Wow.... I was just thinking we hadn't updated this BLOG in a long time.... We've been so busy shoving off; making our way south; making the various weather windows for the NJ 'rounding, and up the Delaware, and down the Chesapeake Bay.... We just haven't had the free time.
BUT NOW.... We're "hunkered down for a couple of days" here in Fishing Bay - Deltaville Virginia, weathering a storm that has "converged over the east coast. Last night we had some high winds, that tapered off as the rain started...
The forecasters hit the time right on the money.... They said 0200 hours; The Wind Generator on AB went crazy with the high winds at 0130 hours... I slept in the cockpit for a few hours, during the high wind event... JUST to make sure everything, and everyone "stayed in the right places". (No Problem; good holding + lots of scope).
SO......... let's see what's happened since we shoved off at HON Marina.
The first day, Avalon and Autumn Borne (AB) made it down the Hudson river to Haverstraw bay. Nice anchorage that night. The next day both sailing vessels made it all the way to the Anchorage at Atlantic Highlands, where we found Bill and Laura Soulier (s/v "Second Wind"). We were very lucky with the tides going through NYC Harbor, and out under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge; We transited the whole harbor and most of Raritan Bay on the EBB tide... NICE ride.
The "weather window for NJ rounding" came the very next day... So we all (Second Wind; Avalon; and Autumn Borne) left before dawn, getting into the Atlantic before sunrise; taking full advantage of the west winds (keeping the waves low). It was a wonderful motor sail down the coast; engine nearly at idle; just making up for the occasional lull.
Atlantic City was gorgeous, as usual as we PASSED. (Lot's of times we'll stop there for the night)... We continued on into the night, and arrived at the turn to go NORTH into Delaware Bay about 0430 in the morning....(24 hours awake at that point - I say this because of Pete and Bunny on Avalon... This, I think was a first for them....AB does this all the time).
We turned north, and proceeded up the Delaware Bay... dodging big ocean going ships, tugs and barges, etc. When the sun came up about 0735 hours, things got a little better, in that you could see things, not just red and green flashing lights. We ran the C&D canal in the daylight this year, westbound. I say that because the last two years Susan and I have run the C&D at night...
I think the crew of Avalon was getting a little edgy by the time we reached the Sassafras River (awake some 36 hours). I don't think that they thought these extended jaunts were Part of Cruising. BUT they ARE!!! (usually far between times, but they are definitely part of the cruising rituals).
Anyway.... Sassafras was a nice anchorage... The next day, after Pete replaced a burned up coolant hose, we motor sailed down to Annapolis. Avalon going to SPA Creek (old woman's cove); and AB going to Weems Creek.
Pete's sister, Donna, and her husband Chris, live in Annapolis, and were GREAT hosts while we were there (inviting us to dinner at their club; letting us use one of the cars, and just being great People). (PIC)
We didn't get to see much of Deb Taber (our friend from Cape St. Claire); business, and travel times, and the fact that it wasn't the "weekend"... when we were visiting... interfered with much of the visit.
But it was wonderful sharing a birthday dinner with Deb and Lili (daughter). Even though we could have spent much more time in Annapolis, a weather window had opened....to get SOUTH. And IF we didn't TAKE IT, we'd be stuck there another week or week and a half. WE did get to tour the Naval Academy. That was wonderful... we ate at the "ALLEY", below the Officers Club....very elegant surroundings...only open to the public at certain times, during the week. NICE!
WE re-supplied both boats from Grawls food market. That was nice...while had use of the car.
SO.... We (Avalon, and AB) did another "overnighter" from Annapolis down to Fishing Bay (only ONE days sail from Norfolk). If we didn't do the overnighter, the wind would have turned against us, coming from the South for the next week.... Again STUCK at wherever YOU pulled in.
This way...at Fishing Bay the holding is excellent, some wind protection, and best of all we get to pal around with our buddies from Missoula MT (Carla and Rick / s/v Euphoria). (PIC)
For the glorious sum of $5/day for the dinghy dock privileges we got to use the laundry (tokens $); and other things of the marina. The folks here are very nice.
Rick and Carla are very near "splash time" for Euphoria... Next week - mid week, I think).
On a high speed run from WEEMs Creek to the SPA creek mooring field, I noticed that the waterpump on the outboard motor had become problematic; and sporatic. NOT GOOD!! It runs great when cold, but the water exhaust port (cooling water) sometimes emits steam... NOT GOOD... So we've been Babying the motor, until I could get a new impeller, or pump KIT. IT runs fine, BUT........................
So...that's a project in the making.
The water is gathering, as I type this, on the port side deck, and pouring into the mid-ship water tank, during these rains... (This morning I washed down the complete deck, and water catchment area....getting ready for the RAIN).
OK...enough for right now.