This is our third time hauling Dagny at Herrington Harbour and we continue to be impressed with their service. The one thing that takes getting used to is their haulout schedule, they won't guarantee an actual date your boat will be hauled they just guarantee it will be hauled during a certain week. We were scheduled to haul the week of the 28th so our Friday arrival gave us ample time to get a jump on giving Dagny a thorough cleaning inside and out. Spring launch was in full swing as the marina's 5 travel lifts worked non stop clearing the parking lot after a long winter. Our hope was to be hauled sometime Tuesday; however, in the meantime we took full advantage of the free dock, water and electricity.

We were pleasantly surprised at 8:30 Tuesday morning by the yard crew knocking on the hull asking if we were ready to go. We quickly finished breakfast as the tug moved us to the travel lift and by 9:30 Dagny was safely on the hard. The last big job for me to do was wash and polish the hull while Bev did numerous loads of laundry. Although a dark coloured hull may look good the reality is they're hard to keep clean. The salt water spray gets baked on in the hot sun and the best way to get it off is with vinegar. I found some extra strength vinegar and at the risk of smelling like French fries set about washing and polishing. All in all we had 4 very productive days and by the time we were ready to head home Dagny was all set for the next leg of our journey.

So what worked and what didn't? Our new water maker was a game changer for us. It certainly saved tired backs from hauling Jerry cans around but the real bonus was the freedom it gave us to go wherever we wanted and to stay as long as we wanted. Obviously by looking at the picture the anti fouling did it's job, the hull wasn't even rinsed off when we came out of the water. Our new and slightly smaller genoa preformed better then expected as Dagny left lots of boats her size and bigger in her wake. Our to do list is relatively short this year, I removed the heat exchanger and left it to be cleaned and pressure tested. We had a couple of electrical gremlins which we managed to solve with input from a couple of friends although I still need to solve a solar panel issue. The pump for the head needs a service kit; fortunately, I have a spare at home that I can prepare. We also had some issues with the macerator pump, although I don't believe it's a pump issue but a depositor issue.

What's next, we splash Dagny late in June and head to Nova Scotia and hopefully get to spend a couple of weeks in Newfoundland.

Today's picture is of Dagny ready for a well deserved break.

The plan for Easter weekend was to head 50 miles north to Fishing Bay where we could spend our last couple of days together before going our separate ways. WhiteBird, who had returned home to the Rapponoc River a month ago would also join us for the festivities. The relatively strong south winds that were forecasted for the weekend promised great sailing conditions. The original plan was to leave early Saturday morning to get through a construction area on the Elizabeth River before daily delays were imposed. However, we discovered it is never wise for 6 people to try to analyze numerous weather forecasts after a rowdy evening of games. Needless to say we missed a great sailing day and although Bev and I still had a week to go before haulout we didn't want to get stuck in Norfolk for 5 days.

Sunday's forecast promised a sporty ride up the Chesapeake in breezy conditions and as we cast off at 6:45 we were kicking ourselves for not having left on Saturday. But, you can't live in the past so we just had to make the best of the conditions on the Bay. As we pounded our way down the Elizabeth River and through battleship row the swirling winds had us doubting the forecast that promised southerly winds. However, once we cleared the harbour and all the obstacles that were affecting the true wind direction things settled down and we were off. With a single reef in the main and nearly full genny Dagny dug into the 20 -28 knot breeze as we streaked north, at times well over 8 knots. With the delays caused by bridge construction in Norfolk we figured we would do well to arrive by 6 p.m.; however, we rode the strong southerly's all day and rolled into the anchorage at 4 p.m.

As the boats gently swung at anchor in the setting sun the crews of Dagny, White Bird, 2 Outrageous and Sandbox shared memories and toasted our special friendships. Over the next couple of days we said our goodbyes as each boat went it's separate way until just Bev and I were alone to enjoy the last few miles of our trip. We chose Mill Creek in the Solomons for our final anchorage, this well protected spot is one of our favourites on the Chesapeake. Flat water greeted us Friday morning as we headed out onto Chesapeake Bay for the 25 mile trip to Herrington Harbour, it was a relaxing morning as we lingered over coffee while reflecting on another successful trip. The excellent marina staff had us safely in our slip by mid afternoon allowing us time to get started on giving Dagny a well deserved cleaning.

Today's picture is of an Osprey nest in Mill Creek.

Today's bonus picture is of 2 Outrageous on the Alligator River.

Our 2 day stay in Wrightsville Beach gave us a chance recharge our batteries and make plans for the final 200 mile push up the ICW from Beaufort to Norfolk VA. Although we try hard to avoid the ICW south of Beaufort NC, we do enjoy most of this scenic section from Beaufort north. Unlike sections to the south where shoals, strong currents at ocean inlets, and notorious shallow areas are the norm this last section is more user friendly. Instead of having to navigate narrow twisting channels all day the wide rivers and sounds can offer great sailing conditions on certain days. For the most part this area of rural North Carolina is sparsely populated however, there are a few towns along the way that are amongst the most cruiser friendly towns anywhere.

The 4 day push started with a short 65 mile jump off shore to the Beaufort inlet, the sun was rising as we set our sails in a steady 14 knot breeze. Conditions were ideal for the first 5 hours but as the winds faded we elected to motor sail the rest of the way. Despite the lack of wind we made better progress than expected and managed to ride a fading flood tide through Beaufort and into Adam's Creek. By days end we had travelled 85 miles and were officially on the home stretch of the ICW.

Over the next 2 days we covered 110 miles and with the wind gods on our side we sailed 90 % of it. Sailing conditions were fantastic, we transited Pamlico Sound, the Nuese river and Abamerle Sound in record time. White caps covered the water as we rocketed up the Alligator River in a 25 knot breeze and Dagny was loving it. As the breeze started to drop we shook the reef out of the main and Dagny led the floatilla across Abamerle sound to our Buck island anchorage. As we exited Abamerle Sound we were catching up to a tug pushing a barge and that's when tragedy struck. It was still blowing over 15 knots and as I leaned out to check on a channel mark my pink Etchells hat blew off, that's right Eddy, it's gone! We couldn't turn around nor could the boats behind try and rescue it in the rough water. Sadly it sank from view.

Our final day was a relatively short 38 mile run to Great Bridge where we'll take a day off and enjoy this historic stop. There was a battle here in the war of Independence, the waterfront park has numerous displays, a nice museum, and several hiking trails. Transients boaters are permitted 2 free nights at the well maintained town dock. With Chesapeake Bay only 10 miles away the day off was spent hanging around with a few other boats. We spoiled ourselves with Chinese food delivered to the boats while the marbles games kept us entertained well into the evening.

Today's picture is of Dagny enjoying the breeze.

The first order of business on Sunday morning was to clear customs and take down the Q flag. The CBP roam app is a great tool for sailors to clear customs and usually includes a video call to confirm all the details. However, we were asked to proceed to Charleston for our final clearance which meant we weren't allowed off the boat until we were cleared. The strong north winds had filled in, as forecasted, as we set off in adverse current for the 65 mile slog to Charleston. As the day wore on it was obvious we couldn't make it all the way but we did manage to find a great creek to anchor in for the night. It's mandatory to be at a dock for Customs to visit the boat so we made arrangements to tie up for a couple of hours rather than pay for a whole day. We timed the current and bridge correctly in the dreaded Elliot Cut and arrived at 10:00. Unfortunately, by the time we were ready to leave the forecasted strong east winds had us pinned to the dock and we couldn't leave without causing damage. We wisely decided to stay put as the wind increased to a constant 30 knots with gusts to 40. It took 5 people to push Dagny away from the dock so we could put in extra fenders to protect her for the night. This delay was really a blessing in disguise, we took time to relax, get a load of groceries and enjoy a meal ashore. Through it all Dagny rode out the wind and waves without an issue, although at a very pronounced heel.

Larry had agreed to spend a week to 10 days with us for the push north so we wanted to get in as many miles as we could. With strong offshore winds forecasted for the next few days we decided to push hard up the ditch. Timing is everything on the ICW, either to miss low tides or meet bridge restrictions, and Tuesday was no exception. We were off the dock at 5a.m. in order to clear a bridge before morning rush hour restrictions took effect plus this allowed us to transit a notorious shallow section at high tide. Over the next 3 days Larry certainly got an initiation of travel on the ICW. Up early, motor or motor sail all day while constantly checking charts for shoaling, dinner, watch Jeopardy and early to bed.

After 3 long productive days we arrived in Wrightsville Beach and were delighted to be greeted by our friends on Sandbox. But as often happens great plans go awry, Larry's Friday's flight home was delayed 3 times before it was finally cancelled and rebooked for the next day. It was a cold dark dinghy ride at 4 a.m. to take him ashore but thankfully his Uber was waiting for him.

Today's picture is of barge traffic on the ICW, and we think the channel is narrow sometimes.

Today’s bonus picture is of Larry keeping watch on the midnight shift. Notice the custom Yuengling wind deflector for the BBQ, careful research has found they last longer than a Cheerios box.