Farewell, Annapolis




Annapolis is beautiful in the fall, too.  View from the slip.

We motored out of our slip and under the Spa Creek Bridge for the last time at 6:55am on Saturday morning. Jeff kindly arose in the wee hours and saw us off. (Will add his videos when I can figure out how to open them.)


Preparing to leave at sunrise

Annapolis Naval Academy

Adieu, Annapolis

Had a good motor into a 5-knot S wind to Solomon's Island arriving at 3:00 for a grand total of 45 miles.  Admittedly this doesn't seem far for eight hours, but when you consider that we are moving our home on water, it makes more sense.  Fueled up, filled up the water tank and pumped out the hold.  Had a good night's sleep and left at daybreak bound for Deltaville. 

Early calm.  Sunny but cold

Though we knew that SE 10-15 knot winds with gusts up to 25 were expected, it started out fairly calm.  We set the throttle for just over 6 knots and chugged along nicely.  The wind, as NOAA predicted, picked up and although we did not touch the throttle, we slowed to 5, 4, then 3.8 knots with the wind right on the nose in a 3-foot steep chop.  When the waves began to splash over the bow, it was time to don our foulies.  Wayward Wind handled it all like a champ.  Though we'd stowed most things, a few items in the cabin slid off shelves and rolled around on the floor.  Also I discovered that we must have left the little hatch in the forward head closed but unlatched.  An unruly wave had snuck underneath and opened it up allowing more unruly waves to dump right into the head and splash the forward bunk.  As WW pitched, I closed the hatch between waves and sloshed around some towels to temporarily clean up.  I did not want to stay below for long.  (Seasickness note - I'd taken some meds beforehand so did not feel queasy at all although after going below several times and then to deal with the water, I did toss my cookies, but felt fine, honest.  Note to self - do not go below when it's rocky.)  Fortunately Reedville was our Plan B.  Jeff had told us of a bight (a curve in the shore, not quite a bay) around Sandy Point just across from Reedville on the Great Wicomico River that would be a protected anchorage from a SE wind.  My god, what a relief it was to arrive in the calm after being tossed around so.  The contrast of the churning bay to flat water in such a short distance was astounding and welcoming.  Sandy Point is a hook of land with a few homes and many large trees.  As I write this now, I know that the Bay is rough as I can see white caps on the Wicomico and the trees onshore bending, but here in anchorage the we are just gently rocking. 

Sandy Point, with the Great Wicomico, Ingram Bay and the Chesapeake Bay just beyond the trees

Sandy Point homes

Fall is here

Looking across the Great Wicomico River toward Reedville

We knew that the south wind would pick up last night and today so decided to hole up here till it calms a bit.  Also a north wind is predicted on Thursday and we want to SAIL rather than burn diesel, so we'll wait. 

It's been quiet and idyllic.  We slept for ten hours the first night.  Guess those pre-dawn risings caught up with us.  Yesterday was mostly sunny and warm enough to open the ports and hatches to air out the boat and dry out wet items.  We spent the afternoon figuring out the new chartplotter.  Garmin sure makes a user-friendly product.  I had one glitch so called tech support and the youthful Travis (have you also noticed that these techies always have a 70s or 80s name such as Ryan and Sean - never a 40s or 50s name such as Bill or Jim) kindly walked me through the process.  Geez, between cell phones, wi-fi, and GPS, we are such a spoiled lot.  I bought a program called Home Port that allows me to insert the Garmin SD chart card into my computer so that we can do all our route planning with the ease of the full computer keyboard and screen in the comfort of the cabin rather than on the little chartplotter screen in the cockpit.  I can then download the data onto our handheld Garmin GPS for a back-up device.  So cool.  Though we appreciate our electronic gadgets, we acknowledge the need to always plot our route on our good ol' paper charts and confirm our position every so often as we go along, just in case those screens go dark.  (Yes, Jeff, we are listening!)  It's good to practice here in the Bay and on the ICW in preparation for our jaunt in the Atlantic. 

Another new cool device is AIS (Automatic Identification System).  All commercial ships are required to register with this system.  We have just a receiver (the transponder is eight-times as expensive) which means we can identify them but they can't identify us although we will show up as a blip on their radar.  Anyway, ships within three nautical miles not only show up as little green boats on our chartplotter screen, but we also get detailed data:  name, country and type of vessel, radio call sign, length, speed, direction, destination, and more.  We can turn on an alarm to go off when the ship is within a set distance.  Also the little green boat turns red if our paths will cross and tells us how many minutes till collision.  (Time to change our heading!)  One of the best features is that since we know the name of the vessel, we can call them on the radio and they, by law, must respond.  We can confirm that they see us and chat with them about how best to pass each other.  This will be especially useful at night. 

For now we are cozy inside waiting out this little storm and happy to organize, cook up some food for the next few days, read, learn and relax.  Hope to leave either tomorrow afternoon for Deltaville, if the wind is good, or perhaps on Thursday.  We are so very happy to be on the move again. 

Almost Ready

11/25/11

I haven't written much lately for two reasons.  One, I was feeling kind of down because as it gets later in the season, we are becoming more anxious about getting out of here before it snows.  And two, we reanchored in a new spot closer to town but without an internet connection.  Now that we're at the dock, I'm catching up.  Also, we both are feeling much better now that the major tasks are done.  We were, in fact, going to leave today, but since we paused to catch our breath and enjoy a nice Thanksgiving meal last night aboard WW, we thought it best to take advantage of being at the dock for one more day to finish loose ends and stow things without being so rushed. 

One thing that we recently did was reinstall the hatch.  After the first install, it leaked, so we had to pull it out.  Jeff came by to do this.  Fortunately the caulk takes weeks to fully harden, so it was fairly easy to take it out, clean off the old caulk, recaulk (this time generously) and reinstall.  We had a good rain the other night and no leak, so all is good.

Here he comes to save the haaaaatch (sung to Mighty Mouse cartoon theme song)

Cleaning up the old caulk

Jeff, our friend and mentor

We feel so fortunate to have gotten to know Jeff who has become a good friend.  And what an interesting life he has led.  He started sailing when he was five and racing sailboats when he was ten in Deltaville, Virginia.  As a teenager, one of his mentors was a man in his eighties who taught him boatbuilding.  But Jeff left the water to pursue his 30-year career as a cameraman working for several TV stations as well as free-lancing.  He has amazing stories of meeting famous figures from the King of Jordan to Charlie Sheen.  One night at an MTV party, he chatted with a pretty, friendly woman; then he introduced himself.  Just as she said her name was Cheryl, he realized he was chatting with Cheryl Crow.  Besides his television work, (as mentioned in a previous post) he has chartered boats in the BVIs and beyond as well as delivered boats up and down the East Coast and to the Caribbean.  Many years ago he bought his sweet Camper Nicholson 35 sailboat, La Boheme, and refurbished it beautifully.  Sadly a couple of weeks ago, Jeff lost his little boating companion of 17 years, Oz, his Cairn terrier.  But he has someone else who brings joy to his life, his lovely girlfriend, Michelle, who is, as we say, land-based (meaning she lives in an apartment and not on a boat) though she does sail.  Michelle has two bright boys.  The four are a good team.  Dave and I thought it would be great if Michelle could join us on the trip, too, but she is busy managing a start-up company for a new medical device and cannot take the time off of work.  Yesterday Jeff, Dave and I enjoyed sharing more of our stories in our cozy salon over Thanksgiving dinner and are excited to have Jeff join us in Beaufort and head south.

Pre-Departure Bottom Job

11/23/11

Still in Annapolis but departure is imminent.  All major projects are done.  Today we’ll change the oil and fuel filters.  Since last writing we’ve hauled out the boat to clean the bottom, thru-hulls and change zincs.  Went to Petrini’s where we met with John Petrini who has obviously had a hard life and will tell you all the details if you stand before him long enough.  We’d heard that he was “nuts” – we’ll leave it at “eccentric.”  We had a dickens of a time tying him down to what it would cost.  Wouldn’t put anything in writing (until after the job where every item and hour was detailed).  The two workers, DJ and Daniel, were great so the job was well done.  Also had some touch up bottom paint done and the barnacles wire brushed off of the prop.  Happy with the job, just not the cost.  Such is life on a boat.

Did the last of the provisioning of food and parts which we are inventorying and stowing.  It’s tricky because you have to remember where you put those cans of chicken as well as silicone, wire ties and so on.  We’ve done pretty well with that. 

Dave and I have been debating which route to take to the Bahamas.  He wants to go all the way back down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW); whereas, I want to do something different.  Jeff has offered to meet us in Beaufort, North Carolina, and sail with us out in the ocean east then south to Marsh Harbor on the island of Abacos in the Bahamas taking about four days.  I like this idea.  Dave is concerned, and rightly so, that I will get seasick and have a miserable time especially if the seas get rough, and that may very well happen.  If we go down the ICW, it will take a month or more to get far enough south in Florida where we would cross the Gulf Stream to Bimini in the Bahamas taking about ten hours from the Fort Lauderdale area.

I prefer the Beaufort to Marsh Harbor route, because although I may get sick, from what I’ve read, it lessens after the first day.  I have been seasick in the past and I still can function.  Dave and I can do night watches together if need be and Jeff is good with that.  He used to charter boats in the Bahamas and Caribbean and delivers boats up and down the East Coast and to the Caribbean as well.  He’s experienced in piloting a boat as well as maintenance.  It would be such a great learning experience for us. 

Well, Dave and I debated for about a month, and I was about to go along with Dave’s idea but asked that Dave meet with Jeff once more to discuss it.  Jeff invited us for dinner on La Boheme, his sweet 35’ Camper Nicholson.  We dinghied over in the chill wind with a green salad in hand.  Jeff invited us aboard to a warm glowing candlelight-lit salon.  La Boheme has had the privilege of Jeff’s loving restoration.  He has used bead board painted white to give the interior a light feeling.  (It reminded me of my little house in Sebastopol which had bead board walls and ceiling.)  He treated us to salmon cakes.  Tasty and hearty on a cold night. 

We talked about the weather and predictions one, two, three, and four days out.  Of course, the farther out in days, the less predictable the weather.  However, the next day, Dave agreed to the Beaufort to Bahamas route, but he says that the next time, he gets to choose.  Fair enough. 

Centering WW in the slings

Up she goes

Barnacles on the prop would slow us down

De-sliming

Much better

How Cold Is It?

This morning it was a cozy 31 degrees inside.  Below are photos of ice and frost on the deck.  I had to tread carefully as a slip and slide into the water would have been chilly.  BRRR!

Yesterday Dave and I planned our route to sunnier climes while the rain poured down outside all day long.  We turned on the generator and heater for about an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, then an hour in the evening.  It was bearable.  Drank lots of hot tea and made a big pot of potato soup with ham and veggies. 

 

Once the sun came out today, it was quite lovely with a clear blue, blue sky.  We took the bus to Best Buy and Radio Shack where we bought SD cards to download NOAA maps for the new GPS, a portable AM/FM shortwave radio/back-up SSB so Dave can listen to the radio on night watches, a battery charger with rechargeable batteries for our various electronics, and a cable to run my computer directly off of the 12 volt battery.  Ka-ching! 

Jeff will come tomorrow to finish up the installation of the GPS by connecting it to the autopilot as well as adjust the rudder seal and steering.  We'll also work on the portholes and hatch.  It's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow though we may get rain in the evening.  Wish us luck.

Much love to all!

Are We in the Bahamas Yet?

Which way to the Bahamas?

The Bahamas, this ain't.  Yesterday Dave and I took Wayward Wind for a quick spin to try out the steering system after Jeff redid the rudder seal.  All is good.  Also filled up on diesel and water.  As you can see from Dave's garb, it was chilly.  This morning we awoke to a crisp 37 degrees inside the boat.  We've got the generator and heater going but won't keep those on all day so are dressing in multiple layers.  Jeff says, just keep putting on clothes until you're warm.  Jan and Don called this morning from Florida where it is a lovely 80 degrees.  I told Jan I feel like the Pillsbury Dough Boy wearing all of these clothes, but it works.  Snow is predicted today just to the west of us.  Right now it's blowing about 20 knots here in Spa Creek on a cold rainy day. 

 Trees are turning colors

Still have the hatch, which arrived yesterday, and the portholes to repair/install which will wait for dry, warmer weather early next week.  Ordered a grounding system for the SSB radio to improve reception and transmission.  The SSB will be our primary source for weather reports when we are out of the US.  Right now we use the short range VHF radio to listen to NOAA broadcasts.  Also ordered a new battery monitor as our old one is not working properly and we've learned that it will help us in the long run with managing our electrical use.  When will we leave Annapolis?  Soon, very soon.

Plane to Sea Departs, But Not by Sea

Stan, Dave and I helped Don and Jan put Plane to Sea onto their trailer.  On Sunday afternoon we waited until things quieted down at Truxton Park to dock PTS.  Earlier that afternoon, when Don tried to lift the keel, a bolt broke so he was not able to lift it.  The plan was to back the trailer into the water and drive PTS onto the trailer thereby pushing the keel upward so that Don could then lock the keel in the up position.  Due to the slightly lower high tide compared to three months ago when they launched, we had difficulties backing the trailer into the water, so had to nix that plan.  The next day, Don adjusted the trailer and arranged for a lift out at Port Annapolis Marina.  It's truly amazing to watch the process of the travel lift driver jockeying the travel lift into place and moving 20,000 pounds of boat.

Lifting Plane to Sea out of the water

The next trick was to lower the boat enough so that the keel could be raised and bolted in position without putting too much weight on the hull.  It was fun to watch the young guy at the stern do his little dance of directions for the travel lift operator.

Raising the keel

And finally we had to lower the mast.  Don had to unbolt the mast and remove some of the stays (side cables), rig two temporary poles, then attach it to the winch at the front of his trailer. 

Attaching mast via the forestay to winch

Except for one line snapping, which pulled the lowering mast in the direction of the shiny, cherry red sailboat for sale parked just to starboard, it went quite smoothly.  It took the five of us exactly thirty minutes to lower the mast.

Smile, Don!  You've got white duct tape!

The hard part was over.  And we all admire Don.  Every step of the way, whenever there was a glitch, Don would trouble shoot and not give up until he solved the problem.  He is incredibly knowledgeble and skilled with all things mechanical.  We've all learned so much from him and marvel at his capabilities.  Another thing we'd always marveled is the size of Don's truck.  We teased him about his "duelies," but alongside PTS, that truck was dwarfed!

Tres Hombres (note proximity of cherry red boat)

We said our good-byes to Don and Jan and promised to meet again -- the Bahamas or California or Texas -- and left them to finish securing PTS to the trailer. 

The happy (RELIEVED!) couple

Don and Jan are now on their way to the Florida Keys where they will leave PTS, then fly to the Cayman Islands to attend their friends' wedding, then on to Texas to visit family for the holidays.  Right after Christmas, they will return to the Keys and wait for a weather window to depart for the Bahamas on PTS.  Happy trails, Plane to Sea! 

Until we meet again

Not much new

Moonrise over Spa Creek

Sorry about the sparse posts.  We're just plugging along with our myriad projects and began some bulk shopping for provisions.  Our Texan friends, Don and Jan, have so sweetly offered to drive us around when they have errands to do.  We usually have lunch together at the Old Country Buffet, Don's fave. 

Misty morning on Spa Creek

Fall has brought nighttime temps in the mid-40s, brisk winds -- BRRR! -- and drizzle for the past few days.  The forecast looks sunny and in the high-60s for the next several days, which will be good for the sailboat show that begins on Thursday.

The other night we went into town to The Federal House (built 1830 now a bar/restaurant) to watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins with Stan, Jeff,  Don and Jan.  We had a great time sharing appetizers and beer and complaining about the temper tantrums of the Dallas quarterback, Tony Roma.  Also Jeff would give a running "sound track" of what the players were "really" saying.  "One...two...four...no, NO!  It's one...two...three!"  Kept me in stitches!  Although we could hear that there was another Cowboy fan somewhere in the place, Don and Jan subdued their enthusiasm for their home team because we were most certainly surrounded by Washington fans.  It was here that I learned from Janis that (though she and Don do not) many in Texas consider the Dallas Cowboys to be "God's team."  As Jan would say -- I tell you what, I am learnin' so much.

The night before last, Stan suggested we have a taste test between two winter beverages -- Irish coffee and hot buttered rum.  So Don, Jan and Stan braved the chilly nighttime wind and dinghied over for hot refreshments.  Heating up the steamy drinks and baked brie made for a warm and cozy time on Wayward Wind.  Stan's mom was Irish and loved Irish coffee made with hazelnut Creamora, so that's what we had, and this won the contest hands down over the hot buttered rum.  We actually are not as toasted as we look in the photo below; however we were feeling quite merry.  Now this is my kind of contest!

Don, Jan, Dave, Linda livin' it up on Wayward Wind...

and Stan, too!