Second try

After a brief rest we listened to the weather reports and reviewed the current weather at Thomas Point light (about half way up the Bay) and saw the wind was now 8 knots from the west. we upped anchor at 11:30am and set sail for Baltimore...a second time. As we entered the Bay it was sunny, cool, with a light breeze of 8 knots from the west, just as it was at Thomas Point. . It was hard to believe that only 5 hours earlier we were battling high winds and waves. So up the Bay we went

It's been a beautiful motor sail. At 5:30 pm we are passing Annapolis and approaching the Bay bridge, which means we are about 4 hours from home!

Annapolis I off to the west

Bay bridge ahead

Into the Patapsco at 8pm. The Francis ascot a key bridge ahead

FSK Bridge at sundown

We pulled into the slip at Harnorview at 9:50 pm.

Priority in its slip again

The entire trip of 962 miles was accomplished in 7 days and 16 hours. Amazing!!

The entire trip was amazing. Can't wait for the next one

Last leg....almost!!

The day (Friday) dawned sunny and cool and we pulled away from the Coinjock dock at 6:05, and for once didn't have to stop or go back.

Leaving Coinjock

 Instead we plowed a furrow in the bottom of the North River, nearly into the Currituck sound. Presumably due to the strong winds of the previous day had pushed the water out of the north River and our keel was dragging in the mud as we wandered side to side looking for deeper water. We finally found some and headed into Currituck sound. 

Currituck Sound

It was cold, breezy, with lots of spray coming over the dodger. Not at all pleasant. But we were soon on the other side and into the north landing River, which was much nicer and warmer. It's a pretty River, winding through very scenic countryside, marred only by the occasional swing bridge, which gave us a chance to play "hurry up and wait" at each bridge

. There is also a Great Lock (that's the name)

Robert holding a line in the lock

 which always has very pleasant 

and helpful tenders and we were soon on our way into Norfolk 

It's fun to look at the amazing collection of warships lined up on display. 

One of the several aircraft carriers in Norfolk 

We passed through Norfolk without event and on up the Chesapeake Bay by 2pm!

It was warm, sunny with a 12 knot breeze from the west. We were making 6.5 knots and hoped to Baltimore by 4pm on Saturday

It was not to be

Every thing was fine till around midnight when the wind shifted to the north, on our nose and mover the next 4 hours built to 28 knots. The Bay became choppy, with waves crashing over the deck and into the cockpit.    Our speed slowed to about 2 knots and it was miserable!! By 7am we'd had enough and pulled into Solomons where we anchored and collapsed into bed

We plan to leave again around noon, when the winds are predicted to decrease into nothingness. We'll see. 

Our hope now is to get to Baltimore before midnight!

One final thing, I think I was remiss in not sufficiently describe the meal at Coinjock

The Prime Rib weighed 32 oz, was perfectly cooked and delightfully tender. I managed to eat it all, savoring every morsel, while also enjoying the baked sweet potatoe and the pickled beets.  A nice Cabernet rounded out the meal, and of course there was ice cream for dessert

A fantastic meal. Not rivaled by those other pretenders

On to Coinjock

On to Coinjock (Thursday, May 21)

We left Dowrey Creek marina may 6:05 am.  Then turned back at 6:06am to retrieve a fender that had fallen overboard (much finger pointing and comments about a bad stopper knot). Through heroic efforts and remarkable contortions by Robert the fender was successfully retrieved and we were on our way again

Leaving Dowrey creek at sunrise

We turned immediately into the Alligator-Pungo canal, a 28 mile long, narrow, tree lined canal (some might call it a ditch) with partially submerged tree trunks at either side.

The Alligator Pungo Canal

We stayed in the middle and happily no tugs passed us in either direction. After about 4 hours we emerged into the Alligator River, then on to the Alligator River swing bridge. The bridge tender was very accommodating and we didn't even have to slowdown as we went on through. 

The alligator River swing bridge

About to go through

Then into the Albemarle sound, a 15 mile wide estuary that stretches down to Hatteras in the east and can sometimes be treacherous if the winds and currents don't align. Today we had lots of wind, but small waves and raised our sails (a full staysail and receded jib and main) we sailed along at 7 - 7.5 knots across the sound with ends of 18-20 knots, gusting to 25. Just as we were exiting the sound the wind rose to 28 knots, but we were reducing sail anyways. 

A storm had been predicted for the afternoon. We had entered the sound around noon and happily although the winds were up and clouds kept building. There was no storm until we were about 5 miles from Coinjock marina when we started seeing lightening on the horizon. The coast guard came on the radio with a warning of a squall approaching the sound with 50 knot winds, hail, and lightening. We increased our speed and were at the marina, tying up at 5pm. The heavens opened at 5:05pm!!

Rich Fieldhouse had tied up at Coinjock a few hours earlier and the three of us went to dinner at the famed Coinjock restaurant 

Let me now sing the praises of this Mecca for those who appreciate Prime Rib

There are those who speak highly of Abe &Louies in Boston, or of the Prime Rib in Philadelphia, and while they are indeed good, the  prime rib at the Coinjock restaurant represents the very pinnacle, the acme, the zenith, the ne plus ultra of Prime Ribdom. They serve a 32oz slab of meat, perfectly cooked to your specification, with a baked sweet potato side and pickled beets. The waitresses are of an age and have been there forever. The decor is 1950's rustic. Half the clientele are from the surrounding towns and half are from the boats (ranging in size up to 90 feet). All are happy

And so were we!!

Rich is on his way to his son's wedding in June, and will then sail up to Baltimore in July. He has been keeping company with a woman that I hope to meet in July 

   

Morehead City

Today, the third day of our voyage, we sailed into the Beaufort Inlet at 12:30, 3 days and 5 hours after we left Coconut Grove. It was a trip of 618 nautical miles, taking 77 hours, of which we motored 55 hours and sailed 22 hours.We used 46 gallons of Diesel fuel, achieving an efficiency of 0.8 galllons/hour....alll techy stuff but tell me we made great time and the engine and sails...the entire boat and crew performed brialliantly. 

I made some observations about long distance sailing (and of course what we did isn't really long distance sailing, but my limited standards, it is).

First you get really tired. It wasn't as bad the third day, perhaps I am getting used to the constant rotation of 3 hours on, 3 hours off, sleeping when you can, but tiring nonetheless. 

Second, you lose weight...with all the boat motion It is hard to eat, much less prepare fancy meals while underway (and by fancy I mean anything more than a peanut butter and jellly). I couldn't even make a thermos of coffee without causing a second degree burn (healing nicely, thanks for asking). and further, with the constant ship motion - somedays worse than others - its a struggle just to sit without falling over...you are constantly working to do the simplest things, like walking across the salon.

Third, you really don't see much of your shipmate..one of you is always on watch, the other is sleeping, and with a crew of two, that's all there is. 

It was the same coming down last fall...I really enjoyed the trip from Baltimore to Charleston, more than the trip from Charleston to Miami..we'll see how I llike the trip from Morehead City to Baltimore this time. 

We had an excellent  dinner this evening on the boat to celebrate our speedy trip. 

Robert had bought some steaks and potatoes while we were provisioning. I had purchased salad fixing and frozen "steam in a bag" vegetables......and of course I have several boxes of wine on the boat. We barbecued the steaks using the Barbie on the cockpit railings,used the microvave to prepare the potatoes and vegetables (brocolli in cheese sauce) and I threw the salad together (literally). We dined in the cockpit...a truly enjoyable meal...and the first one we had together since slipping the lines

In many things in life it is the voyage....I'm wondering if in sailing it is the destination?...Gonna have to do more experiments!

Day 3..making miles in the Gulf Stream

Day Three

Well, at around 4 this morning (Monday morning) the wind finally clicked around to the southeast. Unfortunately, it also died. 

Beginning at around 11pm of the first day (Saturday..it's getting hard for me to remember what day it is out here in the ocean, so I keep stating the obvious) we had been sailing, only using the engine twice a day for about an hour to charge the batteries. That ended at 4 this morning. It was great while it lasted. At one point early Sunday morning the wind started gusting into the low 20's on a beam reach. I was doing 11 knots - 7 knots by sail and a 4 knot current as a boost..awesome

Today is bright, sunny,warm, and no wind, so we are motoring to Moorhead city (twin city with Beaufort, NC. We expect to get there tomorrow (Tuesday evening..see, there I go again) sometime between 6 and 8 pm. We'll pull into a marina for the night and then off at first light for the Pungo river (up Adam's Creek, across Pimlico Sound, and then up the Pungo to a marina near the entrance to the Alligator-Pungo canal (a 28 mile long narrow canal with no place to stop or pull-over. Then up the Alligator river to the Albemarle sound the up the Elizabeth river to Coinjock, home of the 33oz prime rib. Can't wait!!

Notice in the photo how flat the ocean is today.. And how empty. We have no company excepting some flying fish which come sailing by from time to time

If take more pictures, but they'd all look like the first one

I'll see ifI can catch a photo of a flying fish, but it's doubtful

Nope, no fish. Ah well

Day 2...on the high seas

It's 1:45 of the second day at sea, enroute to morehead city. We are sailing now (engine is off) heading due north with winds at 15 knots from the East - a beam reach. We are doing over 9 knots, in part because we are in the Gulf Stream which adds 3-4 knots to our speed. To maximize this effect we are on a route suggested by Jenifer Clarke who sent me the coordinates on Friday. So far it has worked out as predicted. If this keeps up we won't have to stop for fuel till Beaufort

We are about 50 miles off shore so no cell phone or internet connectivity. I'm writing this draft using a program called iawriter on my cellphone as I decline in the cockpit. Robert just went down to take a nap. I had mine earlier

Last night was cold and windy. Up to 23 knots, and to be honest being on watch was not a lot of fun. But today is beautiful..sunny, warm, nice 15 knot breeze. Hope it stays this way. 

Had an accident this morning. I was making coffee, pouring hot water through a filter cone with ground into a thermos when the boat lurched and I went flying. I let go of the tea kettle but foolishly held onto the filter. Coffee grounds and hot water every, and unfortunately a little bit on my ankle, raising a small blister. I cleaned up everything, then put some neosporin on my ankle. A bit later Robert, who was a podiatrist suggested a bandage with some Aloe and so that's what I have now. I'll change the bandage in the morning and perhaps add more neosporin to the mix

My seasickness has faded but I still don't have much appetite. It will be soup and crackers for dinner

I'll have to wait to post this till we get closer to land. Probably Tuesday

almost ready

Today was all about getting ready. 

Tidied up the boat. Stowed most of the loose stuff, Tied up the Fortress anchor at the bow (coming down I had stowed it in the forecabin, but this time I hope to sleep there). but I did stow the folding bike in the forecabin bed next to me...not the best sleeping companion, but what can I do...

Robert Brown showed up around 10:30am. we stowed his gear and then went off to Publix (he still had his rental car) to buy provisions...way overstocked...it will be a challenge to get through even half the provisions...we'll eat well in Baltimore!!

Returned the car, had a nice lunch in Monty's, then back to the boat to finish up. Got vital information about the gulf stream from Jenifer Clark and weather information from her husband Dane Clark...both predicting good news and great directions about where to find the best current to speed us on our way....hoping it works out...we'll see tomorrow.

The current plan is to leave around daylight in the morning, move as fast as we can and hope to get to Beaufort by Tuesday morning then just keep moving across Pimlico sound and up the Pungo river to Dawry creek by end of day Tuesday. Then through the Alligator-Pungo canal, across the Albemarle sound and up the Elizabeth river to Coijnock...

Coinjock, as you'll remember is where they have the fantastic 33oz Prime Rib dinner that I've been lusting after I first had it 3 years ago...As wonderful as it was going down the Dismal Swamp last fall, a serious problem with that route is that it by passed Coinjock...That failing will be remedied on this trip!

OK..pictures tomorrow...I promise!

Coming home

and so begins the trip back home!

I flew down to Miami today to begin (finalize actually) preparations for the trip home. Robert Brown, a delivery captain strongly recommended by Alecia Bittner (he helped Dan bring their boat "Far Niente" to Baltimore) will be joining me tomorrow. We will make a run to Publix to by provisions and then we'll start out - probably Saturday morning.

The route, which again you can follow by clicking on the "Click Here" button to the right of this column,  will start with an offshore sail from Coconut Grove to Morehead City/Beaufort, NC. It should take ~3 days if we get reasonable winds (predicted 10-15 from the east) and a boost from the Gulf Stream (as much as 3 knots if we are luck). Its about 600 miles and at 8 - 9  knots should take 66-75 hours..but we'll see.

Then its up the ICW to Norfolk, then up the Chesapeake to Baltimore...I'm lookig forward to seeing some of  the places we passed on the way down, but hopefully with much warmer weather..again, we'll see.

I'll try to take lots of pictures of the sights along the way and relate interesting features of the trip.

To start, I'll tell you about my flight down this morning...things were going along well when with about 45 minutes to go before landing in Ft Lauderdale there was a call "is there a Doctor on Board". 4 of us answered the call. Turns out there was a lady near the front of  the plane how was unconscious. She had a thready pulsae, looked ashen, was unresponsive..we dragged her to the front of the plane, lied here down, took her pressure and it was about 65 systolic. breath sounds were difficult to hear. She had a broncoscopy a week ago (her sister traveling with her gave that history) and so we worried about a pneumothorax. We listened for breath sounds again and convinced outselves there were sounds on both sides. Ampng the docs were an interventional cardiologist, a general surgeon, a urologist and me. The surgeon put an IV in and we started running fluids. her legs were elevated, she was given oxygen by mask (I was really impressed how equipped the plane was...we could have done surgery if we felt like it)....she started coming around...the cardiologist yelled for the pilot to land the plane immediately...luckily he responded that the nearest airport was Ft Lauderdale, now about 1/2 hour away...by this time she was groggy but responsive and so we sat her up, seat belted her in and the cardiologist and surgeon sat next to her. 

We landed without further incident, paramedics came aboard and took her off and the rest of us passengers deplaned. The stewardi were effusive with their thanks and gave us drink tickets (one each!) and a few bags of peanuts...hey...it was Southwest....On the way out I saw her in a wheelchair, talking to the paramedics and she looked fine.

Ended up being a nice way to start the trip home