29 Miles Hudgins Horn Harbor Marina - Old Point Comfort Marina, Fort Monroe, VA
Departure time 10:57 docked 3:14PM

Is Brooke having a stroke Susan wonders? More about that later.

Hey we finally got underway for our fall cruise. Wind had still been blowing out of the Northeast overnight but it was subsiding and turning to the Northwest but less than 10 knots. Great we leave about 11AM and all seems pretty good out on the Chesapeake headed south. Well until we get in the mouth of the York River. That is interesting waves are coming down the York hitting our starboard side and yet we still have following seas from the North. Liquid Therapy is fine with this confusion. But, still it’s odd. So, I’m on autopilot studying something on the chart plotter and feel the boat sink. Whoops bad choice of words for a boat. The boat moved downward and then slowly up. I gaze up from the computer to look through the WINDSHIELD. Yes, you should really look through the windshield while driving a boat. I look off the port side and can’t believe the long swells coming in from the ocean. Yes ocean swells can get into the Chesapeake right through the Bay Bridge Tunnel. As these swells pass under Liquid Therapy they head to the shore and I see lots of white water as they break on the shore. I’ve seen ocean swells make it all the way up to New Point Light but they are barely noticeable except for the long 8-9 second wave periods instead of the short chop the Chesapeake is famous for. So, Now Liquid Therapy has following seas from the NE broadside waves from the west and ocean swells from the east. Very interesting ride all the way until we make the turn into Hampton Roads around Old Point Comfort and get into the shelter of the land. But then the wind is blowing kind of hard right as we are getting ready to dock. ( Wind often picks up whenever Liquid Therapy docks. It’s the law. )

I call the dock master of the marina and ask for a stern in port side tie which works best for us getting on and off the boat. We get our slip assignment and I realize the tidal current will not be a factor as we are arriving at high tide. But, I’m not sure how the wind is going to play with our docking. I know it will be pushing port sideways a bit. I make my turn back in adjust back in and we are in the slip and the wind really is pushing the boat sideways. Susan doesn’t have a chance with the forward pilings. They are way too far out. I hate slips that are too big. The dock master gets our stern lines tied but we have no way to secure the bow from side to side movement. I come down from the flybridge to see what I can push off with. So, we get forward and aft spring lines so that helps some. But still I have NO WAY to do anything with the bow lines and the bow is getting blown into the boat next to us. No one seems to have a solution to the dilemma. I am bewildered. Not sure what to do. I just don’t see a solution and the boat keeps moving in the wind.

And, Susan is looking at me like I’ve had a stroke. Or, should I say Susan thought I might be having a stroke. No, my wheels are still spinning - like I’m on a two wheel bicycle with training wheels stuck over a mud puddle. Wow those were the days.

On the starboard side about midships there is a piling. I lasso that sucker and tie to the midship spring cleat. Hey it’s not a bow line, but it keeps the boat from crashing into the boat on our port side. And, finally I calm down and realize that for tonight that the mid ship spring cleats are going to substitute for bow lines.

We have a nice chat with the guy who owns the boat our bow kept getting attracted to. We catch our breath and mix a gin and tonic. Yes, people I drink sometimes. I don’t like to drink under stress as that leads to problems. But there certainly isn’t anything wrong with a cocktail, beer or glass of wine when you are in good spirits.

We phoned in dinner at the nice Deadrise restaurant. Seafood Mac& Cheese, steamed shrimp and a caesar salad. Donned our masks and had a nice walk to and from the restaurant. We certainly ate good tonight.

Today’s picture is The Chamberlin Hotel on Ft. Monroe as we passed by.