North up the Hudson to Catskill July 5 and 6, 2009

Leaving the city behind.


Y Knot (trawler from Vancouver) and another boat at anchor at Polopel Island.




Train view from anchorage.


We let go of the mooring ball before 6:30 Sunday morning so we could catch the tidal current going north on the Hudson River. We kept turning around to see the skyline of NYC getting smaller and smaller. The mountain scenery on both sides of the river was spectacular. In the fall we had noticed that it was pretty but it had been overcast the days we were travelling. Sunday the weather was beautiful and with the recent rains everything was very green. While in the city Christopher had been disappointed that the trains all ran underground. Not far north though they emerged into daylight and he was treated to a steady stream of commuter and Amtrak trains on the east side of the river and the occasional freight on the west. As we got near West Point Christopher reminded us that our first anchoring spot on the trip was coming up soon, and that he expected we would anchor there again. It is a spot at Polepel Island where there are ruins of the Bannerman castle, but the real attraction for him is the prime train viewing location. As we inched our way into the spot we were feeling very reflective and nostalgic. This spot had been our first anchor spot on the trip (and our first time anchoring overnight on Tiffany Rose) and now after too-many-to-count nights spent at anchor it very well could be our last on this trip. (Our upcoming route through the canal and the south shore of Lake Ontario do not offer very many anchoring possibilities.) We sat in the cockpit as the day wound down and savoured the moment (and of course, the frequent train traffic).
Next morning we were pulling the anchor up just a little later than Sunday to again ride the tidal current north to Catskill. We pulled into Riverview Marina early afternoon, and once secured at the dock we anxiously went to search out the pile of lumber where we had left our wood for the cradle to carry the mast through the canal. Last fall the instructions had been to label it, put date of return on it, and no guarantees but they would try to keep it. We found our bundle of wood, every piece still there! If it had not been there it would have meant a lot of work measuring, cutting and constructing, not to mention about the problem of obtaining the wood. Mike, the marina owner told us others weren’t so lucky and there had been quite a scene when one boat owner arrived to find his wood being used on another boat.
Jeannette and Bill from the boat Myosotis, who we had rafted with at Vero Beach in January, live on their boat just a few minutes up the creek. Late afternoon they dropped by for a quick visit. By then we had stuff everywhere in preparation for unstepping the mast the next day. “Where will we store the sails? How about the floorboards for the dinghy? How did we do this last fall? My, this seems like a lot of work.” Later that evening Jeannette returned with their truck to take me grocery shopping. A real luxury and a generous gift. So of course I bought all the heavy things that we would like to have but avoid when we have to carry the groceries ourselves!
That night Dave and I shared the v-berth with the mainsail and genoa (big jib), hoping that by tomorrow our amnesia about where they had been stored last fall would clear up.

Steve and Syl in New York July 4th

It was just like the song, "Saturday...in the park...you'd think it was the 4th of July..." And to make it more fun Steve and Syl were coming to NYC to celebrate their 30th anniversary! Once again we were on the subway downtown to meet them at their hotel. While there we took them up on their offer of a shower in luxury, which we haven't seen in a while.
A hot shower and relaxing in Uncle Steve and Auntie Syl's hotel.



Time Square tourists

Having only this one day together before we set sail again we packed in a few more things. A tour around times square and then on the subway to Central park. This time we went to see the Dakota - John Lennon's appartment where he was shot - another day the music died. Across the street from the Dakota we wandered through the section of Central Park renamed Strawberry Fields. After this nice stroll on a beautiful sunny afternoon we headed down 79th street to the marina and stopped at the Boat Basin Cafe for supper. The police presence in the area was pretty encompassing. They were out in full force working crowd control for the big fireworks show.

Catching up on Tiffany Rose before the fireworks.

After supper we hopped into the dinghy and ferried out to Tiffany Rose to take our ring side seats. It was fun to have Steve and Syl back on the boat after spending a week together in the Florida Keys in March. Much different environment hanging out on the Hudson River in NYC!
After dark the show started. At first we were dissapointed as it seemed like it was very far down the river and hard to see, and then KAPOW, as Christopher says, the big show started. Five barges just down from us started sending off what was advertised as "the biggest in the country". It was pretty spectacular and being so close the sound added to the wow. Boats were all over the place and we were treated to one sail boat of minstrals cruising around the mooring field playing and singing, and a wee bit of drinking as well. There are lots of youtube videos of the fireworks at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rqme_pKNeM&feature=related

Then it was back in the dinghy for a night ride to shore and a big goodbye - see you soon! They will be here for another few days while we head up to Catskill to take the mast down in preparation to venture into the Erie Canal.

New York action June30-July 3

Spending a full week in New York was a good idea, and even then we are just hitting a few hot spots for us. After sailing by the Statue of Liberty twice we had to take the ferry over and land on the island. It was fun to do especially since Christopher had just done some boating school exams which included questions about the statue. Being up close was good but seeing her from the water as we sailed by was more exciting. The trip over also included stopping at Ellis Island. This is the place where all immigrants were processed a hundred years ago. The displays there are really informative on what the conditions were like and what the people had to go through to live in "the land of the free". And we thought we were on a big adventure. Can't imagine being on the adventure these people undertook.
Then we were off to one of Christopher's key spots - Grand Central Station. The big Daddy of train stations. It is a beautiful large station but there are no good train viewing spots we found out. Everything on rails downtown is underground and doesn't show up for miles down the line. Security doesn't like non ticket holders to go down to the platforms but we just had to sneak in and get some good looks at trains arriving and departing.
Supper at grand Central Station



Next it was to the Bronx Zoo. A train conductor told us that Wednesdays were free days at the Zoo. So not being people who will pass up a deal like that we boarded the subway again and zipped over to the Bronx. It is quite a large and impressive zoo with all the regular zoo inhabitants. A highlight for Christopher was at the tigers. They are viewed through a glass wall and he worked his way to the front. Of course the tigers were behind a log lying down barely in sight. But then one got up, strolled across the area for a drink and then went back to lie down - but this time he lay down right up against the glass in front of Christopher. Click-Click goes the camera!

It was a big line up on free day at the zoo.


Another tip we received was that the museum of Natural History was also free, and it was an easy walk from the marina. We spent half a day there and could have spent a week at least. Some of the displays are the original ones from the early 1900's which was interesting because the displays can be museum pieces themselves. The whole place was intriguing and we spent most of the time with the dinosaurs, the ocean and Asia.



Ground Zero was another place we wanted to get to. Not much to see there - which is the striking thing about it. The gap in the city that was once filled with two massive buildings and the people in them is striking in its emptiness and what that emptiness means. Right now there is a big rebuild going on so construction is consuming the ground level. There is a small display beside the local firehall and there is a guided tour you can take. But really it is just looking at nothing that has the most impact.

The gap in the soul of the city at ground zero.



Visiting all these areas has meant a tremendous amount of walking. Christopher has been at the forefront of it all and by Friday it was time for him to get new shoes. His others, which were new in March, had worn right through. Maybe we have walked as far as we have travelled by boat! Should have brought a pedometer. Now it is time to get ready for visitors!

New York City - Larger than Life, June 28- June 30

Dodging an overloaded Ferry in NY Harbour





The Castle in Central Park from the Great Lawn





By one of the small Central Park Lakes



Larger than life. That’s what New York City has been like. We left the anchorage on Staten Island on Sunday morning and thought that the wind and the tide would help us along up the Hudson River. Wrong on both accounts. The wind was on our nose and the current was wanting to push us back out into the ocean. Good thing we didn’t have too far to go. As we approached the grand Verrazano Bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn, Lady Liberty came into view. This is the view that new immigrants or soldiers returning from war in years past would see as they approached the promised land or were finally returning back home. Even though we came by here in the fall it was still quite stunning. We sailed as close as we could, dodging the many tour boats as well as the fast Staten Island ferries going back and forth. To our right the skyline of Manhatten dominated our view and we slowly bounced our way past and up to the 79th Street boat basin to a take a mooring. In October we only had one night here before we blasted off heading south. This time we plan to spend a week taking in the action of the Big Apple.

Our first visit stop was to walk a few blocks up the road from the marina to Central Park. Shirley and I had both learned about Central Park back in university and how it was a model of park planning. Walking around the sections we had time for we both felt that it is even better than we had thought. We were there on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and so it was crawling with people, but we never felt crowded out. The park is so large and laid out so beautifully that it always felt relaxing. Apparently it was in disrepair in the 70s and 80s but now it is in fabulous shape. Everywhere we looked there were people walking, cycling, playing all kinds of games, rowing row boats, sailing toy boats, riding horse and buggies and just lying in the sun. And no one seemed to be in anyone elses way.
New York has done a good job of creating peaceful places in this busy city. Further downtown we came across Bryant Park in the business area. It is a nicely treed park almost full of little tables and chairs with people reading and talking everywhere. And then there is Time Square. Out on the pavement there are many lawn chairs scattered around, just there for people to sit on and gawk at the sites. The rest of Time Square looks just like it does in movies or commercials - surrounded by huge gawdy ads! But it is fun. Such a contrast to the peaceful and serene areas we have been used to. The other contrast is our experience of being on the mooring ball here. In the thick of the Hudson River with no protection we get bounced around in a wild fashion. It is hard to be on the boat in the day time when there is traffic on the river because we are constantly thrown around. It even makes getting in the dinghy an adventure in itself!

More NYC to come... (our internet connection here is very intermittent)


Relaxing in Time Square

The bustle and the lights of Time Square

Moving around the Lower Bay June 25 – 27

Great Kills National Park beach




Great Kills Harbor anchorage - with the storm passing.

We woke up to rock and roll. Not music, but the motion of Tiffany Rose. The night before we had been too tired to travel any further so we had dropped the hook in front of the Coast Guard station as soon as we rounded Sandy Hook. Not a bad place to spend the night, but as soon as daylight came and all the fishing boats and ferries were active the wakes were a bit much. Trying to keep breakfast dishes from flying around was a challenge so it was time to move on. We were in the middle of bringing the anchor up when the Coast Guard stopped by for a visit. “Where are you going, where are you from, where did you clear customs, have a nice trip, hope we didn’t interupt you bringing up the anchor” then off to greet the others anchored nearby. We headed south to Atlantic Highlands, where you can anchor behind the breakwater. We got fuel and water first and kept the engine running for the first bit after we anchored so we could each get in a quick shower. (The objective is to use as little water as possible, so shower in the sense of “Ahh, that feels nice” might not be the appropriate word, but you do get clean and that feels good.) We then headed off to do a reconaissance of what the town has to offer. There was a trawler from Vancouver anchored next to us wondering where the laundry was so we promised to come back with a report. Found the dinghy dock, found the laundromat, got permission to dock the dinghy at a spot closer to the laundromat and passed on the news to our neighbours. Dave and Christopher spent the afternoon exploring Atlantic Highlands while our clothes did the transition from stinky to “Mountain fresh”.
On Friday we woke up to a forecast of impending severe thunderstorms. We had intended to head up to the 79th st. moorings in Manhattan, but that is a rolly place on weekends and add a thunderstorm to that and it might not be too pleasant. Many people had told us about Great Kills Harbour on Staten Island, as a protected spot. The sky didn’t look too great already so we hurried to eat breakfast and leave hoping we could get there before the storm came. In about an hour and a half we were entering this horseshoe shaped harbour, marinas down both sides and the rest of the harbour completely filled with sailboats on mooring balls. We thought we were in Boot Key Harbour in Marathon again for a moment! The guidebooks said that there would be room at the north end past the moorings to anchor and when we got there we found we had plenty of room. Not sure about the weather we stayed on the boat for the rest of the morning trying to finish up some things in the boat schooling folder. Christopher reminded me that school at home is done now. When we are travelling on flat water it is good for doing school work, but on ocean days and days like Delaware Bay it doesn’t even get looked at. So, we’ll try to finish up before Canada Day.
In the afternoon we dinghied to shore at Great Kills National Park, then walked to town to seek out the Staten Island Railroad for our train fan. It was a hot walk and you could feel the impending storm must be coming even though the sun was shining.
When we got back to the boat and turned on the weather radio, Mr. Computer voice was issueing all sorts of dire warnings, and the sky was looking like he was right. When the storm hit, we went into what has become our usual thunderstorm routine. Invariably, we try to get supper done before the storm hits but we never make it. I’m sure we must look like a comedy routine. Look at the family sitting down to supper in the cockpit. Oops, it’s pouring rain, they are passing things down below and scrambling around like mad. Oh, there they are sitting at the table. Crack! Oops, lightening! Don’t want to be so close to the mast, everyone to their stations! Christopher and Dad huddle in Christopher’s room at the back of the boat with their meals, and Mom climbs into the v-berth at the bow with hers. Oh, the wind is howling too! Look at them take turns popping up to make sure they are still where they are supposed to be. Ok, things are quieting down now, as you were, carry on.

Saturday we spent exploring the Great Kills park. from the beach you could see most of the Lower Bay, with Sandy Hook and Atlantic Highlands in view.

Our Final Day on the Ocean - June 24

Sunrise as we head into the ocean from Atlantic City




Working the winch to keep the jib tight.





A Sandy Hook Beer at the end of a long day!







After watching the weather carefully the last few days today looked like a decent day to head off shore again. Up we got at 4 am and headed off with the first glimmer of sunrise. The winds were quite calm and we noticed a number of other boats ambling out the inlet at the same time. We could feel the rollers coming in but these were not nearly the same magnitude as the other day. Once we were out far enough and turned north it actually felt very comfortable. The light wind, generally on our nose, meant that we motored along with only the mainsail up to help with stabiltiy and to grab any favourable gusts that may come along. Our plan was to try to make it all the way to Sandy Hook, about 80 nautical miles. This would be our longest day yet. It was looking pretty good as we set out doing around six knots. Then we noticed our speed dropping. Hmm. I didn’t know of any opposing currents along the coast here. But down it went to about 4.8 knots and stayed there. Bummer. This was now putting our plan in jeopardy. To continue at this speed would mean arriving after dark which isn’t what we wanted to do. There were two more inlets coming up that were possible exits but neither of them were very appealing for their anchoragability (if that’s a word). As the last one crept up we had to make a decision. Just before this however, our speed started to creep back up, we also had a bit of wind and had unfurled the jib. Now we were back up to 6 knots and the decision to continue was easy. The seas had settled even more and Christopher was able to while away the hours playing on the computer. He also took a turn at assisting on the helm for over two hours. Getting the sails out is also a very active time for him as he helps pull on the jib sheet, uses the winch to harden the jib as well as the main sail when we need it. It is fun to watch him be a keen sailor!
A magical part of the day was the dolphin greeting we received. Along the way we came across about 5 different pods of dolphins some with about 30 dolphins. Most were just swimming along but some were more frisky and did a few full body leaps out of the water. We are really glad they came to say goodbye!
By 6:30 we reached the offshore buoy marking the Sandy Hook channel and by 7:30 we had the anchor down and felt totally relieved. As we came in we saw Rich on his boat Nessie anchoerd as well. Just when you thought you’d never cross paths with someone again, there they are! Great day!!

More High Rollers! June 21 - 23

Atlantic City Boardwalk


The Gamblers!


With some less than ideal weather out on the ocean we took the opportunity to take in the sights around Atlanctic City. The boardwalk is a little more than a mile from the marina and that is where many of the hot spots are. Being Father’s Day it seemed appropriate that I try my luck in one of the casinos. So into the Taj Mahal we went. After stumbling around a bit inside trying to figure out how things worked we finally settled on a couple of slot machines with nautical themes for good luck. Now the high rolling could really start! A bit of up and a bit of down – just like out in the ocean! Gambling is a bit of a hard concept for Christopher to understand but the action of the machines was pretty cool. But when you win all you get is a coupon, which isn’t a very impressive prize to him. When all was done I was a total of 37cents in the red!
Then off we went to continue along the boardwalk with its amusement park, gorby shops and more and more casinos. There was also an interesting historical museum about the area. Monopoly was invented here and we walked by many of those street properties you could buy. We also walked along the beach for a while but it wasn’t a swimming day. Before we ended this 10 mile walk a bird deposited its load right on Shirley. Try as I might to convince her that was good luck and she should pop into a casino she was somehow more interested in getting back to get more fully cleaned up.
After losing that 37 cents we decided it would be best to leave the dock and its costs and head over to a nearby anchorage. It turned out to be a really nice spot that was well protected. We went to shore to do some shopping, which was a challenge because there was no decent dinghy landing. We found a spot that we had to slog the dinghy through by pulling it over marsh grass in knee deep water and then drag it over land to a stable spot where we could lock it up. We do a lot more locking in these urban areas. Later we had a much easier time dinghying over to a beach and taking doing some fun exploring there. Tons of little crabs to watch. Cars with special permits are allowed to drive along here and so many were there with families hanging out or guys and all their fishing stuff.

Rolling on the Ocean June 19

Shirley and the ocean - together again!

We have been out of site of the ocean now since we left Beaufort NC. Now we are sitting on its edge again anticipating our sail up the east coast of New Jersey. To do this we will need a couple of good weather days. Friday morning we saw ‘Alice” leaving the harbour so we radioed them for their impressions of the conditions. Large rolling swells, not the pounding waves we’d had on Tuesday. Time to go! We had to wait for a fuel dock to open so we could fuel up before heading out.

Heading out and heading in. Those are the times when your senses are on full alert when travelling on the ocean. The combination of tides, currents, winds and narrow channels make inlets places that grab your attention. As we started out the inlet it didn’t look bad but you could see the “bumps” on the water toward the horizon. Sure enough as we continued along the swells started to well up underneath Tiffany Rose’s bow. With the outgoing tide we were zipping along at about 7.5 knots and we started to bounce into the waves. But it wasn’t long until we were out of the channel and pointing our way to the north east to follow the coast toward Atlantic City, our next stop along the way. The breeze was good and we had all sails flying. Feels good!

The swells were quite large so it was like being on a slow roller coaster. First you are on top of a wave, then there’s that sinking feeling as you descend into the trough, then up, then down. At times in the trough we would lose all site of land and then at the top we would have a splendid view. So we knew these were sizable swells, mainly left over from the stormy weather earlier. Even though we have been travelling by boat for ten months being on the ocean is still thrilling. The expanse, the smells, and the power all create a sense of awe as we bob along in our tiny craft. This time Shirley did ok with the movement but for the first time it seemed that Christopher wasn’t so keen on the wave action. As we approached Atlantic City, again we are on full alert as we see waves crashing along side the jetty of the inlet. Coming in now we have the waves pushing us along which is nice except it can confuse your steering. Fortunately the tide was also going in which meant the waves were not popping up and bouncing us around. Our entry was pretty smooth.

Christopher was glad when we pulled into Atlantic City and be out of the swells. We docked at the Historic Gardner Basin, as we did in the fall. Here, the marina doesn’t really have facilities for you but your dock fee allows you to visit the Atlantic City aquarium. Good deal!

Cape May and waiting for weather June 17-18

Audubon Society Nature Centre

We stayed anchored there in front of the Coast Guard station until Friday, wating for the right weather to head north. Wednesday we were able to dinghy to town and explored around Cape May. There was a nature centre there with a tower that offered a good view of the harbour.
Thursday it was stormy and we stayed on board most of the day. At least Christopher and I did. Dave was doing some maintenance chores and would zoom off to “Alice” who was also anchored there to borrow tools, ask advice or see what they thought of tomorrow’s weather for travelling. Meanwhile Christopher had announced that by the date on the calendar it was time for exams. That hadn’t been part of the original boat schooling plan but hey, we aim to please, so exams can be arranged. That made the day go by quickly! The stormy weather also made the day more exciting as other boats started dragging and everyone was out in their cockpits on watch or out at the bow adjusting their anchoring system. This has been one of the more rock-and-rolly anchorages we’ve been in.

Beating Down the Delaware (or..the Delaware beating down us) June 16

Delaware Bay has a reputation. And any place that has a reputation we pay special attention. At Chesapeake City, we spent some time with Charles and Laurel and their boys from the sailboat Alice, talking about the upcoming weather and our thoughts on getting down the Bay. It would be 73 miles from start to finish – our longest run. The combination of a fairly shallow but very large body of water, strong ocean tidal currents and winds makes for a potentially rough ride. The weather for Tuesday was looking the best for the next 5 days –10 knots from the east. After some deliberation “Alice” decided to leave at 4:30am and we decided to follow about a half hour later.

With our running lights on and the sun still hidden beyond the horizon we nosed out into the second half of the C&D Canal, with the knowlrdge that the forecast wasn’t as favourable – the winds were going to be stronger than we thought. The current was against us now so the 13 canal miles were a bit slow. When we hit the Delaware river the current had turned in our favour and we accelerated to over 7 knots. Both sails were raised and we upped our speed to over 8 knots. YES!! A couple of hours later the Delaware river poured us into Delaware Bay and the real fun started. Actually not that fun – but awfully exhilerating.The wind current combination turned our rapid ride into a wet and wild show. The east wind was now on our nose and we had to angle off to keep wind in the sails. The waves quickly built up and were steep with a short space between them. Our smooth sailing Tiffany Rose was now bucking up and down in the waves. As they built up more her bow started to pop into the air and then dive down into the next one sending a gushing spray over the deck.

Christopher was down below working on something on the computer as it started. When he came up to the cockpit he was looking a bit off and so we stuck him in his favourite corner to try to nap. This short sleep did the trick and he came back to life. What this looked like then was laughing enthusiastically as a wave would run over the bow and spray over the dodger and hit me or Shirley in the face. Great fun!! You'll notice the distinct lack of pictures for this post, partly because of the wet and part becasue our hands were busy doiong what we had to do.
Shirley and I were trading off at the helm – it was tough work keeping the course, trying to keep wind in the sails and control the wild throws of the waves. But then she had to go below to attend to something. That pretty much did her in. The wild rocking and working in close quarters turned her stomach upside down and I watched in anticipation as she clung to the lifelines ready to give the Bay a taste of her breakfast. “That’ll teach it!” But she was able to bring things under control and kept her much needed honey nut flake nutrition. Usually it is best to take the helm when you get seasick. But today it was so wild at the helm as the stern would plunge down and then fire back up into the air, it wasn’t having the desired calming effect. So I kept my place there and rode us on down the Bay. The wind had turned too much on our nose and we furled up the jib, but left the main flying. Of course the engine had been running all along as well. More than close hauled now we were still able to squeeze 5.5 knots, except when the GPS would read 2kts when we slammed another wave. After about 7 hours of this pounding we could see the land forming Cape May. We thought for sure as we got closer things would subside, but it kept blowing. Sure felt a lot stronger than the 15 knots they were forecasting. It wasn’t until we reached the Cape May canal that everything suddenly went flat and my white knuckle grip on the wheel relaxed. We breathed easy over to the anchorage next to the Coast Guard Station and joined a number of other boats. Now to wait for the next "good weather day" to head into the ocean and start up the coast.

On to Chesapeake City June 14 &15

Perryville Train Museum

We still had the rented car for part of Sunday so we took advantage of it to get some chores done such as groceries and getting to and from the laundromat. Dave and Christopher took advantage of the laundry time by driving over the bridge crossing the Susquehanna River to see the train station and museum at Perryville. It had a nice model train layout.
Monday morning we headed out again to wave goodbye to the Chesapeake Bay as we started into the C and D canal that connects it to Delaware Bay. It wasn’t long before we reached Chesapeake City. There is a free dock there, but in the fall when we had stopped there it had been full and we had anchored in the basin. This time though, there was just one other boat there (besides the resident ferry) so we decided to enjoy the free stay. We realized as we were pulling in that the other boat was Alice, a family with two boys from Maine that we had met in the fall. It was fun to exchange the “So how did your winter turn out?” stories.

Tiffany Rose at her free dock in Chesapeake City

Surprise at the Top of the Bay! June 11-14

Tiffany Rose Motoring up Chesapeake Bay
(Courtesy of Whipoorwill)


Havre De Grace Lighthouse from Tiffany Rose

Up early to once again beat the weather. Whipoorwhil stopped by and we set off at about the same time. We had little wind but a good current going with us so we briskly cruised out of Annapolis up to the top of Chesapeake Bay. There were no big ships to contend with so we used the current and markers of the shipping channel to help us along. Whipoorwhil was headed off to Chesapeake City to make time towards home. We, on the other hand, were detouring off towards Christopher’s “Promised Land”. Who would have thought that Havre de Grace was such a place? Most Canadians would pronounce this city’s name with a bit of French flair in the pronounciation but here it is “Hav-er de Grayce”. The French was lost hundreds of years ago. As far as Christopher is concerned this city is beautiful for its train activity! We anchored right at the mouth of the Susquehanna River, beside the old lighthouse, in sight of the Amtrack train bridge. Perfect! Relax in the cockpit with a cool drink of juice and watch trains for hours! Along with the relaxing vista our ears were treated to the sound of machine gun and artillary fire. Just south of us is the Aberdeene Proving Grounds where the army trains its people and tests its firepower. We feel very safe here…
We spent some time touring around town and finding all the good train spotting locations and then we got ready for the big event. Thanks to some folks we met earlier in the trip we found out that Havre de Grace was only an hour or so drive to Strasburg PA. Strasburg is Christopher’s most favourite spot because it is live steam train central. So we rented a car, moved Tiffany Rose over to a mooring ball at Tidewater Marina and got ready for a road trip!
Early Saturday morning we were dinghying to shore to hop into the car to skoot up to Strasburg. It’s funny, as the crow flies we are now about as close to home as we’re going to be until we get into the Erie Canal. (From here we have to go south and east, down the Delaware Bay to Cape May, New Jersey then up the coast to New York City.) Pulling into Strasburg, it was odd knowing we were less than a days drive home by car but weeks away by boat.
We have visited Strasburg a few times before for summer vacation and the railroad is always a calm place to be. Not so today. As it happens, it was also a Day Out with Thomas event. That meant at least a thousand more people there, all families coming to see Thomas the Tank Engine. We hadn’t planned on that, so we didn’t have tickets for “Thomas”. Christopher knew that we would ride the regular steam train, and that he could watch the Thomas train but that we wouldn’t be going on. That was fine because there was already so much to see and do. Christopher loves to see the trains come and go, and he has all the conductor’s signals for coupling the engine to the train down pat. We were watching a train leave when a lovely lady came up to us, saying she had two tickets for the 10:45 Thomas train that she couldn’t use and that she’d like Christopher to go on the train. We couldn’t believe it! What a generous gesture! So Dave and Christopher went on the next Thomas train. When we caught up to her again later to say thank you again and give her our blog address, she said”Oh, are you sailors? We have a 34’sailboat we keep in Chesapeake Bay.” She said they'd like to do a trip like this when their kids are a little older. It is a small world.
Between doing the activities that go along with a Thomas day (rides on other rail cars on sidings, getting a 'tatoo', etc.) and doing what he has liked to do when we have visited Strasburg before (sprinting from end to end of the platform as the engine leaves the front of the train and comes back to couple on the rear), plus going on both the Thomas and regular steam trains, Christopher had a very full day. The video below shows Christopher assisting the train man to couple the engine to the cars. We ended it off by having supper in the rail car restaurant at the Red Caboose Motel further down the railway tracks. We were able to wave at Strasburg`s last train of the day, The Evening Breeze, as it went by. No sooner had we gotten in the car then it started to rain. What a perfect day!

On to Annapolis

Officer Christopher


US Naval Academy



After Dan drove off into the sunrise we hoisted the anchor and followed suit, back into Chesapeake Bay hoping for good winds and a fair tidal current to speed us on our way. Today was another “thunderstorms in the afternoon” day and we wanted to get to Annapolis before getting bombarded. Turned out to be just that way. We scooted along nicely for most of the day although the wind wasn’t nearly as nice as it was sailing with Dan the day before. So it was an emphasis on “motor” for a motor sailing day. When we approached Annapolis it got a bit hairy as there were many boats out doing their own thing but also some Navy training ships (small ones) doing manoeuvres. We had a few moments of nervous hesitation as one of these would stop and pirouette right in front of us and the take off in another direction. While over to our side navy zodiacs were zipping and swerving around like crazy doing something of the utmost importance, or so it seemed. Fun and games at the US Naval Academy!
At Annapolis we turned into the Back River to look for a good anchoring spot. This river is wall-to-wall marina with loads of beautiful sailboats to gawk at. Good anchoring spots though are hard to find. We ended up anchoring right beside a small mooring field. Right beside meaning a bit too close for comfort, but the winds were fairly light and all the moored boats were behaving – for now. After we were snuggled in at our spot Ab and Karen from Whippoorwill stopped by. They are a boat from Port Stanley ON that we have met at different times along the way. Ab was kind enough to direct me to the hardware store because our sink in the head (bathroom) blew the faucet line out.
We also met the crew from Mystic, a 63 foot sailboat that sailed around from San Francisco, through the Panama Canal to here. What a ride!
Next morning we dinghied ashore for a few errands and to see parts of Annapolis we missed our first time here. Being the capital of Maryland it has a beautiful old section of town with the old government buildings that are still in use. One fun Police Officer offered Christopher a turn on his trike segue (see picture). We also had a wonderful time visiting the Naval Academy. What a place! It is THE training centre for the Navy and it has a superb visitors centre to show off what they’ve done and how many famous people and astronauts have come out of that school. Quite impressive.
That night, after the faucet got fixed, the threatening skies came good on their word and we had a doozy of a storm. We spent a lot of time watching out for the boats on the moorings as we swung every which way and came in awfully close to one of the boats. Fortunately we avoided any impact but agreed that staying there another night wouldn’t be wise.

Drivin' Dan the Sailing Man June 6-8

Earlier in our trip our friend Dan Mulrooney let us know he was interested in joining us at some point along the journey. As with others who have expressed this interest we let Dan know that coordinating these visits while we are en route is extremely hard and that it would require a lot of flexibility on his part. With the influence of the weather, mechanical issues and and a myriad of other factors it is almost impossible for us to say we will be at a given location on a specific date – unless we are already there. And that’s what happened. When Dan found out we were at Solomons Island he asked how long we’d be there – “A couple of days because of the weather”. Next thing we knew Dan was getting in his car with an extra pair of underwear or two and doing a long overnight drive from Ottawa down here. That’s the way to make it work! We had moved the boat over to the marina dock and in the morning we had to get some groceries. When we returned to the boat Dan was inside having a nap! He was then duly oriented to the boat and its systems by Christopher doing the tour and many of the explanations.

That afternoon ( Saturday) we left the dock and scooted down Back Creek into the Puxatant River hoping to give Dan a sail time. When we got organized to hoist the sails Christopher immediately protested loudly exclaiming that there was not enough wind and demanding we take the sails down. Well, he was right again. We tried painfully for a little while to see if some puffs of wind would move us along but no luck. So what is one to do in such a case? Go anchor and start the sundowner drinks early!!

Sunday was a different scene. Out we went to the mouth of the river and into the grand Chesapeake Bay. No protests this time. The wind was up and the sails were set. And when Christopher did his duty of turning the engine off, the peace combined with the rush of the wind was like magic. It was a perfect combination of wind, sun and small waves and made for exhilarating sailing. Dan took the helm (video below) and tacked us back and forth to the other side of the bay. By afternoon a whole armada of local boats were out as well making for a classic Chesapeake Bay day on the water.
After a great supper of shrimp and grilled tuna followed by a few more sundowners we were able to reflect on this spur of the moment visit as a great example of successfully seizing the moment. And before we knew it Dan was driving off into the sunrise at 6am the next morning.

Dancing with Storms June 3-5

Our departure from the exotic Grog Island was under clear skies but with thunderstorms lurking on the horizon. We beetled out of there by 5:45 and dashed (at a steaming 6 mph) toward Solomons Island hoping to get there before the lightening started. The motor sail up the Chesapeake turned out to be a very good one. We had some good wind for a while, our pace picked up and the breeze felt good in the 90 degree sunny day. It is always a struggle in our planning when the forecast says chance of thiunderstorms for 5 days in a row. Do we sit tight or try to beat them to the next anchorage? Our strategy lately has been to try to beat them unless they really seem imminent.

After arriving at Solomons Island we landed at a perfect anchorage and got everything secure as the big black clouds started to move in. We beat them! And then, as Christopher likes to explete, “KA-POW!” A great rip roaring thunderstorm came through. The site at a busy anchorage after a thunderstorm is all these guys sitting in their dinghies bailing them out – only to have them fill in again as the next wave comes through.
It was a pleasant surprise to meet up with two other boats we had met in our travels and thought that they would have been long gone from our range. Bird on a Wire is a boat from New Brunswick with wonderful family of 4 – parents and two daughters aboard (in picture above). We had a bit of a visit with them and found out about their adventures over the winter. We also met up with Kismet – a boat from Sodus Bay NY which is where we bought Tiffany Rose. I actually met Jim and Laurie there when we were all working in the boat yard getting the boats ready for the water after the winter last April. It has been great to bump into them along the way and swap stories of the ups and downs of cruising the waterway.
With the weather looking rather crummy for travel we decided to get a few things done here like change the oil, shopping and the all time favourite, get a blood test for Christopher. This meant getting a local doctor appointment at a clinic within walking distance. We were lucky to book one for the next day. Before getting to the doctor we realized that Christopher’s ear was discharging ooogy stuff. What timing! We were able to include a check-up for his ears at the same time. Turns out they are not too bad but the Doc gave us a prescription in case it flares up.

Having got this no-fun business out of the way we were free to explore the area on a rainy day. Along the lovely riverwalk here we met up with some local folks and Christopher got to know their large and friendly dogs. We also went to the Calvert Museum that we visited in the fall and were equally impressed this time around. It is hard to take it all in at one visit at a great museum like this one.

Not Always What the Brochure Claims…

The glamour of it all
Of course a sailing journey is full of exotic anchorages with gorgeous scenery. At least that is the romantic image of what cruising aboard a sailboat is. Water lapping gently on the side of the boat while the sun dips behind a breathtaking vista. Well, we have had some of those and have shared them in this blog. Not so all the time however. Quite often the anchorage area in a town leads to the not-so-savoury part of town. The “vista’ bestowed upon us in the picture above is a prime example. Not the romantic moon we had envisioned. And we couldn’t believe how long this fisher person stayed in that exact position perhaps proudly demonstrating that he too could wear his pants like those young city kids do! This did provoke a number of belly chuckles from our cabin but it also made me think that we’ve been fortunate to have the wide mix of landing experiences. Dinghying in to shore and landing in a spot not geared towards tourists but full of local folks living and sometimes struggling through their lives is a rich experience. Like a little while ago when we were in a not so lavish location and spoke with a teenage brother and sister. Through a heavy southern accent we learned their story of how “Mamma just got fired from her job that day and now they had to move…but we can make some good come out of all this”. Real life by the river. Dropping in and out of real people’s lives is fascinating and often shifts what we are thinking and feeling as this adventure continues to unfold.

Just because it says 2009, don’t you go thinkin’ that means up-to date…..
Before we headed north from Norfolk we thought that perhaps a brand new guidebook for the Chesapeake Bay might be nice. Heading north we have more time to explore, so a book just dedicated to the Bay, rather than one geared for people cruising on through, was in order. What luck! We found a 2009 illustrated cruising guide for Chesapeake Bay for half price! (Maybe that should have been a red flag……)
Following the advice of the guidebook, rather than go straight from Deltaville to Solomons Island we would spend a day and night anchored where we could visit the “pearl” of the Bay, Grog Island. There was a lovely drawing of a treed island with a lovely beach. The book read “It’s sandy beach shines gold in the morning sun with a fringe of trees silhouetted against the sky”. Sigh…. Doesn’t that sound beautiful honey?
There was more….”it features a nice sandy beach, perfect for picnics, and children have a chance to run and explore.” Now, to be fair, it did mention that the island was suffering some erosion into the Bay but….”for now, however, it is one of the true gems of the Chesapeake.”
“For now” was obviously not in 2009, or judging by what was left of the trees (see photo) any time in recent memory. And the children running and exploring the beach? They better be wearing lifejackets and flippers. As well, make sure that picnic floats and attach a tether to it because the wave action is pretty brisk! As there didn’t appear to be any Grog Island we thought perhaps we were in the wrong spot. After anchoring Tiffany Rose, we got in the dinghy and went over to where a couple was sitting in a small motor boat anchored off of what once might have been the end of the island. “There used to be an island here,” the lady said. “When I was young there were two ponds on it as well.” “Was this Grog Island? we asked. “Yes” she said sadly, “things change”. Yes they do, but I guess not the guidebook. Once again, as travellers, we’d dropped right in the middle of someone else’s real life experience.

Starting up the big Bay May 29 – 31

After anchoring two nights in Norfolk, the weather looked right Friday morning for us to at least make a start up the Chesapeake Bay before the next forecast storm. First we pulled into a marina to fuel up and pumpout then we headed up the Elizabeth River, crossed the James River and then up the Hampton River to Hampton. Only a short trip of about ten miles but one that can be unnerving when the big warships and large cargo ships docked in Norfolk are coming or going. Luckily we were already across the James River and out of the way when a large ship went by.
In the fall we had anchored in the Hampton harbour along with many other boats, so when we saw only three boats there we thought it would be easy. However with the direction of the wind and the way those three boats were spaced we could not find a place to put down the anchor. After circling and circling we decided to head down the creek to Sunset marina we had gone to last fall during bad weather. They were really nice, they remembered us and welcomed us back. We spent some time shopping and wandering around the very pretty town of Hampton.
Next morning, we headed out into the Bay. The wind was on our nose so we motored with the main up until the wind shifted in the afternoon and we were able to sail. The chop of the Bay made for a bouncy ride with the nose of Tiffany Rose diving into the the next wave. It was great to be in the open waters of the Chesapeake after so many narrow stretches on the Waterway. Our destination was Jackson Creek in Deltaville, another spot that had been a really crowded anchorage when we had stopped there in the fall. One of those where you are up half the night checking that you aren’t swinging into another boat. No such problem now. Plenty of room. In fact, Deltaville is a spot where many northerners will leave their boats to return to in the fall and head south again. There was a boat yard near where we were anchored with a lot of boats “on the hard” (out of the water, stored on stands on land). We did a little tour around and saw a few Canadian boats that we knew. We took pictures of Breeze Hunter and Sweet Surrender, boats we had anchored near and visited with in the first leg of the fall trip, and sent them by email to them back home.
Now that we are back in the Chesapeake area we notice again the great hospitality toward boaters. In both Hampton and Deltaville we were given rides from people who just thought we looked like boaters and might need a lift to the store or back to the boat.

Mile "0" May 27-28

Today we hit a milestone on our journey home by getting to Mile 0 of the Intracoastal Waterway. In the Florida Keys we were at about mile 1,200 and here in Norfolk VA at the Red Buoy #36 is where this great waterway begins. So - CHEERS! We made it this far!! Right by this buoy we anchored at a spot called Hospital Point beside the Tidewater Marina. We paid the marina for landing our dinghy and using their facilities which included a floating pool. Right there amongst the floating docks they have this salt water pool that was a hit with Christopher. While we were at the poolside we met a man who was visiting on a friends boat and they were all from Ontario. He was from Burlington, where much of my family lives and is where we dock Tiffany Rose. AND his daughter lives in Orangeville and she taught us our pre-natal classes, and is the wife of the current mayor. Go figure!

Doin' the Dismal May 26-27

Elizabeth City was a fun two day stay and then we left with a fleet of 6 boats for the 7:30 bridge opening to go up the Pasquotank river and into the Dismal Swamp. Traveling the Dismal in the spring is beautiful. The trees growing right in the water, the lush greens and the turtles and snakes we saw along the way were intriguing. Most of the other boats pushed on through to the end and we elected to stop at the roadside visitor center for another free dock and also to deal with an overheating problem. We sucked something into the raw water intake for the engine at the lock and it cut off the water flow. So we had to take it apart and use a hose to blow the stuff out the other end. Seemed to work.

Rich on the sailboat Nessie pulled in behind us and we were treated to a bagpipe serenade in the evening.

On shore we walked across the pontoon bridge to explore the Dismal Swamp state park. Nice trails and a boardwalk to walk. There were also scads of ticks. After admiring the beauty of it all we had to de-tick each other. Christopher had a whole community scurrying about his socks and shoes. We'll try not to bring any home! I feel kind of bad whining about a few ticks when i think about the slaves that worked under George Washington's company to hand dig this entire canal. Hard to imagine.

One of the odd sights we saw along the way was someone's target for shooting practice. As you can see in the above picture the target is not meant to improve skeet shooting skills...

Redeemed In Elizabeth City May 24-25

It was almost a trip ending event. At the time we couldn't express it properly for a blog entry, but now we can revisit it feeling better. It was when we stopped in Elizabeth City on our way down in November. We had been having a bit of engine trouble and hadn't fully resolved it. As we approached the dock, which is tall pilings together with tiny finger docks lined up against a steel wall, the wind was blowing strong. There were a number of people there to help guide us in and grab lines. I gave the engine a bit of speed to get into the pilings without being blown sideways, then I shifted quickly into reverse. That's when I heard it. That's when Shirley at the bow heard it too. The lady in the boat beside us said it seemed very sureal. We heard nothing. It was the sound of the engine stalled. So with this bit of speed on we glided,16000 lbs silently head on to the steel wall...the helpers were now yelling at us to stop...everyone - body parts out of the way. CRASH! Christopher goes flying forward. Everyone else just stares. At the helm I wonder what this all means now. Christopher was fine, but Tiffany Rose...? Somehow some of the impact got diverted and the anchor roller took the brunt of it. This piece of steel was bent almost 90 degrees but there wasn't a bit of fibreglass or other structural damage. After much discussion with the guys on the dock I was able to remove the anchor roller and take it to a local machine shop. $20 to fix it up. Shirley, Christopher and I were way more emotionally shaken and damaged than that!!
And so we head across the Albemarle Sound this morning bound for Elizabeth City. The crossing was beautifully smooth. Plan A is to go right past the docks and anchor beyond the lift bridge. As we neared town we heard other boats calling in to dock and it seemed like there was lots of space. I asked Shirley what she thought. No docks thanks! Christopher was also feeling queezy about it as he recounted in detail the events of November. We had some serious jitters. Then we got close and it looked inviting. What do you want to do? I asked again. "OK, let's see if there is help to dock." Next thing we knew we were coming in for a picture perfect docking with the help of some fellow boaters. On the outside it was a normal docking, with polite thank-yous. On the inside we were doing high fives and victory dances!! We faced a fear and won.

We did a two night stay and enjoyed the great hospitality of this town. Christopher was a bit down because his camera had stopped functioning properly. He averages 400 pictures a day and not having it work has thrown him into a bit of a withdrawl frenzy. But he does have some of his own money and we talked about some possibilities. So off we went to find a store that sells cameras and is open on Memorial day. The drug store of course! Sure enough they had a couple of good ones to choose from. Then I realized how particular he was about the features. He wanted to be sure the camera would do all the things he required of it, and had all the right buttons for those things. I tried to show him that this Kodak C713 indeed does everything he wants. But he was a bit leary of me and insisted we ask the sales person. She joined in and commented on "he is a hard sell isn't he?" She did a good job and he was satisfied and then handed over his US cash. By the time we left he had more bounce in his step, and after setting it up we went out and snapped a couple of hundred high quality pics. A very successful stop at Elizabeth City for all!

Leaving signs of the south behind May 20-23

As we near the top of the Carolinas, although from home we would consider this south, more and more there is evidence that we're in a more northern climate. The mangrove trees that were a constant sight for months have been absent from view for quite some time. Palm trees have become fewer and fewer and should we see one now it will be considered exotic and imported. Long gone are the signs telling boaters to slow down for manatees. More and more we are seeing signs of home. Yesterday we watched two Canada geese herding their goslings along. A couple of days ago we dinghied up a creek lined with Cedar and Maple trees. When we stepped out the roadside was lined with Queen Anne's Lace.

The temperature fluctuations feel more like our summers at home. The storm that greeted our arrival to Surf City had us pulling warm clothes out of storage, but now a few days later we are back to humid summer heat.

We stayed in Surf City a little longer than we intended. The gale force winds made leaving the dock look somewhat daunting and the VHF radio was warning of bridges that would not open with the winds. Finally Wednesday morning things calmed down enough to leave. We waited until low tide in the late morning to get going so we could pass by a couple of the shallow inlets ahead with a rising tide. We were lucky as well as we travelled through Camp Lejeune. Practice firing and other military training sometimes prohibit boats from travelling through, but all was quiet that afternoon. Along the way we saw remnants of army vehicles, presumably used for target practice and had constant companionship of multiple helicopters doing their training maneuvers. We made it to Swansboro, and like in the fall, anchoring in the current there with the opposing wind had us hiding down below when the evening rain came.

Thursday, we headed towards Morehead City/Beaufort area with the plan of heading out to Cape Lookout to anchor there for a last ocean fling. We did head out the Beaufort Inlet but once out there it was clear that the ocean had not had time to settlle down from the previous days winds and the swells were too uncomfortable so we turned around and waved goodbye to the ocean. For now. See you in New Jersey.

After our good bye to the ocean as we motored north of Morehead we were treated to a pair of dolphins joining us to play in our wake. They were right beside the boat almost within touching distance. As they surfed our wave they would turn a bit sideways and show thier tummies and their pemanent smiles! What a treat!!

We headed north up Adam's Creek and anchored not far off in Cedar Creek just south of Oriental. It was there we got off the boat to dinghy up the creek. We found a convenience store to stock up on a few items. We must have had that somewhat homeless and hungry look as the friendly store owner insisted we take bags of nacho chips for free as they were near their expiry date. That night at the anchorage we were once again serenaded by the bagpipes from Rich on the small sailboat Nessie.

On Friday we left shortly after sunrise as the winds were still relatively gentle and the Neuse River was next and it has a reputation for being nasty in certain winds. We had a pleasant sail up the river and by the time the winds were stirring things up we were anchoring in Belhaven. We did dinghy to shore which turned into a wet wavy adventure, but was also a welcome chance to stretch our legs. Now that we are north of Oriental, we are out of what our insurance company considers the hurricane zone. We had to be by there by June 1st. We're ahead of their schedule.

After the Neuse River the next challenging body of water to come is the Albemarle Sound. In the fall we had been delayed for the better part of a week on the other side as we, along with about twenty other boats, had waited for calm enough weatehr to cross. Our destination on this Saturday was to make it to the mouth of the Alligator River and anchor, ready to take advantage of the calm weather forecast for early Sunday morning. Once again a sunrise departure, and a pretty trip through the Pungo and Alligator river canal, up the Alligator River, through the swing bridge then we inched our way into the Little Alligator River to put the anchor down. Nowhere to dinghy to tonight, so early to bed to be ready for tomorrow's crossing.