Lawrence / Rain / High winds / 52 degrees
05/24/2013, Brigantine Bay

Well we started to do a boat-style slide yesterday(Thursday) morning. Our anchor was dragging, so we pulled up the anchor in 20 knots of wind to relocate on the eastern side of Brigantine. We spent the remainder of the day whipping back and forth on the end of 110 feet of ground tackle while the winds wailed at up to 30 knots. We've had fun and yesterday was not fun. We were sure we would be spending the night awake, but the winds finally let up last night before they switched from South around to the West and finally the Northwest. We decided it would be best to shuffle back over to the Western side of the bay for the possible gale force winds headed this way for Saturday. We pulled up our anchor this morning and moved back to the West side of the bay a little further inside and somewhat protected by houses on shore. At present the winds are building out of the Northwest and we expect to spend a couple of uncomfortable days here on the water.
On a much brighter note Judy and Don from S/V Suite Endeavor came up to visit with family here in Brigantine and we were able to get off the boat to see them. We met Don's Father, went out to lunch, did a little sight-seeing and finished up with some grocery shopping. The wind and rain have increased since we got back, so it was nice we were able to get off the boat when we did. Thank you so much Judy and Don! We had a great time! We look forward to seeing you this Fall.
Fair winds & Smooth sailing,
Elaine & Lawrence S/V Elle & I

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Elaine/windy, foggy 64 degrees
05/23/2013, Brigantine Bay

Yesterday by afternoon it was warm and sunny and I was able to clean and polish all the vinyl inside and outside, It was lovely to be out in shorts again in the warmth of the sun. Spent a long night bouncing with the continual noise of the rigging with winds blowing a steady 17knots with higher gusts. At exactly 4:50 a.m. I awoke to a strange quiet. The bouncing had stopped and could barely tell we were moving. It was still windy but the foot high waves and chop had subsided to a ripple. Seemed that I was dreaming! Upon a check of the tides this morning I learned that the max flood tide was at 4:55 a.m. And thus the winds and tides were in sync and we were in a relatively quiet state. Shortly thereafter tides opposed winds and the whistling winds and whirring rigging commenced again. Wind and sea predictions are not favorable until Monday or Tuesday. Strong thunderstorms are predicted for this afternoon, yet the fog is still very thick and I can not see the buildings of Atlantic City. Once the sun burns everything off I am sure the heat will build and so too will the likelihood of storms! Wind is supposed to switch to the northwest beginning tomorrow through Sunday. Small craft warnings have been issued through tomorrow night as of now. I suspect they will be extended due to the northwest winds increasing in intensity. Hard to believe for those on land, but the continual "noise" is very tiring. Seems to just wear one down. Still a good time to work on baskets, knit and read. It is also hard to be within 4 travel days of our summer home in Catskill and know we will have been waiting here at least 9 days before we can move again. So close and yet so far!! I cooked ahead for this evening's dinner in case we are in thunderstorms - stuffed green peppers with burger, chorizo, rice and tomatoes. Topped with a Monterey Jack cheese. Just have to warm them up. Nice in a storm.

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Elaine; Cold, rain, misty
05/19/2013, Atlantic City, NJ

Today was a windy, wet day. Upon awakening the cloud cover was over the tops of the surrounding buildings and mist persisted throughout the day with the wind whirring through the rigging. Although you don't necessarily focus on it, it becomes very wearing. We spent the entire day below deck, L. Reading while I knit and worked on baskets. I also made macaroni and cheese, first making a nice bechamel sauce and browning panko for a topping, Fresh gruyere and aged cheddar made it a lovely warm dinner. Suddenly the wind stopped, Brigantine Bay was as smooth as a sheet of glass and it was QUIET! What a wonderful reprieve from the noise of the day. The fog that had encompassed us for so many hours began to lift as the southerly wind rose. Of course, along with the wind came the subtle whir of the rigging - however, now there was a bit of visibility and the 3 other boats anchored alongside us became visible. All in all, not a terrible day, but it still seems we will be here a while waiting for the ocean to calm and come to peace for our departure to Atlantic Highlands in Sandy
Hook, NJ. Tomorrow, a bit warmer and perhaps some time above deck!

Elaine
S/V Elle and I

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Lawrence / Over cast / 61degrees
05/18/2013, Brigantine Bay 39 23.35'N / 74 24.62'W

So how did we get from Chesapeake City to Atlantic City? Well, we motor- sailed both Friday (10 hours) and today (6 hours). It was either do that are sit for a week in Chesapeake City. We'd already had a 6 day stop in Portsmouth and a 5 day stop on Swan Creek. I decided we should bite the bullet and go for it! I made the right decision. We had two uneventful days travel and here we sit anchored in Brigantine Bay. Friday was only tough because we had to leave at 03:20 in the morning to catch the ebb tide on the Delaware Bay. So the 13.7 miles on the C&D canal from Chesapeake City to the Delaware Bay had to be done in darkness. We stopped Friday night and anchored in front of the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May. Pictured above are some of the recruits at the end of drill practice. This morning we left Cape May at 08:30 in order to hit Atlantic City at high tide. High tide made getting into Brigantine Bay a lot easier. We miss read one marker and got stuck going in, but we were able to back off. After that one miss step, we were fine. The anchorage is really well protected and much quieter than next to the casinos, which is good. We may be here for a while waiting for the right weather to do the 80 mile leg up to Atlantic Highlands near Sandy Hook.
Fair winds & Smooth sailing,
Elaine & Lawrence S/V Elle & I

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Lawrence
05/16/2013, C & D Canal 39 31.57'N / 75 48.49'W

We've been anchored on Swan Creek for 5 days waiting for the right weather to head out of the Chesapeake Bay into the C & D canal toward the Delaware Bay. Yesterday, Wednesday, 05/15/2013 we went grocery shopping and then got everything stowed for moving on the water. We stopped this morning at Gratitude Marina at the mouth of Swan Creek for fuel, water and a pumpout. By 09:45 we were on our way out of the creek and heading North. We should arrive at Chesapeake City sometime between 16:30 and 17:00. Sadly, it looks like we'll have to sit for another 4 or 5 days while we wait for the right weather for a trip South down the Delaware Bay to Cape May. We've been reading the forecasts every day and Tuesday now looks like the most likely day to head for Cape May, but we'll have to wait and see. Right now as we motor up the last part of the Chesapeake we have no wind and a tidal current pushing us along. I keep hoping the weather will be more helpful, but at this point we really are trying to be super careful about just when we get out on such large bodies of water. Anyway, it is good to be moving again. I'll up date our current position once we reach Chesapeake City. We're here safe and sound. We arrived at 16:00. Great time!!
Fair winds & Smooth sailing,
Elaine & Lawrence S/V Elle & I

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Lawrence
05/12/2013, Swan Creek

A short video of Swan Creek Mother's Day 2013.Video

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