10/28/2009, N36 44.9 W76 20.3
October 26, 2009 Monday
Day Thirty Two: Tidewater to Deep Creek Lock
We awoke around 7:00am, made coffee and started to carry out the day's tasks. We bid farewell to Mike and Jan aboard "Cat Lady" (she's the sailor and captain and he's the crew)! They helped with the docking lines and off we went.
Atlantic Marina is less than a half mile south on the river, however, the wind was picking up out of the east and we needed to enter their bulkhead going west (not good)! Needless to say Capt. Sid made an almost uneventful docking in order to "pump-out!" The dock hand was a competent and helpful young man. The wind carried "FIU" slightly into the dock and to keep my record clean, no paint was left on the dock anywhere. A $5.00 pump-out gave us a boost since we were not sure where the next service would be along the Intracoastal Waterway. This is truly an adventure since we are experiencing things for the first time.
Well, I wanted Bonnie to take on as much responsibility as she felt comfortable with and I have to say the day went well for her and our trip. We missed the "hard" right turn Mike reminded me about and we traveled a mile too far. No problem. We turned around and came back to the bridge and executed a "hard" left to enter a rather narrow channel though clearly marked. We were entering the "Dismal Swamp" Route 2 of the ICW. We could hear the traffic from the I64 highway for about a mile or more then things settled down to a rather quiet and comfortable speed of 6.2 knots on very flat water. What a pleasant afternoon. The issue of course, is if you have a "plan," expect some delays or other unexpected happenings. All of the cruisers I have met all repeat the same philosophy- it is not a race and the best "plan" is no plan. Add to that the weather makes the decision whether or not to sail that day! This is such a far cry from the daily hassles put before for most of our lives. I like this rather laid back lifestyle.
I guess I got carried away. The point I was going to make is by missing the turn and retracing our steps we burned up too much time and we missed the 1:30pm opening of the Deep Creek Lock by 35 minutes. What this meant was we didn't want to take the next opening at 3:30pm because it would not allow enough time to get to Elizabeth City before dark. So, we contacted the Lock tender and requested permission to anchor in the channel for the night and make the 8:30am opening on Tuesday. Bob, the tender, radioed back and insisted we anchor directly in the middle of the channel due to the large range of tidal water. Well guess what? I laid out 60 feet of chain and the water was only ten feet deep. No anchor dragging this night! Four other boats joined in and it was quite a sight to see the anchor lights and cabin lights in such a remote area.
Bonnie worked her magic in the kitchen again and after phone calls, reading and some planning for the next day we retired.
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10/27/2009, Tidewater Marina, Portsmouth
October 22-25, 2009 Thursday to Sunday
Days: Twenty Eight to Thirty One Tidewater Yacht Marina
Today was spent catching up on all those things that have been neglected due to the four days of cruising from Baltimore to Portsmouth-Norfolk area. You know things like paying bills online, cleaning, having my monthly blood drawn and sent to my doctor and restocking food supplies. The weather has been warm and sunny up to now but clouds and rain are in the forecast.
I spent some time reading and exploring the nearby city. I cooked my own meals. I even managed to make hot soup and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! Seriously, though, I made a pasta dish served with canned ham. I have no complaints about the meals I was able to prepare in large part due to Bonnie's comprehensive planning techniques! I did miss fresh fruit and greens. It is difficult to buy in large quantities and still keep them fresh. The apples from George and Matt were brought on board earlier in the trip and were a treat of sorts.
I promised Bonnie I would meet her at the Norfolk airport (it's always nice to be greeted after a long flight). The folks at Tidewater recommended Portside Taxi as a way of getting around the area. Bob and his wife Ellen have two cabs, one of which is a fairly new minivan and the other is a more traditional cab car. Bob has some kind of physical disability and uses his "Handicapped" sign to park close to all the doors of the places one needs to go to. He is thoughtful and kind. I went online looking for clinics or hospitals to have my blood drawn. When I called him he thought I would be better off at a hospital closer then the one I had chosen. I agreed. He said it would be faster and cheaper to stay in Portsmouth instead of fighting traffic going into Norfolk. While I went back to "FIU" to get the RX I forget he had called the other hospital and asked all the necessary questions. When I returned to the cab he explained what he had done and I thanked him for the info. He knew which door to enter, the desk I needed to stop at and of course that there was no wait. Viola'! He waited for me to finish and did not charge me for his time. I made up for some of it with the tip!
Friday came and went. I was excited to see Bonnie on Saturday returning from Denver and Bozeman and her "fantastic" visit with the one year old granddaughters! I'm jealous and I can't wait to see them as well. Bob met me at the gazebo near the marina and drove me to the airport to meet Bonnie. What a thoughtful and well-planned airport. It's fairly new and clean. I was taken back by the lack of New York style security! I could walk to Bonnie's gate! There were boutiques, coffee huts, news and magazine stores and of course the familiar souvenir shops! Most airport plans call for clear-cutting the trees in and around the airstrip. Norfolk however, kept the terminal surrounded by trees and a small pond or lake. The runways are of course tree free. Entering the airport terminal is like entering a park!
Plans had been made earlier with the couple (Mike and Jan) on a 30' catamaran in the next slip over from "FIU" to have a "painkiller" (a Caribbean rum drink- my specialty) when I returned with Bonnie. We enjoyed the conversation and exchanged sailing cards (business cards) then Bonnie and I walked a few blocks to the Blue Water Seafood Grill, just off High Street, for appetizers and a beer.
Sunday was spent topping off the diesel tank, filling a five gallon can with extra fuel, going over charts for the next day's journey, replenishing water in the tanks and settling in with new crew! I tried to get a "pump-out" but a huge mega-yacht was tied up and left no space for anyone else to use the service. So the only choice was to go the next marina down (Atlantic Yacht Marina) on Monday when we left for the next part of the trip.
Bonnie cooked a grilled cheese and ham sandwich for lunch and boneless pork chops and pasta in an Alfredo sauce for supper. Ah! Heaven!
A few phone calls and it was "day over."
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10/26/2009, N36 50.5 W76 17.9
October 21, 2009 Wednesday
Day 27: Tidewater Yacht Marina, Portsmouth, VA
John Ryan packed up after we had a hearty breakfast at the CAF�^ on High Street. The short walk along this business packed street was a great exercise after being on the boat for four days! We really tested "FIU" on the Chesapeake Bay last Saturday and Sunday. We also tested ourselves. The heavy weather sailing was an experience that ranged from sheer ecstasy to moments just short of sheer terror! I want to be careful not to overstate the sailing conditions, however, the two or three 10-12' troughs we were caught in for several seconds pushed more adrenalin through my system than the first time I met my wife of 38 years and that's saying alot! John was helpful and knowledgeable and I was sad to see him leave, but someone has to go to work everyday!
The Tidewater Marina has many amenities and a very knowledgeable and courteous staff. It's close to the Historic District of Portsmouth, VA. The self-guided walking tour was interesting and a wonderful way to pass some time while seeking out downtown stores and places to eat.
I gathered all the wet towels, dirty clothes and bed linen and proceeded to fill three large washers at $1.25 per load in the marina Laundromat. Again, I managed to even fold all the clothes neatly. After some time repacking my small closet of three shelves (3' x 2' total space) with clean clothes I decided to take the paddlewheel ferry across the river to Norfolk and the Waterside Mall.
I enjoyed the ferryboat ride and the Buffalo shrimp at the Waterside Mall.
Calls to Bonnie and friends completed my day.
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Becky
10/22/2009, Goodwin Islands to Portsmouth
October 20, 2009 Tuesday
Day 26: York River-Goodwin Islands to Portsmouth, VA
Another beautiful sailing day was in store for us as the sunrise shone on the bay under a blue sky. Wait! Scratch that. While it was a bright sunny day with few clouds it was not a great sailing day since the warm southerly winds were coming from dead ahead! We left the sails furled and motored down the last short stretch of the Chesapeake Bay to Norfork, about 30 miles.
As we approached the harbor channel we could see masts of sailboats in front of us and behind us. At any given time there were a dozen or more and we all had the same idea- get to the Intercoastal Waterway. As we funneled in from the bay into the channel the water was flat with little wind and not much large ship traffic. It was interesting to note that many of the sailboats were flying Canadian flags with a smaller US courtesy flag flying from the first spreaders. One Canadian sailboat was having engine trouble since black soot from unburned diesel was collecting on the dinghy hung at the stern and the entire transom was painted black as well! They cruised past us and didn't seem to notice or to be worried.
What a sight the "Battleship Row" is to see! Apparently, this is the largest fleet of US ships anywhere. All were protected by gunners at the bow behind machine guns. If I were to guess they were 50 caliber, powerful enough to make a small sailboat like "FIU" give them lots of leeway. In fact, it seemed like a prudent idea to float by on the far side of the channel! It is difficult for one to imagine just how large these aircraft carriers and destroyers truly are. Until I saw them firsthand I didn't realize their true size.
It was impressive to see the protection being offered the fleet. All ships had a heavy steel fence in front which seemed like an impenetrable barrier. Navy helicopters flew by from time to time, but I'm not sure they were part of the security or if they were ferrying Navy personnel to and from.
John enjoyed navigating using the Garmin GPS. It can be a toy for a "gadget" guy! But, it is almost irreplaceable from a practical sense. While John was at the helm I couldn't resist going forward to the bow and taking pictures and making phone calls to family and friends. All the very hard work to get here was more than worth the effort. The harbor here is large and clean, but most of all awesome!
A quick call to Tidewater Marina just past hospital point insured us a spot for the evening at the marina. The male voice responded with a spot at slip F 10. Coincidence or what - in Baltimore my slip was A 10. In any event it was a troublesome slip to enter since I needed to make two 90 degree turns in order to enter. I was glad I asked for help with the mooring lines. Again, however, I left all the paint on the boat and not on the dock!
Being across the river from Norfork was a treat, especially at night, when its skyline was lighted to the "Nth" degree! Registration, showers and dinner at the Blue Water Seafood Restaurant capped off a wonderful day!
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Chow! Pat
Safe travel out there.
10/22/2009, Potomic River to Goodwin Islands
October 19, 2009 Monday
Day 25: Potomic River to York River- Goodwin Islands
We awoke at sunrise which featured a bright orange horizon and crystal clear blue sky. Wasting time was not in the program for the day since a longer day was in order to balance yesterday's short travel time.
The conservative part of me insisted we reef the sails no matter what! In actuality, it was a wise decision since we were still facing 10-15 knot winds out in the bay with gusts much larger. The day was uneventful with clear sailing on the north and later northwest breezes. We were due a great sailing day after the heavy weather sailing of the previous two days.
One would be impressed with "FIU" and her ability to take on some large waves and handle the troughs. I never really doubted her abilities on the water. The sailing instruments have been most helpful. What does one do without a GPS? Dead reckoning is the answer and for many those map skills are gone if ever they were learned.
The entrance to the Goodwin Islands is extremely shallow and careful thought and consideration is necessary to anchor successfully in the narrow bay just off the channel. This part of the Chesapeake Bay is similar to the Hudson River while it seems wide open with plenty of depth it truly is not. Much of the water just outside the channel was only two feet deep at mean low tide. Basically, that's an average of two feet during the average low tide, but it could be less, which is why one needs to be vigilant.
Inside the narrow bay the water was "flat." I mean there was not one ripple! What a relief after the hard days previous. Also, anchoring became a sailor's dream. The water was seven feet deep so the 40 feet of chain I laid out was plenty of scope. Overkill is more like it. Go figure, it seems like from one extreme to the other.
Dinner, some TV and calls were the perfect end of this day.
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10/19/2009, Potomic River
October 18, 2009
Day 24: Solomon's Island to Potomic River
Weaving our way out of the mooring area through a narrow channel was easy this morning because we could see in the daylight. Last night was a challenge compared to today. Once out in the open water we raised the mainsail. I guess I was hopeful and not really thinking about the strong winds forecast for today. Instead of reefing I put up all the canvass. Soon we left the protection of the bay and the wind and waves were overwhelming! We struggled for four hours trying to keep "FIU" pointed in the right direction. Since the wind was a "following" wind or wind coming at us from behind, there is always the danger of jibbing or having the wind push the boom and sail to the opposite side of the ship with tremendous force capable of inflicting serious injury and damage. I decided to end the nightmare and put into the next bay for some relief and safety! The wind was steady at 20 knots with gusts up to 27 knots! Waves were steady at 6-8 feet with big guys measuring 10-12 feet high.
Even though we failed to cover much distance we were safe and "FIU" was not at risk of potential damage. Lunch was a hot one and we were able to dry out and feel good about being off the Chesapeake Bay. Since John has a family wedding in Alabama he needs to be in Norfolk for a Wednesday morning flight. There is some pressure to cover distance each day. We intend to get up early tomorrow in order to make up for the short day today. Lunch on the Potomic River sounds interesting but today is more of getting dry and eating some warm food.
The heater is working just fine. Boy, we were wet from head to toe! The inside of "FIU" has 100% humidity and all the windows were foggy and wet. An hour of running the heater took care of most of the excess moisture.
Calls home and to some friends, charting tomorrow's expected route then sleep were completed in that order.
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Did you bring a camera?
