept 24
Next stop, anchoring in Bryant Cove off Mojack Bay. With the winds still barreling down from the north and the current pinning us against the dock, Jim devised a plan to get us off safely and underway. We enlisted the help of our new dock mates. According to plan, we made it off the dock without any drama and were very thankful. We waved goodbye to Tangiers. As soon as we had enough depth under the keel to safely come about we hoisted sail and clipped along at well over 6 knots with only the main sail pulling. Surfing the waves brought speeds as high as 8 knots. Although a bit over cast, it was a great sail. We made over 45 miles today heading generally south with a north wind pushing us. 4 foot waves chasing us down the bay. The afternoon brought a slight shift in winds and we pulled out the head sail, gaining another knot. Nearing the bay to anchor for the night, I was sitting on the side deck of the cockpit, enjoying the sun when right next to the boat / me a dolphin broke the surface and dove under the boat. I was so shocked I jumped to the other side of the cockpit with a shout… Jim was in disbelief, so was I. We are still 35 miles or so from the ocean. Who knew they came up the bays so far??? Continuing on, we set the anchor, ate the last of the crabs and enjoyed the remainder of the days light from the cockpit. Oh, and the dolphin came back to say goodnight… this time Jim got to see it too. I hope I never tire of seeing them. We made great time today, better than expected arriving 2 hours earlier than estimated! Another great day
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| after... |
Sept 25
Norfolk VA and the end of the Chesapeake Bay
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| enroute to Norfolk |
The wind howled all night and we bobbed around quite a bit. The winds were predicted to be at least 25 knots from the north today, waves 5ish feet. We readied the boat for the ride knowing we’d be taking some water over the bow and it would be a spirited ride. Jim dug out the stay sail and hanked it on. We donned our life jackets and hauled the anchor. The ride to the bay was about 10 miles, waves coming broad side but less than 3 feet. A few dolphins escorted us out. By the time we made the bay we were doing a steady 7+ knots, a double reef in the main, 4 -5 foot following seas. The boat and crew had a great time even with the cloud cover and spitting rain. We fishtailed every now and again but the tickle bellies sliding down waves were the best. Norfolk just ahead; two tugs pulling / pushing barges and Warship 72 coming in from live ammunition manurers on the Atlantic and the winds now gusting over 30 knots… The Warship called to say he would pass to starboard after which we came about to douse the sail. The bow blasting through the waves now on the nose, what a ride! Turning back south we surfed into the bay and over the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Pretty impressive undertaking building a 2 lane bridge that transforms into a tunnel allowing auto traffic to pass under the mouth of the bay. A distance of a mile of so. Next we passed a dozen or so Navy ships; aircraft carriers with planes on deck and ships of differing sizes. The waves steadily diminished as we continued on to our marina about 5 miles down the bay. We passed quite a bit barge construction; they are digging another tunnel. By the time we reached Waterside Marina, the winds had died down to 4 knots and the waves less than a foot. The marina reps were there to catch our lines as the rain started to fall. We were happy to be secure for the night. A pot of chili made for a tasty and filling dinner. The marina is in the heart of downtown Norfolk which promises to be an entertaining and lively stop for the weekend.
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| dang hard to get pictures of dolphins... except their fins |
Tomorrow son Stephen comes aboard for the week! I can hardly wait! It’s hard to be so far away from our family and friends.
We have traveled just over 2000 miles since leaving Saugatuck, nearly 3 1/2 + months ago. It’s been a great ride so far…
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| War ship 72 of our Port side |
One of our friends friends from Saugatuck, Tower Marina, Jeff M. wrote us in response to my "fish net ?' picture from the northern part of Chesapeake Bay... He lived in this area for years and shared his insight, he gave me permission to use the info... thank you Jeff!
The nets in the Delaware River or Northern Chesapeake Bay were probably for Shad, a migratory fish that swims into estuaries to spawn. The roe is taken and the fish smoked. Although caught near where I grew up, I've never eaten it. There is every possibility that those nets were for some other specie for fertilizer, cat food, or fish sticks!
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