Saturday, October 25, 2008
Happy birthday to our nephew Matthew!
We’re still in Chesapeake Bay. Since we wrote last we’ve stopped a couple of times because of small craft advisories and the internet has not been available, so we’ve not been able to update the blog. Actually, the internet is always an interesting challenge. We often can get it momentarily as we swing on the anchor, if we put the computer up on the top of the dodger (the wind/rain screen at the front of the cockpit), only to find it gone in the next 5 seconds as we swing the other way. When we do get online even for a minute, we always check first for comments or emails, so thanks for the words and thoughts you send our way.
The weather has also changed to more the “winter is coming’ variety. The other day when we woke up, we checked the thermometer in the cabin. For interest’s sake, we then put the thermometer in the fridge. The fridge was warmer! But, alas, too tiny for any of us to move in to.
We left Solomons Island on Monday the 20th and headed south. The winds really picked up as we crossed the mouth of the Potomac River, where we also crossed from Maryland into Virginia. We anchored up the Great Wicomoco River behind Sandy Point. It was a nice pretty anchorage, but with a small craft advisory forecast for the next evening, this would not be the right place to be for the direction of the forecast winds. Tuesday, we headed south a little further and headed up Indian Creek to anchor for a couple of days until things calmed down. On Wednesday, we dingied over to the marina and headed into the town of Kilmarnock a mile and a half away. We were lucky to be offered rides both ways. Did some grocery and boat hardware errands, played at a playground and ran into some familiar Canadian faces also walking into town (Kathy and Darius from Breeze Hunter, Debbie from Sweet Surrender, and the son and daughter in law of Klaus who we had met on the Erie Canal). Back at the marina we were invited onto the boat called Spirit, owned by Ans and Gerjan who had been sailing for 3 years since they left their home in the Netherlands. Fun to hear stories of their adventure.
Thursday, the forecast was good for travelling so we headed a little further south to Deltaville. The wind was steady and the waves were lively! We decided to anchor in Jackson Creek, and after following the markers in a very unusual channel found that the rest of the southbound travellers seemed to have also decided to anchor there as well. We were all anchored just close enough to make us keep checking our position all night. Friday afternoon to Saturday evening was forecast to be another advisory with a thunderstorm as well. We decided maybe it was time for a marina. We chose one that deals with Catalina boats, so we could get some advice/opinions on a few things. By land it was only a mile away from where we were anchored, but to get there we had to round a shallow point so it was a two hour trip. Being at a marina feels pretty decadent now. Hot showers and power! Christopher learned early on that those white posts on the docks mean electricity and his face lit up when he realized that we’d be plugging in. The owner, Onna, drove us into Deltaville, where Christopher was glad we found a model train store. The owner ran all the displays for us. At the grocery store we ran into Don and Maj-Lis from the Blue Blazer. We hadn’t seen them since we all started down the Hudson River. We got a lift back to the marina from a grocery store employee.
Today we walked to a maritime museum and nature trail. Tonight we’ve been invited to join in an end of season BBQ at the marina. Tomorrow, the forecast is looking good for continuing on. We hope to get near Norfolk, perhaps in the Hampton area a little northwest of the city.
Happy birthday to our nephew Matthew!
We’re still in Chesapeake Bay. Since we wrote last we’ve stopped a couple of times because of small craft advisories and the internet has not been available, so we’ve not been able to update the blog. Actually, the internet is always an interesting challenge. We often can get it momentarily as we swing on the anchor, if we put the computer up on the top of the dodger (the wind/rain screen at the front of the cockpit), only to find it gone in the next 5 seconds as we swing the other way. When we do get online even for a minute, we always check first for comments or emails, so thanks for the words and thoughts you send our way.
The weather has also changed to more the “winter is coming’ variety. The other day when we woke up, we checked the thermometer in the cabin. For interest’s sake, we then put the thermometer in the fridge. The fridge was warmer! But, alas, too tiny for any of us to move in to.
We left Solomons Island on Monday the 20th and headed south. The winds really picked up as we crossed the mouth of the Potomac River, where we also crossed from Maryland into Virginia. We anchored up the Great Wicomoco River behind Sandy Point. It was a nice pretty anchorage, but with a small craft advisory forecast for the next evening, this would not be the right place to be for the direction of the forecast winds. Tuesday, we headed south a little further and headed up Indian Creek to anchor for a couple of days until things calmed down. On Wednesday, we dingied over to the marina and headed into the town of Kilmarnock a mile and a half away. We were lucky to be offered rides both ways. Did some grocery and boat hardware errands, played at a playground and ran into some familiar Canadian faces also walking into town (Kathy and Darius from Breeze Hunter, Debbie from Sweet Surrender, and the son and daughter in law of Klaus who we had met on the Erie Canal). Back at the marina we were invited onto the boat called Spirit, owned by Ans and Gerjan who had been sailing for 3 years since they left their home in the Netherlands. Fun to hear stories of their adventure.
Thursday, the forecast was good for travelling so we headed a little further south to Deltaville. The wind was steady and the waves were lively! We decided to anchor in Jackson Creek, and after following the markers in a very unusual channel found that the rest of the southbound travellers seemed to have also decided to anchor there as well. We were all anchored just close enough to make us keep checking our position all night. Friday afternoon to Saturday evening was forecast to be another advisory with a thunderstorm as well. We decided maybe it was time for a marina. We chose one that deals with Catalina boats, so we could get some advice/opinions on a few things. By land it was only a mile away from where we were anchored, but to get there we had to round a shallow point so it was a two hour trip. Being at a marina feels pretty decadent now. Hot showers and power! Christopher learned early on that those white posts on the docks mean electricity and his face lit up when he realized that we’d be plugging in. The owner, Onna, drove us into Deltaville, where Christopher was glad we found a model train store. The owner ran all the displays for us. At the grocery store we ran into Don and Maj-Lis from the Blue Blazer. We hadn’t seen them since we all started down the Hudson River. We got a lift back to the marina from a grocery store employee.
Today we walked to a maritime museum and nature trail. Tonight we’ve been invited to join in an end of season BBQ at the marina. Tomorrow, the forecast is looking good for continuing on. We hope to get near Norfolk, perhaps in the Hampton area a little northwest of the city.
3 comments:
The video looks like your doing some nice sailing there! I was wondering how you guys were doing. Some of the days the winds were howling here, I imagine they were pretty stong on the bay. By the way, I'm wondering if the people you met from the Netherlands are the same people Ginett and I talked to about 3 weeks ago in Baltimore that had come over from the Netherlands.
Best, Mike and Ginett
Great video! The speed is impressive, not to mention seeing our great flag "blowing in the wind". I'm still amazed at the number of wonderful people you seem to be meeting!
Got a smile out of the "word verification" word I have showing. It's "Hawai". Yes, that's the way it is spelled. Maybe it's calling me! Keep those blogs coming. Fun!
Dad
Thanks for the birthday wishes! We attended our first traditional Chinese wedding on Saturday (for a friend from my office) - so it was my first birthday I celebrated by eating shark fin soup and abalone - pretty neat!
Glad to hear things continue to go well - it must be really nice to constantly experience the kindness of strangers!
I wonder if you will continue to wake constantly in the middle of the night to make sure your home isn't drifting when you eventually return to life on land!?
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