Washington Bound

PM's Perspective

The 1st of October greeted us with fair skies and an irresistible warmth, a perfect day to start our meandering toward Washington, DC.  Our goal was to tie up to the Gangplank Marina in Washington several days before Thursday, October 9 when we were to take the 6:00 AM train to New York City for Phil and Bettina's wedding. The destination the first leg of this trip was Solomons Island at the mouth of the Patuxent River just north of the entrance to the Potomac River.  We pulled away from the Oxford Boatyard dock at a leisurely 11:00 AM carefully making our way through the marked channel around fish traps and crab pots and into Chesapeake Bay proper.  After five very short hours enjoying the natural beauty and wildlife of the Chesapeake as we cruised, we landed at Zahnizer's Marina.

We calculated the cruising days between Oxford and Washington, DC at four and we gave ourselves seven leaving a few days' wiggle room for weather issues and serendipity in the event we found an area we wanted to explore.  Solomons Island was one of those places.  Connected to the mainland by only one bridge, the town has no through traffic, an unhurried pace, is very welcoming to mariners, and an ideal area for exploring by bicycle. In addition, the Calvert Marine Museum provides a multi-faceted approach to the uniqueness of Chesapeake Bay and is not to be missed by anyone at all interested in this type of information.  The most intriguing aspects of the museum for me were the

Drum Point Lighthouse

Boats of the Bay exhibit as well as the octagonal Drum Point Lighthouse that dominates the waterfront of the museum.  The lighthouse, one of only three surviving Chesapeake Bay screw-pile lighthouses, was moved from Drum Point at the mouth of the Patuxent River to the museum in 1974.  Originally installed at Drum Point in 1882, the lighthouse was fabricated off-site and took 30-days to construct the eight footings and assemble the pre-fabricated components of the lighthouse proper.  The lighthouse includes not only the beacon, located at the very top of the lighthouse, to warn mariners of the shoals at Drum Point but also includes living quarters for the keeper and his family on the lower two levels.  The octagonal shape of the structure created some interesting design challenges.  The center of the lighthouse contains a circular stairwell to all three enclosed levels and all rooms have at least two ingress/egress doors.

After two days we bid farewell to Solomons Island heading south to the mouth of the Potomac River, then northwest toward the capital.  Marinas are relatively sparse in the lower Potomac, so this travel day was lengthy.  The most logical waypoint was Cobb's Island where we had a choice of two marinas.  I, being the more miserly of the two of us, chose the less expensive one.  We called ahead and made a reservation.  As we approached, we tried hailing the marina on the radio but got no response at all.  The closer we came, the more disheartening the scene.  The marina sign was faded and askew, and the fixed docks and pilings were in disrepair and covered with copious amounts of seagull poop.  Another bad sign was the low number of vessels, many of which were in the same condition as the rest of the facility, tied up to the docks.  A short distance from the docks was a commercial building (in similar condition as the docks and boats) containing a restaurant specializing in fried fare and a general store with dust covered merchandise.  We tied Velomer up on the dock closest to the shore trying to avoid the guano as much as possible (it wasn't possible) and went into the store to inquire where we should dock, who we should pay, where the showers were and the like. The woman behind the counter told Bob she didn't know how to use the radio so she doesn't even turn it on when she is working.  That explained why we couldn't hail the marina.  As anticipated, the showers mirrored the rest of the facility in terms of the overall upkeep.  This being said, there is a silver lining to this place.  The restaurant bar had ice-cold Pinot Grigio and wonderful welcoming patrons, and the showers had the best water pressure we have experienced on the east coast (which was slightly offset by the fact that the drain was very slow).

That night was wet and very windy.  We had to get up at 3:00 AM to retie the boat to the pilings as we are still learning how to best tie up to fixed docks.  Needless to say, we left at first light and were happy to be on our way.  Not to be a negative Nellie, whenever Bob and I refer to this particular marina we say "that marina with the great water pressure."

As Washington, DC is approximately 70 nm from Cobb's Island and more than one day's comfortable cruise for Velomer, we decided to find a marina less than 30 nm from Washington.  Again, marinas are relatively sparse in this area, so our one option was Hampton Marina in Woodbridge, VA.  Most boats would anchor on this portion of the Potomac as many good anchorage spots exist.  However, we had a very bad anchoring experience the first year we owned Velomer and have been extremely reluctant to anchor since.  The three times we have anchored in the past three years, Bob has not slept as he gets up to make sure the boat hasn't dragged.

Access to Hampton Marina is via a very narrow, shallow channel and all vessels must pass under a fixed railroad bridge which eliminates most masted sailboats.  The wind is the primary determinant of water depth in the Potomac River, more than tide and current and phase of the moon.  When the wind is from the southeast, it pushes the water northwest and the water levels in the Potomac tend to be higher.  When the wind is from the opposite direction, water levels tend to be lower.  With a four foot draft and Bob's piloting skills, Velomer was able to negotiate the channel with relative ease.  Our slip assignment was at a dock within a boat garage.  Hampton Marina was the opposite of the prior night's facility much to our delight.  Our only concern was water depth.  The next morning Bob noticed that water depth was falling due to tidal action as well as a full moon and that if we were to depart we had to depart sooner than later.  We left with 0.2 feet of water under our keel (much too low for comfort) and kicked up a great deal of mud as we left the slip but made it to center channel without going aground.  Phew!

View from Velomer at Gangplank!

Approaching Washington, DC from the water is a very different experience than any other means of transport.  Cruising the 25 nm from Woodbridge to Washington took us past Mt. Vernon and Fort Washington.  Around the bend from Fort Washington, the capital dome and Washington Monument came into view.  Our excitement intensified as we tried to identify various landmarks. Within three hours we were safely docked at Gangplank Marina on floating docks, our preferred situation. Best of all, we had a view of the Washington Monument from our fly bridge.  Washington is a tourist's paradise -- so much to see and experience, so much is free and reasonably priced. The city is very walkable and bikable.  The icing on the cake was the welcoming live aboard community at the Gangplank Marina and helpfulness of the marina staff.  We played in Washington for the next several days and prepared for our trip to New York.

The Good Life Continues

PM's Perspective -- Now for Something Completely Different!

The good life has been so fine that this blog has taken a back seat!  After Baltimore's star spangled spectacular we headed back to Oxford Boatyard where we docked Velomer for a time, rented a car, and headed to Jamestown, RI where we met up with Captain Erik Larsson to help sail the vessel Swiftwater, a 39' Najad, to Norfolk, VA.  The offshore journey was to be my first trip well outside the sight of land and beyond cell phone coverage.  I wasn't sure how I would emotionally respond to the situation but was ready to take the leap.  We arrived in Jamestown on Monday, September 22 with a planned boat departure on Wednesday when the fourth crew member arrived from Colorado.

The next two days were spent provisioning supplies including food, water, fuel, spare parts, tools, gadgets and the like.  The galley had very limited staples.  Salt, pepper, basic spices, flour, can opener, wooden spoons and the essential cork screw all needed to be purchased and stowed on board. I gladly assumed the food provisioning while Bob and Erik focused on the mechanical and electrical aspects of the preparation process. By Wednesday when Andraya arrived, we were ready to roll.  However, the weather was very uncooperative.  Howling wind and uncomfortably choppy seas kept Swiftwater firmly tied to the mooring pennant.  By Friday afternoon the skies cleared enough to make the passage to Block Island, a three hour sail to the south, where we picked up one of the many public moorings available for a reasonable fee.

Bob at Ferry Landing on Block Island

We arrived early enough to walk into town and see the aftermath of the summer season on the area. Many storefronts were closed until the next season, some were opened for another week with limited steeply discounted merchandise, and a few others stayed open year-round catering mainly to the full time residents.  The few tourists on the island enjoyed the less than crowded sidewalks and the shopkeepers donned an apparent attitude of sweet relief that the peak season ended with the Labor Day weekend.  While in town we bought some wine and chocolate to round out our provisioning.  After all, we were to be offshore for at least two full days!

Captain Erik Larsson aboard Swiftwater

Just before dawn we motored out through the inner harbor cut and were treated to a promising sunrise.  The wind was too calm to sail -- a perfect situation for my first offshore stint.  The weather was totally delightful the entire day -- a warm sun, not too hot, a very mild breeze, cloudless sky, mirror like water.  These ideal conditions were punctuated by the occasional pod of dolphins breaking the surface in the distance and bait balls just off the bow. With a crew of four, we divided up the watches for the trip.  Everyone was on during the day from 9 AM to 6 PM.  From 6 PM to 3 AM Erik and Andraya were on watch and from 3 AM to 9 AM Bob and I were on watch.  This schedule worked well for all of us.  The younger crew were much better at staying up late, and the older mariners were much better at getting up early!

Sunrise aboard Swiftwater

Three events stand out providing lasting memories of this particular journey.  The most notable was the bioluminescence, the emission of light by living organisms through chemical reactions, caused by the algae Noctiluca scintillans in the ocean whenever the water is disturbed.  This is primarily a colder clime phenomena.  Due to the motion of the boat through the water, the bioluminescence accentuated Swiftwater's wake on the sides and to the rear of the vessel.  It was magical to stare down into the water and watch as the waves lit up and faded as the boat moved past.  Second was the nighttime sky totally undiluted by city lights.  The milky way was clearly discernible as were the constellations, the big dipper, little dipper and North Star.  The third was the sighting of several dozen solo leatherback turtles sunning themselves at water's surface on our second day out.  They first appeared as floating barrels on the surface, but when we got closer, they would extend their heads up to see what was approaching and then quickly dove down to escape our scrutiny.

We powered into Norfolk Harbor safe and sound on Monday afternoon, September 29.  With Swiftwater safely docked at the marina where she will stay for the next several weeks, we headed northerly by rental car back to Oxford Boatyard and Velomer. We spent the next several days decompressing by doing laundry, restocking the larder on Velomer, enjoying the dock community and the company of fellow cruisers/sailors, biking to St. Michael's, and generally getting organized to head for Washington, DC by boat where we will leave Velomer while we travel to New York for Phil and Bettina's wedding.

The fact that I could not see land or get cell phone reception these few offshore days was quite freeing.  I had the utmost faith in the rest of the crew, particularly the captain who instilled a great deal of confidence, and I knew the boat was safe and seaworthy.  The idyllic weather was a big plus.  This is all giving me the confidence as well as desire to venture to the Bahamas, something that Bob really wants to do this January or February.  Time will tell.  Stay tuned!

Oh Say Can You See -- The Star Spangled Spectacular

PM's Perspective

Back in early August we learned that 2014 was the 200th anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner and to celebrate, the city of Baltimore was having a blow out celebration high lighted by an incomparable fireworks display on Saturday, September 13th.  Anticipating that we would be in Chesapeake Bay about that time we decided to attend the fete.  Bob and I called every marina in the area only to hear laughter at the other end saying the marina has been fully booked for months.  We asked to be put on the waiting list and were told we were at least the 40th in line, so we pretty much gave up on the idea.  Then, on Monday September 8th, we received a call from the Baltimore Marine Centers at Lighthouse Point saying they had a slip and did we want to reserve it for the minimum stay of three days.  Absolutely!  This particular marina is directly across the harbor from Fort McHenry where the Battle of Baltimore took place that inspired the writing of our national anthem,

At that point, we were getting ready to drive back to Maine on business but figured we could return on Friday, cruise to Baltimore leaving early in the morning on Saturday and arrive in time for the fireworks extravaganza that night.  On Tuesday, we drove to Maine, took care of business, and returned to Velomer Friday afternoon to prepare for a Saturday morning departure.  The weather reports were a bit sketchy with a forecast of rain most of the day.  This was the first time we needed to be someplace on a specific day via boat.  Usually, we would not travel on such a rainy day, but Baltimore beckoned.  Due to the flight show by the Blue Angels, Baltimore Harbor was closed between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM on Saturday, so we scheduled our departure for 9:30 AM which would get us to the Harbor just as the restrictions were lifted.

The water was eerily calm.  The sky was darkening.  I thought, maybe even prayed, "I don't mind getting wet, but I would prefer not to get fried! Please don't let there be lightning!"  The rain started about an hour out of Oxford.  Fortunately, the seas remained calm despite the rain.  We rounded Tilghman Island, cruised up the bay and under the Bay Bridge.  The rain was lessening, and we could even see patches of blue sky above.  By the time we came to the entrance of Baltimore Harbor  the rain had stopped.  We could even see several of the Blue Angels in formation as they flew overhead.  At 4:20 PM the Coast Guard collapsed the restrictions on outgoing boat traffic and half hour later all restrictions were lifted.  Bob handily helmed Velomer under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, through busy harbor boat traffic, and once again expertly maneuvered Velomer into slip J8 at Lighthouse Marina.  Velomer was safely docked well before dark.

We had made plans for our long time friend Susan Williams to spend the next several days with us beginning with dinner on the boat and fireworks viewing.   Susan was driving up from Virginia and was unable to get to the marina before city streets were blocked to traffic to ensure security.  As darkness descended the excitement of the crowd at the marina became palpable with anticipation.  Shortly after 9:30 PM the first rocket was fired -- a brilliant red star burst followed by many others.  Baltimore City really outdid any fireworks I have ever seen.  The city had four barges strategically located throughout the harbor each setting off simultaneous identical displays, 90,000 rockets total in all.  The firework displays included a replica of the American flag of 1814 and the letters USA -- amazing accomplishments for fireworks, indeed. The noise was deafening and gave me pause as to what the sound of battle must be like.

The city really knows how to celebrate.  Activities were scheduled throughout the week throughout the city.  Multiple tall ships and war ships from US allies were in the harbor and available to tour.  Museums had special exhibits.  Fort McHenry, now a national park with a museum dedicated to the Star Spangled Banner, was the centerpiece of festivities.  On Sunday, Bob, Susan and I took the water taxi to the fort and fell in with a guided tour about the War of 1812, the burning of Washington DC, and the Battle of Baltimore which took place over a 25 hour period September 13-14, 1814.  The British sent a fleet of warships to capture Baltimore which from the British point of view was a den of pirates that disrupted British merchant ships.  The Americans honored these so-called pirates as privateers that aided the war effort.  The British had superior fire power and weaponry that included rockets that didn't do a great deal of damage but created a great deal of fear and trepidation from the deafening sound and red glare.  The Americans fought back as best they could with French made cannons fired from the ramparts of the fort.  The American cannon balls could travel about 1.5 miles, but the British cannons could shoot 2 miles.

The 1814 American flag at Fort McHenry in Baltimore

Francis Scott Key who penned the Star Spangled Banner was an American lawyer on a ship in the harbor engaged in working out a prisoner swap when the battle began.  He watched from his ship all day on the 13th and that night not knowing who was winning the battle.  After all, this was in the days before cell phones and You-tube.  On the morning of the 14th he awaited the raising of the flag at Fort McHenry to see which flag was raised -- British or American.  To his delight and amazement, a huge American flag was raised.  At the end of our guided tour, we got to roll out a flag that is a replica of the original 30' by 42' flag that was raised that day.  It actually was a very moving moment.

At the end of the tour, we saw a huge crowd congregating on the fort grounds and decided to investigate.  We had inadvertently stumbled upon the gathering to watch the second day of the Blue Angels air show and helicopter rescue demonstrations.  Another serendipitous spectacular!  The following day we toured the Argyle, a British drug busting ship equipped with two helicopters and boarding speed boats.  Our visit continued with a trip to the National Aquarium on the Baltimore waterfront.

Baltimore Fire Boat

The week long celebration ended on Tuesday with the departure of the ships.  As each of the major war ships passed by Fort McHenry, a cannon was fired in salute.  At the end of the departures, the city's fire boat spouted in honor of the departing flotilla. We stayed another three days at the Inner Harbor Marina enjoying a visit with Ed and Carol Jackson and seeing what there is to see in beautiful downtown Baltimore.

Baltimore is my kind of place -- vibrant, wonderful public spaces, an active waterfront, inner city residences and neighborhoods, public transportation (much of it free), some wonderful museums (I highly recommend the Museum of Visionary Art which displays works by self-taught artists).  I definitely want to spend more time here.

Chesapeake Bay At Long Last!

PM's Perspective

In the weeks before we actually left on our current adventure, Bob and I would discuss our anticipated schedule.  We both thought for sure that we would cruise into Chesapeake Bay by mid August and here it was August 29, the start of the Labor Day weekend ending the summer, and we have only made it as far as Atlantic City!  Expectations can be a dangerous thing in life, particularly on a boat, so we have adopted the attitude of Alfred E. Newman of Mad Magazine fame of, "What, me worry?"  We have a general plan and we are moving forward!  So what if we aren't where we thought we would be?

Having no regrets about leaving Atlantic City after two nights and one full day in the Las Vegas of the east, we motored through the channel of Absecon Inlet and into the open ocean.  Sun flickered off the gilded onion top domes of Trump's Taj Mahal as we bid good riddance to this fair city.  I just don't get the attraction of the gambling lifestyle.  The six hour, 38 nautical mile trip to South Jersey Marina in Cape May went delightfully uneventfully.  Bob skillfully glided Velomer's stern into our slip where we stayed for Friday and Saturday nights.  During the day on Saturday we biked into town to get a taste of the flavor of Cape May and to re-provision at Acme supermarket right in downtown.  It was a typical tourist-town-at-the-height-of-the-Labor-Day-weekend event with heavy traffic and wall-to-wall people, not my idea of a good time.  On our return trip next spring as we start the Great Loop, I will make a point to revisit this charming town when less traffic is afoot.

On Sunday, we awoke early and got underway shortly after dawn on our journey heading north up Delaware Bay toward Delaware City on the east side of the C&D Canal, our gateway to Chesapeake Bay.  Dawn on the water is magical.  The rising sun kisses your face, the birds greet the day, and the surface of the water mirrors the sky above.  This Sunday was no different.  As we progressed, the day got cloudy and haze decreased visibility so that land disappeared from sight.  I initially found this a bit unsettling but was confident that the land was still there.  A few presses on the zoom-out button on the GPS unit confirmed my belief.  Seven hours and 54 nautical miles later, we maneuvered onto the face dock at Delaware City Marina expertly guided by the capable directions of Tim, the dock master who intimately knows the tricky tides and currents that haunt his docks.

We spent the next two full days and three nights in Delaware City enjoying the local flavor including the crab imperial at Crabby Dick's restaurant which I wasn't particularly fond of (why ruin perfectly fine crab with breadcrumbs and cheese?),  Cordelia's Bakery serving the best chicken salad imaginable, reading up on the history of Pea Patch Island, visiting the old C&D Canal and catching up on laundry.  Delaware City's reason for existence was the construction of the original C&D Canal which began in fits and starts and was finally completed in 1829 at the astronomical cost at the time of $3.5 million.  The purpose of the canal was to shorten the travel distance between Chesapeake Bay and the city of Philadelphia by some 300 miles.  The original canal, privately constructed, was 14 miles long, 10 feet deep and 66 feet wide and included four locks.  Teams of mules and horses provided the power to tow freight and passengers.  Steamships replaced the mules and horses.  In 1919, the canal was purchased by the federal government.  In the mid 1920s, the eastern entrance to the canal was moved from Delaware City to Reedy Point, its current location.  Delaware City has never quite regained the predominance it once enjoyed as the eastern terminus of the canal.  Over the years, the canal was been widened, deepened and otherwise improved to its current 450 feet wide and 35 feet deep, plenty of berth for passing barges and Velomer.

Blue bridge over the C&D Canal

Tim was extremely helpful with information on places to visit and marinas to stay while cruising in the Chesapeake.  We felt ready to roll.  On Wednesday, September 3, we planned to leave at 7 AM during slack tide to broach the C&D Canal and finally enter Chesapeake Bay.  The day before, Tim said he would be at the dock to help us shove off.  Sure enough, Tim came by a little after 7 AM to untie our lines as we bade farewell to Delaware City.  We glided out of the old canal into the Delaware River heading for Reedy Point where we entered the breakwater to the canal.  I took the helm and headed west toward the Chesapeake.  Commercial traffic was almost non-existent as this was Labor Day weekend.  The most memorable event was passing under the blue bridge that spans the canal near the Delaware-Maryland border.  As we neared the western terminus of the canal at Chesapeake City in Maryland both Bob and I felt a sense of accomplishment.

Ospreys nesting on channel markers

We eased Velomer into the mouth of the Elk River at the head of Chesapeake Bay.  We made it!  Several things have impressed us about the Chesapeake.  First is how shallow the upper bay area is.  We have had to be very vigilant about staying within the marked channels as any major deviation could send us aground.  Second is the abundance of bird life.  Almost every channel marker is a nesting ground for osprey.  Long necked blue herons fly overhead and feed on the river banks.  A wide variety of ducks and gulls grace the waters.

We have spent the last two weeks exploring the eastern shore of the bay spending time in Georgetown on the Sassafras River, Rock Hall on the Swan River and Oxford on the Tred Avon River interrupted by a trip back to Maine on business.  We could easily spend months exploring the nooks and crannies of this wonderful area.  We look forward to more exploration.

Smooth Cruising to Baltimore

 Bob's View:

As we slowly made our way east passing Sandy Hook at the entrance to New York Harbor and then south to Cape May, I began to realize I had been worried unnecessarily about the passage along the New Jersey Coast.  I calculated it would take us three days of off shore cruising down a coast with very limited access to safe harbors and I also was acutely aware that the entire cost would be a lee shore as the prevailing seas were always on shore.  What I did not know was how shallow the sea was along this 150 mile stretch.  We were 2-3 miles offshore the entire way and saw 12-40 foot depths.  We had waited for a weather window and when Wind Alert, the website we like to show predicted winds and wave heights, showed seas of less than 2 feet and winds out of the south less than 10 knots, we made the commitment to transit this forbidding coastline.  The seas were relatively calm for the days we cruised south along the coast.  The sea life was a surprise, as we were surrounded by schools of baitfish, myriad seabirds circling and follow us, breaching humpback whales off our port quarter bow, dolphin gamboling around us and some very large fish swimming just below the surface off our bow at times.  And while we did experience some periods of 2-3 foot seas , the passage along this homogeneous (and boring) portion of New Jersey was for the most part a gentle ride.  The courses we had charted each day over 3 days varied from 45 miles to 55 miles, however one day we did log over 65 miles due to an unfortunate and never to be repeated decision to plot our course after several rum and tonics, ooops! 

Day one was an exit from New York Harbor, into new water for us, past the iconic Manhattan skyline at dawn, the majestic statue of Liberty and passing several very large tankers entering the harbor.  They stayed on their side of the channel and we stayed on ours.  Sandy Hook is about 10 miles from Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City (its still in New Jersey, PM) where we had stayed a few days to visit New York, catch up with Bob and Essie Schlegel, our son's soon to be official in-laws (he's been 12 years with an unofficial status but a glowing friendship), and enjoying, under Essie's exceptional tutelage, the unique flavors and nuances of Cuban food while planning a never to be forgotten wedding event.  We took the fastest cab ride of my life, hitting over 50 MPH on city streets, to meet with Essie and Bob at Victor's Café on 57'th street in The City for a memorable evening. 

VELOMER's Perkins engine hummed smoothly along at a cruising speed of 1625 RPMs for days on end as we made for Cape May and a turn west along a short canal and then north into Delaware Bay towards the entrance of the C & D Canal, which would finally get VELOMER into Chesapeake Bay.  I still do an engine room check about an hour after starting the engine each day and again every few hours to confirm fuel pressure within norms at the Racor filter, confirm charging voltage by the alternator on the smart charge panel and spot check temperatures at various places on the engine and alternator.  The alternator belt is just a bit too large and as the new one I put on in Connecticut wears, the tension changes due to wear and it has a tendency to slip, causing an uncomfortably loud squeal and allowing the temperature of the unit to rise.   The Balmar Marine Alternator is extremely well suited for marine use and is designed to cool the unit as the belt spins the blades, but if the belt slips, the cooling effect is diminished.  As the temperature of the alternator rises, the efficiency of the charging circuits change and at around 140 degrees the unit stops charging to protect its circuitry.  I have solved this issue temporarily with Belt Ease as the spray increases the stickiness of the belt and prevents the slippage  I also discovered the first time I used this spray while the engine was running so the stream of Belt Ease was atomized throughout the engine room atmosphere, that the smoke detector in the engine room senses the chemical odor or the mist in the air and activates a loud alarm to warn of fire.  Another lesson learned and I now detach the smoke alarm for a few minutes if I use the spray on the belt while underway. The better solution of course is to change the belt to a smaller one that will allow me to tighten it to a greater tension.  The one currently on the unit is so long that the maximum adjustment for tension is just barely enough to remove enough slack.  I will wait for this belt to stretch a bit and when the Belt Ease solution no longer solves the issue will make the change to the smaller belt.  I also have discovered that if I do not run the inverter while underway the demand on the alternator seems to be such that the belt does not slip. 

Finding out about the systems on VELOMER has been a learning curve.  PM and I  are getting to know all the ways things can fail or need adjustment.  From heads to alternator belts, to maintenance and routine cleaning of sump drains, thru hull screens, pulleys, fenders, hull and deck, standing and running rigging, bright work, ball valves, sump pumps, water lines, fueling, pump outs, dockage, setting fenders for the various docking options, maneuvering VELOMER into tight spaces by backing into slips against wind and current, setting up the chart plotter for our daily courses and navigation at sea, observing sea conditions, especially at inlets, planning daily passages with respect to tides, wind and sea conditions and generally making life aboard a 36 foot craft with 1/10 the living space of our former home in Maine a pleasant adventure every day while continually learning the fascination of the sea and each other.  We learn something every day. We are loving this life afloat.

We made Manisquan Inlet the first day, 45 nautical miles (Hoffman's Marina), Atlantic City the second, 55 miles (Farley State Marina), and Cape May the third, 50 miles (South Jersey Marina).  Each time we made port, we had a welcoming marina staff great us with help attaching dock lines and power, information about local sights (and especially breakfast options) and tips on the courses to follow and places to visit along our intended route to Chesapeake Bay, a destination we had been trying to reach since mid July and expected to make by early August.  Leaving Cape May, we passed through a short three mile canal into Delaware Bay.  That day we were occupied watching the depth sounder very attentively as the depths were deceptively shallow in places and we had to avoid several shipwrecks noted on the chart.  Delaware Bay was unlike the waters we were used to, where further distance from land equates to deeper water.  The wide bay became narrower and more like a river as we moved north.  If we were to continue up the Delaware River we would reach Wilmington, Delaware in 20 miles beyond Delaware City and then, in another 40 miles, Philadelphia, a city we intend to visit on our passage north next spring or perhaps in 2016 as we return to our home port in Maine after completing the loop.  At least that is the plan.

After resting a few days at Delaware City Marina, a sweet little dockage with low key energy, just our speed, and enjoying local characters, visiting the state park offices at Fort DuPont to learn about the history of the city as a major seaport of the last century, the development of the canal from a private venture in the early 18th century to the current canal managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and consuming crab for the first and, according to PM, the last time, in Delaware City, we departed Delaware for Maryland and cruised at our normal sped of 7 miles an hour west along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal ( C & D) into Chesapeake Bay.  We were passed by two other motor yacht along the 13 miles of the canal.  Only when we were in Chesapeake Bay beyond the western entrance, did we see a tanker coming towards us.  The canal is wide enough at 450 feet and deep enough at 35 feet to allow two of these ocean going tankers to pass each other safely, so we were not concerned about the meeting.  In fact, PM was handling the helm at the tine as I was in the engine room and she was calm as ever.  Her helming has become competently routine as we share time there each day, roughly splitting the day equally.

Transiting the C & D Canal on 9/3/14, we made it to Georgetown Yacht Basin on the Sassafras River in Chesapeake Bay (at long last); we thereby became travelers with a major accomplishment behind us.  It had taken VELOMER 19 days of cruising over 6 weeks, 624 miles (N), 108 engine hours, memories of harbors and memories of people we will not forget behind us with many more in our future travels.

There is a tendency to have certain expectations when we visit new places.  Both PM and I try not to have expectations and we have found this to be a better way to experience our time in exploring the waters and cities and villages during our travel on VELOMER.  Each place we find ourselves has interesting people to meet, new adventures to experience while playing tourist, and we become students of history in the same towns and waters whose first history was written during the formative periods of this country. As we went north towards Delaware City at the entrance to the C &D Canal, we were in historic waters.  We are entering harbors and crossing bays and cruising rivers that John Smith travelled in 1620, George Washington occupied in 1776, Commodore Perry sailed through in 1812, and on which Francis Scott Key, aboard a small sailing vessel retained by the British on September 13 (200 hundred years prior to our arrival on the same water on the same day), was witness to the shelling of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore and from whose decks he penned the words to the Star-Spangled Banner.  We learned that the reason the British retired from Baltimore Harbor and eventually the American Territories after bombarding Fort McHenry for 25 hours, was that they ran out of ammunition.  The English Admiral had hoped to destroy the fort and thus gain entrance to the city and destroy it as they had Washington just a few weeks before in August of 1814.  Of the 1,000 American defenders in Fort McHenry during the shelling, many of whom were untrained citizens of the city, only 5 were killed.  One patriot later penned "it felt like we were pigeons tied to a stake and used for target practice", a frightening experience but one that did not result in abandoning the defenses.  The fort's French long guns, on loan from our allies at the time, had a range of barely 1 1/2 miles while the British ship's cannons were able to fire rockets, mostly to intimidate, and canon shells from 2 miles away.  When the British ships left on the morning of September 14, we declared victory.   This event was widely publicized and was the first real victory against the professional British armies and navy during the three year conflict.  The "victory" inspired American resolve, which was lackluster at best prior to this event, during this war fought primarily over economic control of the agricultural wealth of the Americas. It's strange how and why history plays out. 

After stopping in Georgetown on the Sassafras River, we cruised south to Rock Hall and then Oxford, Maryland along the eastern shore.  Arriving at the Brewer's Boat Yard in Oxford, we were surprised to find ourselves directed to a slip 4 removed from a Northaven 55 named JOURNEY.  How many vessels of this make and size are named JOURNEY?  It evolves that this boat is John and Bobbee's vessel, which they have left in long tern dockage after bringing it up the coast from Florida this summer.  It's a small world.

After spending several weeks on board, PM had a business appointment in Portland so we rented a car from Enterprise in Easton and drove back to Maine.  It took just over 8 hours to cover the distance we had traveled over water in 6 weeks.  Going home to Maine was strange.  We had been on a boat travelling 7 miles an hour, now we sped along I-95 at 70 miles an hour.  The pace of life on land is equally fast.  Anyway, we had to make this trip so we made the best of it, stopping at Rine's Deli in Vernon, Connecticut for a scrumptious meal of matzo ball soup and the best corned beef sandwich I have eaten in years.  Five days later we were back on VELOMER.  It was strange to be on land, it was wonderful to back on the water.

Now for Baltimore Harbor and the 200'th anniversary celebration of the penning of our national anthem, a party we had desired to be invited to but had been told there was no room at any marina and had not been for months.  Five days prior to Saturday September 13, and the day before we left for Portland, we got a call from one of the marinas where I had asked to be put on a wait list, never expecting to be able to get a slip.  The Baltimore Marine Center at Lighthouse Point had a space open at the last minute and if we wished we could have it.  Well, yes we would, thank you.  Our passage up Chesapeake Bay 50 miles from Oxford was on a day that we would not have normally chosen to travel, as Wind Alert had wind and consequent seas of 3-4 feet predicted and also rain for the better portion of the day.  The day was wet at times but not unpleasant, the seas were less than predicted and we made the entrance to the harbor at Francis Scott Key Bridge about 20 minutes after the security zone blocking all boat traffic due to the afternoon air show was lifted.  Great timing!

We arrived a few hours before the fireworks were scheduled to begin at 9:30.  The harbor was closed again to boat traffic as five barges were lined up along the inner harbor, one of which was directly in front of our slip.  The fireworks display had to be seen to be believed.  I was told they fired 90,000 rockets during the show. The amount of bursting pyrotechnics was as dense as any I have ever witnessed.  Typically fireworks shows save a few minutes of intense display for the beginning and end of the event.  This one was dense in number of bursting displays of color and sound for a full half hour.  As we watched from the fly bridge, we saw the large garrison American flag flying over Fort McHenry through the smoke about a mile across the harbor from our dockage location.  Francis Scott Key likely witnessed much  the same, from about the same distance but for 25 hours.  It is no wonder the British ran out of ball and powder and rockets. We could not have chosen a better location to view the display. The Universe provides for us again.  I suspect this number of bursting rockets exceeded those used by the British exactly 200 years prior.

Our dear friend Susan Meyer had hoped to be with us for the show in the sky, but just missed the closing of the road by 5 minutes so she saw the glare of the bursting rockets from the streets behind buildings close to the harbor.  Her visit was not without memorable times though, as we witnessed the air show from Fort McHenry the next day from the perfect location.  Watching the demonstration by the Coast Guard of Search and Rescue techniques in the water off our vantage point on shore, and the skill of the pilots of the Blue Angels naval aerobatic team over our heads were events we will forever recall with awe.

After she returned to her teaching work in Charlottesville, Virginia , we relocated to another marina across from the National Aquarium to be near Johns Hopkins Hospital, where other friends were to be seen for some routine tests two days later.  Carol and Ed were only on board for a few hours for an early delicious dinner of orange chicken over rice, salad and chocolate before departing for Richmond, three hours drive by car, but we did have a fine afternoon visit with their sweet labradoddle, Paddy.

VELOMER departs Baltimore with the morning tide for Rock Hall, Maryland on the eastern shore.  Our adventure continues.

Tooth 19 and Atlantic City

PM's Perspective

The fully developed human has a total of 32 teeth with 16 teeth on the upper jaw, 16 on the lower jaw.  The dental community cleverly numbered each tooth starting with Tooth #1 as the wisdom tooth on the right upper jaw continuing to Tooth #16 as the wisdom tooth on the left upper jaw.  Tooth #17 is the wisdom tooth on the left lower jaw concluding with Tooth #32 identifying the wisdom tooth on the right lower jaw.  With this labeling system the sum of the number of the tooth on the upper jaw plus the corresponding number of the tooth on the lower jaw always adds up to 33.  This labeling system allows for quick referencing.  Every person in the dental field knows that Teeth #8 and #9 refers to someone's front teeth, etc.

I had my wisdom teeth removed as a young adult as they were growing in at an angle crowding out my other teeth, so my mouth contains no Tooth #1, #16, #17 or #32.  I am fortunate in that I have very strong teeth.  I attribute this to genetics on my mother's side and probably diet.  My teeth are also fairly straight so I never needed braces.  The only time braces were recommended to me was the time Bob and I took our daughter Phoebe who was 10 at the time in to the orthodontist.  As we sat down in his office, the orthodontist took my chin in his hand, moved my head gently back and forth and said, "I could make you a beautiful woman."  I replied, "I'm already a beautiful woman.  Let's take about my daughter."  As a friend said after I told him this story, "That orthodontist would put braces on a dog."

I never had a dental issue other than minor cavities until my mid 40s.  Tooth #19 developed a hair line crack and started to ache.  After several years of just dealing with this and at the recommendation of my dentist, I decided to get a crown.  Everything worked really well for just over 15 years.  Then, while eating pistachio nuts, my crown popped off for no apparent reason.  Of course I was far from my dentist and used drug store dental cement almost on a daily basis to keep the crown in place until I was able to get to my dentist a few months later.  He fashioned a temporary crown until a more permanent one could be made.  That temporary crown also popped off a few times but this was understandable because, after all, it was temporary.  The first attempt at the permanent crown was a misfit and had to be remade.  The second attempt worked quite well.  In fact, I liked the fit better than the original crown.  Then less than a year later, while flossing my teeth, the crown popped off again.  Again, I was away from my usual dentist but was able to find another dentist to re-cement the crown.  This is probably more information than you need, but you have the background story.

After our two days in Jersey City at Liberty Landing Marina, we headed down the Jersey coast toward our destination of Chesapeake Bay, the body of water we thought for sure we would be cruising in by now.  The distance along the Jersey shore from Jersey City to Cape May is roughly 140 miles.  This leg of our

adventure would be mostly open ocean so we needed to watch the weather rather carefully, particularly wind speed and wave height and period. We decided to make the trip in three segments with our first stop in Manasquan Bay, the second in Atlantic City, and the third at Cape May.  We departed Jersey City on Tuesday, August 26, at 6:30 AM just as the sun was rising over New York City.  Lady Liberty bade us farewell as we headed south toward the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.  Seas were calm, the swells long and gently -- a perfect cruising day.  The Jersey shore is mile after mile of lovely sandy beaches.  The damage from Hurricane Sandy (aka Superstorm Sandy), a category 3 hurricane that occurred in October 2012, was not as evident off shore although we did see several still boarded up buildings through the binoculars.

Our trip seemed to be taking longer than we anticipated when we realized we had traveled 12 nm beyond our turnoff.  How embarrassing!  How did this happen with GPS, the chart plotter, and all our charts?  Once we realized our error, we made an about face and headed toward Manasquan Bay.  Our total distance that day was 63.5 nm, 24 nm more than necessary.  Upon review that evening we realized our error was an accumulation of multiple events.  First, Bob charted the course the night before after three glasses of wine.  Mistake #1.  Second, we didn't pay close attention to the paper charts comparing the paper charts with the chart plotter.  Mistake #2.  Third, we didn't check the chart plotter and paper charts with the GPS on our phones.  Mistake #3.  Lesson learned.  We have changed standard operating procedure so that the same mistakes don't happen again.  I'm sure others will be made, but not these!

Up with the sun the next day and on our way to Atlantic City to Farley State Marina in front of the Golden Nugget Casino.  We got underway by 7:00 AM and silently slipped out onto the open ocean from the inlet.  The journey from Manasquan Bay to Atlantic City was one of the most memorable for us in terms of sea life viewing.  Bob noticed a water spout about a quarter mile off the port.  "Did you see that?"  We both looked in that direction in time to witness two humpback whales breaching.  This event was followed by spotting several pods of porpoise.  Throughout the day, we could see schools of fish just below the surface of the water, water roiling with jumping fish, moon jellies, and to my delight, skates flying through the water.  Much of this activity is not obvious to the casual observer.  You have to be willing to carefully watch the water looking for signs such as the water moving in a slightly different manner and to patiently look into the water for ghostly shapes moving below the surface but oh so rewarding!

Trump's Taj Mahal seen from the board walk

Atlantic City loomed in the distance.  In our conversations with other boaters, no one has had glowing reports of the city.  The outline of the Revel Casino and Hotel could be seen from many miles away.  I wasn't sure of what to expect from Atlantic City.  The only thing I knew for sure was the board walk and the Donald Trump edifice complex monuments.  I went to Las Vegas about ten years ago for an Appraisal Institute conference and actually enjoyed it but have no intention of returning.  Glitz and gambling just aren't my thing.  Entering into Atlantic City was a bit tricky.  Bob once again showed his muster as he guided Velomer through the surf and into the marina slip.  We checked in, walked around the Golden Nugget and weren't impressed.  I just don't get the attraction of gambling.  As I found out, Atlantic City is a seedy and garish version of Las Vegas without any of the class.

Due to weather conditions, we would be staying two nights in Atlantic City.  I wondered what we would do the one full day we had in town.  That night provided the answer.  Remember Tooth #19?  That night while flossing, the crown of Tooth #19 popped right out again!  Note to self:  when flossing around a crown, gently pull the floss down to the gum line then pull it through the teeth, don't pull it up!  Fortunately, I rescued the crown before it danced down the drain.  The next morning Bob got on his I-phone and was able to get an appointment for me at the dental clinic of Southern Jersey Medical Center on Atlantic Avenue.  The clinic was in easy biking distance from the marina.  The actual procedure took no more than 15 minutes if that long.

The appointment took more than two hours, most of which was waiting and filling out forms.  Step 1, sign in with the receptionist.  Step 2, wait to be called.  Step 3, when called go to the registration station, give lots of medical history, financial information and sign a minimum of four permission/privacy statements.  Step 4, go back to the waiting room and wait.  Step 5, get called in and ushered to the dental exam room and fill out even more forms.  Step 6, wait some more.  Step 7, meet and greet the dentist and hand him the crown.  I tell the good doctor that we are traveling on our boat starting out in Maine.  He gets to talking about his visit to Maine while he was in dental school back in the 1950s.  Step 8, wait some more while the dentist sees another patient. During this time I realize that this guy was in dental school about the time I was born and I'm no spring chicken.  How old is this guy?  Should I just walk out now?  Step 9, too late to walk out.

The dentist comes back in and starts rambling about dental cement and that this clinic doesn't carry the cement that he prefers.  He puts the crown back on the stub of Tooth #19 without any cement and can't get it off.  He asks his assistant for some dental tool that looks like a bent needle nose pliers.  I'm not liking this one bit.  He gets the crown off, gives it back to his assistant who then leaves the room with the crown to apply the cement.  The dentist rambles some more about his Maine adventures and a '54 Chevy.  The assistant returns with the crown, the dentist installs it and asks me to gently bite down.  It doesn't feel right.  Cement oozes out from around the crown.  The dentist looks a bit concerned.  My already low confidence level sinks even lower.  He scales off the excess cement and has me bite down on a dark blue colored dental paper that indicates the high spots on the crown.  He takes this tool that looks like a mini sander and says he is going to "polish" my crown.  I hear this grinding sound.  The roots of Tooth #19 are letting me know that they are not happy about this situation.  I bite down on that blue paper again.  The dentist then starts to grind on Tooth #14 directly above the crown.  My bite feels better, not perfect, but I am done.  I am out of there.

Surf at the Atlantic City beach from the boardwalk

Even with my dental appointment we still had some time to explore Atlantic City.  We walked a portion of the boardwalk, visited the Atlantic City Aquarium (a real gem in an otherwise awful place) and viewed the beach.  Ironically as I write this, a news item came to my newsfeed that the Revel Casino and Hotel that open just over two years ago closed its doors last night.  This facility that cost $2.4 billion to construct was originally billed as the project that was to inject new life into a declining Atlantic City.  Showboat, the mardi gras themed casino and hotel that opened 27 years ago has also closed its doors.  Trump Plaza is due to close September 16.  These closings are certainly a blow to the employees and the area's economy.  With so many casinos coming on line in the last decade in so many locations, I think we have reached our saturation point of gambling establishments.

Don't Jump!

PM's Perspective

From Pequonnock Yacht Club in West Haven we ventured to Brewer's Yacht Haven in Stamford.  We used our time here to reprovision, do a few projects on the boat (Bob varnished the starboard door), and rent a car to return to Maine for a quick visit with the Greenleafs and other friends and for me to check on some work projects.  We were amazed when we realized that it took us five hours to drive the distance it has taken us five weeks to travel by boat!  We are living life in the slow lane for sure!  We took full advantage of having a car and went to Trader Joe's in Darien to restock on basic essentials such as dark chocolate!

We headed out to Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Sunday, August 24th.  Sunday is a great day to travel this route as there is minimal commuter traffic.  This leg of our journey involves passing through Hell Gate once again.  The name itself is not very inviting and if we try to transverse this portion of the East River when the tide is at full tilt against us, we could find ourselves going backwards.  The tide runs as much 7 knots and we tend to average a speed of 6 knots.  The tricky part about Long Island Sound and the East River is that they have direct opposite tides: that is, when the East River experiences a draining tide, Long Island Sound experiences a flooding tide.  It took me a while to fully understand that one!

Roiling waters of Hell Gate from the bow of Velomer

 Our passage through Hell Gate went delightfully smoothly.  Captain Bob negotiated the currents expertly from the helm while I stood on the bow watching the water roil and enjoying the hubbub of New York City.  Once through Hell Gate we marveled at the New York skyline trying to identify the various landmarks.  The Empire State Building, the United Nations, the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty way in the distance.  Just as we were coming up to the Brooklyn Bridge we noticed a great deal of activity including flashing red lights on police cars on the bridge, ambulances racing to the bridge, several helicopters swooping overhead, police boats in the river.  Something was happening.  I thought that maybe there was a road race or some such thing.  As we got closer, the situation became more frenetic with more flashing red lights, another helicopter, more police boats racing to the scene.

NYPD surround the climber.

Velomer was the last boat to pass under the bridge before all river traffic including ferries was stopped.  As we looked back toward the bridge, the scene clarified -- someone had climbed high onto the suspended support cables.  I assumed it was a jumper.  What desperate situation would lead a person to climb so high?  As someone not overly fond of heights, it gave me the willies just to think about it.  The next day I found out that the person who climbed onto the bridge was a Russian tourist, 24-year old Yaroslav Kolchin.  He did so to take pictures of New York landmarks.  The extent that some tourists will go to in order to get a good picture!  He was arrested and charged with trespassing and endangerment.  His bail was set at $5,000.  He probably cost the NY taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.  But, he didn't jump!

We docked at Liberty Landing without a hitch.  Bob is really getting the hang of maneuvering Velomer into tight places!  That evening we took the ferry to Manhattan and met Bob and Essie Schlegel, Bettina's parents, for a wonderful dinner and great conversation.  The main topic of conversation of course was Phil and Bettina's upcoming nuptials in October!  We spent another day at the marina exploring Liberty State Park and getting ready for our off shore journey down the New Jersey coast.  We estimate that it will take us three travel days.

BOB'S VIEW:

Back on the waters again!

It has been some time since we updated this blog.  Credit the days and days of smooth and entertaining travel and the fact that we were so at peace with the adventure down Long Island Sound from Jamestown, RI, through Hell Gate into New York Harbor and just recently down the lee shore ( it's always a lee shore) of New Jersey.  Our adventure have been less about the mechanical issues of VELOMER, and that's been a huge improvement, and much more about the people we have seen, the amazing time at sea witnessing sea life and all the vital Atlantic had to offer and the somewhat distracting ports we have encountered.  So to return to the blog format:




Course:  Clark's Boatyard, Jamestown to Dobson's Boatyard, Stonington, RI
Distance: 31.9 (N)
Travel Time: 5 hours
Seas: less than 2 feet, choppy off Watch Hill due to opposing currents and wind
Wind: light and variable
Weather: slightly overcast
Mechanical Issues:  smoke alarm (see below)








Departing Clark's Marina Boatyard in Jamestown at 0700 on 8/12 and making for Stonington, CT, VELOMER resisted the urge to visit Block Island this time as it was still high summer and we had heard that the availability of space was very limited in New Harbor. As we have listened to others describe visits to this offshore retreat, it is now our intention to return at a later date after Labor Day or before Memorial Day to avoid the crazies that seem to flock to this party spot all summer long.  We also decided we could forgo the fried dough, cotton candy and fudge that seem to be the stable of the Block Island visiting boater's diet.




Cruising southwest along the Rhode Island shore, passing Beaver Tail Lighthouse and Point Judith, Fisher's Island and Watch Hill was familiar for us as we had been through here twice last season to begin our cruise up the Hudson River into Lake Champlain and then again rushing back to Boston to see the twins for 15 minutes at Logan Airport.  Both PM and I are looking forward to getting south of Sandy Hook, NJ where we will be in unexplored new waters. 


Stonington is as we last left it, very neat, very clean and very anal in choices of colors of plants matching house trim and offering us a sweet marina where we picked up a mooring for two days.  Tony Stapleton, PM's college buddy from Hamilton/Kirkland, had joined us in Jamestown for what we expected to be 2-3 days but left us soon after our arrival in Stonington due to weather issues on the roads back to his home in Wickford, RI.  We had a tasty lunch in Stonington, Tony's treat, at The Yellow House before Jan met him at the local library.  It was a treat to have a guest board although it was too brief a time to thoroughly enjoy his company as we would have liked.  Perhaps Tony can join us again as we travel south for the winter, we hope so.


This day was the first cruising day of what became many when VELOMER had no mechanical issues other than a brief event when the smoke alarm in the engine room went off after I sprayed "Belt Ease" onto the squealing alternator belt.    It was a comfort to know at least that this critical safety tool was working well.  I still make it a daily routine to do engine room checks while underway, looking at the temperature of the stuffing box, the vacuum gauge on the fuel line next to the Racor filters, the temps of various locations on the engine block and the alternator, the level of coolant and the charge indicator for the batteries.  All was well as it has almost always been, but this routine I perform 3-4 times a day is a comfort as we do not want to experience avoidable engine issues.  We run the Perkins 135 HP engine at a cruising speed of 6-7 knots, which is around 1,625 RPMs depending on seas and tide and occasionally run the engine up to 2000-2300 RPMs to clear the injectors and cylinders. 


And as a minor inconvenience, we also lost partial thrust force on the bow thruster (again) and I suspect I will need to dive on the new prop to check for obstructions.  After Tony left, I did just that and discovered that several of the blades on the prop were broken.  I noticed a slight noise as we left Clark's and suspect I had encountered something floating in the water just as I maneuvered away from the mooring pennant.  Fortunately, I had ordered a spare prop from Imtra in Hingham, so it was only necessary to change this.  I was able to access the prop, using snorkel gear and with PM handing me tools and parts from the foredeck 6 feet above in a cleverly designed tool bag.  After tightening the locknut securely, I reattached the zinc/aluminum anode, which was already showing slight deterioration and then tested the thruster.  All worked as intended,  We were good to go again.  As we encounter mechanical or electrical or navigation software issues on this adventure and find solutions, PM and I are gaining confidence that we can make repairs and diagnose issues as they arise, and we expect that will be a sometime need.  Its a boat, and boats have issues. 

Another Thruster Buster!

PM's Perspective -- Rhode Island to Connecticut

Our time in Rhode Island included two nights at a mooring at Clark's Boatyard in Jamestown, then two nights at a slip in Wickford, followed by four more nights at a Clark's Boatyard.  This gave us the opportunity to check on Phoebe and Erik's sailboat Swiftwater at Clark's and to reprovision thanks to Tony Stapleton's willingness to drive us around to Dave's Market and the wine store in Wickford. The Wickford marina was delightful with a hot tub and very welcoming residents.  While there, we were invited to join in the memorial celebration of the lives of Richard and Barbara Miller, long term residents of the marina who passed away recently.  The celebration included a delicious feast prepared by a four-star chef.  We were regaled with stories about Dick and Barbara as told by the other residents and the Miller's daughter.  They were people who obviously loved life and lived to the fullest.  Good role models for us all.

Mooring at Clark's gave us the opportunity to explore Jamestown, located on an island in Narragansett Bay.  We biked out to the Beavertail Lighthouse, originally built in 1749, and learned bout the ravages of the Storm of 1938 that caused the death of several children when the causeway was washed out just as the school bus was crossing.   Only two persons, the bus driver and one of the lighthouse keeper's children, survived the ordeal.  The buildings on the site, now a state park, house the lighthouse museum, gift shop and small aquarium which focuses on local underwater species.  During our visit, the waterfront was dotted with fishermen hoping to catch the big one.

We circumnavigated the island also by bike and came across the Windmill, a wood-framed mill constructed in 1787 at the height of land that operated until 1896.  The mechanical workings of the mill are an engineering marvel. The mill itself has three levels, the top level of which is referred to as the bonnet which is domed and rotates to move the sails of the mill into the wind.  The mid level includes the hopper into which the grain was poured, and the bottom level contained two grinding stones each of which contained grooves.  We learned that the reason there are so few wood-framed windmills remaining is that if the wind became too strong while the mill was operating, the grinding stones became extremely hot and started a fire.  This is just another reason to be grateful for the harnessing of electricity!

Time to move on, and weather forecasts predicted rainy and windy conditions.  Tony boarded Monday night for an early departure on Tuesday, August 12.  After a wonderful evening of engaging conversation and watching the full moon rising, we headed to our berths with visions of an early departure.  After an early breakfast on the fly bridge we released the mooring and headed to Stonington, a mere 32 nm away, by 7:00 AM.  During departure Bob felt a thunk-clink when he used the bow thruster, not a good sign!

The five-hour trip to Stonington was a pleasant passage with northwest winds and some mild chop.  While picking up our mooring at Dobson's Boatyard, the bow thruster wasn't quite right and making an uncharacteristic noise.  What could be wrong this time?  We took the launch to shore to have lunch and explore Stonington a bit more.  We visited the public library, bought a few used books, and obtained some information about the town which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Stonington which took place August 9-12, 1814 when the British bombarded the town during the War of 1812 which obviously lasted more than one year.  Happy to report that the British were repulsed and the town suffered only the loss of one life -- that of an elderly woman who was terminally ill anyway.

After Tony departed, we delayed dealing with the bow thruster issue partly due to weather -- it rained all the next day -- and partly due to disbelief that we were having bow thruster issues once again.  I was thinking here goes another expensive haul out.  Bob was thinking he would snorkel and at least try to get an idea of what was wrong.  Bob retrieved his snorkel gear from the storage area at the stern of the boat accessed behind the headboard in our state room.  As he slipped into the water from the swim platform he said, "Wish me luck."  He swam along the port side of the boat to the bow and within moments popped up and said, "I found the problem."  The prop was missing two of its five blades, hence the odd noise.

Now the problem was figuring out how we fix it.  Fortunately Bob had the foresight to order two propellers last time so we had a replacement prop.  Bob decided he could replace the prop while snorkeling versus using scuba equipment.  Neither of us remembered what size nut held the prop in place so we collected a range of rachet driver sizes to make sure we bracketed the actual size.  Other tools were assembled.  Our bow deck looked like the operation room in a hospital with all the tools laid out.  Bob snorkeled down to do the work. I was on the bow passing him tools in a sandwich baggie tied to a line. I was sure something was going to fall into the water and sink into the ooze at the bottom of the harbor but all went remarkably well.  Bob returned to the swim platform and got on the boat.  Now the moment of truth.  We turned on the bow thruster.  It still made a funny noise, a different funny noise, but not quite right.  Bob then climbed into the bow and made some adjustments to the interior mechanisms.  That did the trick!  The bow thruster was working as intended once again.  Hopefully this is the last entry about the bow thruster.

The Kindness of Friends & Strangers

PM's Perspective -- The Abundance of Kindness

We are living in an abundant universe that never ceases to amaze me.  After three days at a mooring in Stonington, CT at Dobson's Boatyard we headed west through Long Island Sound toward Pequonnock Yacht Club in West Haven, a 50 nm day.  Our departure was no nonsense.  Up at 6:00 AM; coffee, fresh fruit and toast on the fly bridge by 6:10 AM; kitchen clean-up and morning chores at 6:30 AM; engine check by 6:45 AM; and departure just before 7:00 AM.  The sun was up and shining through the few clouds in the sky; the water was a welcomed flat calm.

I decided to seize the moment and take Velomer's helm.  Leaving and arriving at a dock or mooring is something I have been very hesitant to do, but weather and sea conditions could not have been more ideal.  Besides, Bob needed the practice of releasing a mooring to fully appreciate the process which can be slow.  We conferred on the fly bridge about the best way to remove the mooring lines from Velomer's bow cleats.  Bob was to remove the port side line first and fling it as far to the starboard and away from the boat, then the starboard side line.  I would use the bow thruster (now repaired, again!) to the port and head out meandering among the boats in the mooring field.  Everything went textbook smoothly.

Once out in the main channel we got on our charted course and spent a relatively uneventful seven hours punctuated by the occasional wind gust and unseen currents that pushed us slightly off course.  We timed our trip to take maximum advantage of the tide and benefited from as much as a two knot lift.  When we arrived at the Pequonnock fuel dock we were met by a very competent dock hand who tied us up.  As we signed in, I asked where the nearest grocery store was as we needed some provisioning.

A man on shore was listening to our conversation and said, "There really isn't any grocery store around here."  Then he asked, "What do you need?"  I replied, "Basically fruits and vegetables."  "What exactly?"  I said, "Bananas, apples, oranges, celery."  He walked away, got on a bike and rode off.  I didn't think any more of it until about an hour later when the dock hand gave me a grocery bag full of fruit and vegetables.  The dock hand had no idea who that man was.  What an incredible act of kindness!  I am in awe of and very touched by his kindness.  The really wonderful result of his action is that it encourages me to pass it forward in whatever way I can.

This incident jogged my memory in terms of all the other acts of kindness from both friends and strangers that have come into our lives.  A spontaneous hug from a grandchild, a bouquet of flowers, a gift of fresh food from the garden, picking up the tab at a restaurant, the gift of someone's company, offers of places to stay when in town, and the invitation to join in a memorial service feast.  We are truly blessed!

Easing Into The Cruising Lifestyle

PM's Perspective -- Easing Into The Cruising Lifestyle

Now that our three crises (GPS not working, clogged sewer pipe, and malfunctioning bow thruster) are behind us, we are beginning to enjoy the cruising lifestyle.  While in Plymouth, we stayed at a slip at Brewer's Marina where we spent time with Jim and Carla, owners of the sailing vessel Shadowfax, a 37' Island Packet.  Oddly enough, Jim and Carla live in Denver, Colorado and keep their boat at a marina in Wickford, RI. Carla and Jim rented a car and were kind enough to invite me to come along to the supermarket to reprovision, a treat I couldn't pass up.

We used our four night stay in Plymouth to catch our breath (both of us), catch up on some boat maintenance and cleaning (mostly Bob), and explore the local area (mostly PM).  Once again, Bob and I experienced that when working together we perform a much better job than either of us could do on our own.  Bob decided to recaulk the space between the teak trim and the fiberglass on the front face of the fly bridge.  Ever since we bought Velomer, brown streaks were showing up down the exterior of the cabin at the rear of the boat.  These streaks appeared to be leaching tannin and difficult to remove as they stained the fiberglass.  Three long runs needed recaulking.  The first run Bob did by himself using the caulking gun while I was out on one of my walks.  I didn't stay out long enough and when I returned I saw that the line did not look pretty.  It was much too thick and gloppy.  Removing the excess caulking was very tedious and painstaking.  There had to be a better way.  I recommended using painter's tape which we have aboard.  We taped the second run, Bob recaulked using much less than before.  This looked pretty good but we left the tape on just a bit too long so the edges looked a bit raggedy to our eyes.  However, it was good enough!  The third run came out perfect.  We are happy to report that the brown streaks appear no more!

While on one of my several walks through town, I heard this voice behind me saying, "PM, PM!"  I looked behind to find Katie Turner, baby Eleanor in her stroller, and Emma, Katie's friend from the UK who was visiting for a few days helping them sail.  The four of us spent a delightful hour or so together.  Just in the last few days, Eleanor has begun to walk. Katie was concerned that living on a sailboat would hinder Eleanor's walking development.  Not to worry!  Eleanor just loves her new found skill and is quite adept at it.  You go girl!  I so enjoy witnessing such events and seeing the look of accomplishment on the face!

On July 29, 2014 (remember that date!) under sunning skies we left Plymouth heading for Kingman Yacht Center in Pocasset on the southwest shore of Cape Cod.  I was at the helm and took Velomer through the Canal without using the autopilot.  This really gave me the opportunity to feel the response time between the movement of the helm and the reaction of the boat.  The tide was going with us and we benefited from a 4 knot lift from the tide.  We were the last boat through the canal before the railroad bridge came down.  We picked up a mooring at KYC.  At the time we came through the canal, little did we know that we did so on the 100th anniversary of the opening of the canal.  That night from our mooring, we watched a phenomenal display of fireworks in celebration.

Our three days at KYC gave us the time to do laundry,  ride our bikes along the Cape Cod Canal, visit the canal's Visitor's Center where we bought activity books for Tryg and Ani, lunch at Cafe Chew and explore the Town of Sandwich.  Our next major decision was where do we go next?  After visiting the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship in Boston, the only logical place was New Bedford, the whaling capital of America and the starting point of the Pequod's final voyage.  Bob called ahead for mooring information and found a great deal at Bayliner Shipyard, a mooring for a mere $25/night.  The only problem was the mooring balls have no pennants (lines that extend from the mooring ball to the boat).  Boaters need to supply their own pennants.  Fortunately, KYC has an incredible parts department (as well as exquisite shipyard staff) that were able to fashion one for us.  The problem was how to figure out how to pick up the mooring without a pennant.

Bob's View:

CLARK'S MARINA, Jamestown, RI

  Courses:      1) Hingham to Plymouth
                      2) Plymouth to Pocasset
                      3) Pocasset to New Bedford
                      4) New Bedford to Jamestown
                      5) Jamestown to Wickford
                      6) Wickford to Jamestown

  Seas:          Less than 2 feet, mostly wakes and some Bertha (the hurricane that passed several hundred miles offshore) rollers in Narragansett Bay
  Weather:    Sun and clouds, wind S to SSW- 10-15 knts, gusts to 25 knts
  Distance run: 1) 35.6 (N)
                        2) 34.4 (N)
                        3) 19.8 (N)
                        4) 28.9 (N)                    
                        5) 9.6   (N)
                        6) 13.4 (N)

As you may note, we have been remiss in keeping up with our blog for the last 6 cruising days.  I account this to the smooth operations and enjoyable days at sea.  The only navigation issue of note was the thick fog along the south coast of Massachusetts into Narragansett Bay as we passaged from New Bedford to Jamestown last week.  This was eerie, to say the least.  We saw only white around us and nothing else all day except the occasional navigation buoy and that only when we were close enough to spot it.  Using the GPS, we were able to follow a good course along the coast.  After five hours of mesmerizing nothingness while keeping vigilant for other boaters without radar (or a seaman's knowledge of basic safety while navigating in thick fog) and as we entered Narragansett Bay at Bretton Reef just outside Newport and made a 90 degree course change to the north, we finally saw several boats within about 100 feet passing us port to port.  Our radar was on but not much use as it is located at the lower helm station; PM was on the intercom giving me updates on targets while I saw absolutely nothing but white haze from the flybridge.  This experience makes us commit to a radar upgrade, a $2,300 Christmas gift, for a Garmin 18 HD that can integrate with the chart plotter.

This was the day of my Uncle John's service in Cincinnati.  We paused for awhile in the fog off New Bedford to remember him and recall some of the events I had shared with him over his years.  He was my godfather, he was also the reason I joined the navy as a corpsman during the Vietnam War. While I was trying to find a way for myself as a 17 year old soon to graduate high school directionless teen, he had arranged for me to work in the Bethesda Hospital OR in Cincinnati.  This was not a glamorous job, my first day as I was in the OR, I was handed a leg that had been amputated and told to deal with this.  What do you do with a leg?  Certainly it was medical waste, but also a significant body part.  I found my way to the morgue on the lowest level and wrapped the leg in a plastic sheet and a surgical gown, I then reverently placed this limb on a shelf in the refrigerated storage space meant for corpses.  I do not know what occurred after that, perhaps the coroner was perplexed also, and spent hours searching for the rest of the body. 

Uncle John led an interesting life, serving during WWII in the Pacific theater as a medical officer, as a surgeon in Cincinnati after the war, and raising 5 of the most incredible great kids, my cousins, whom I always felt were more like brothers and sisters.  As we paused to honor his memory, the fog thinned, then cleared around us.  We had bluebird blue sky above us and sunshine bathed VELOMER with a crystal light.  It was only for about 10 minutes and the only time all day we were able to see the ocean and sky.  I believe Uncle John wanted to see us clearly to bid adieu.

Making our way so slowly south and west along the coast these past days has been a particularly enjoyable time for us.  PM and I have truly become boat people, leaving our land personas behind.  Our days are without schedules, commitments, deadlines or responsibilities other than staying safely afloat.  We eat when we are hungry.  We even nap in the afternoon when at a mooring (PM often naps at sea anytime she feels the sea wooing her into somnolence).  We daily attend to several routines of engine maintenance, small repairs and ship cleaning.  Now that the GPS is working, the bow-thruster is working (and I am still waiting for the contact from Jim Peterson at Spring Point Marine about responsibility for this issue), and the rear head is working, our focus is simply enjoying each day surrounded by water and appreciating the wonder of life and entertainment the sea affords us to observe.  I recall being surprised to learn it was Tuesday as we landed by launch in New Bedford.  I thought it was Friday, as it really mattered.

I should comment on PM's boat skills.  She took VELOMER through the Cape Cod Canal with ease. This on a tide that was moving us along with a 3-4 knot lift.  She contacted Canal Control to alert them of our impending passage at the Bourne railroad bridge at the west end of the canal, they addressed her as captain, a title she has surely achieved.  As a result, they held the bridge up to allow us a safe passage and we were the last boat to do so as a train approaching the canal from the mainland requires them to shut down navigation for a half hour.  I noted that several large sailing vessels behind us were challenged to station keep while the train passed.  We passed into Buzzards Bay and encountered some steep sided seas as the tide and wind were opposed at this time.  It was not at all the experience we had the last time we passed through the canal a year ago.  We had read our Eldridge Tide Tables and timed our passage to be earlier in the day this year, before the afternoon seas are really exciting.  Turning into Pocasset Harbor, we took the meandering course around Bassett's Island to arrive at Kingman Marine.  We would spend a few days here, riding our bikes along the canal and enjoying a the peace of a secure anchorage with fresh coffee daily ashore.  Our passage south from this point will be in warmer waters so fog would not be an issue, or so we thought.  We have learned to take each day as it comes and cope as necessary with the challenges of seas and weather.

PM is writing about some of our days so I will let her expound on these in her unique way.