Mother Nature Raising Her "Snout"

Knot-Ha-Gan travelling up the C & D canal with us, BRRRR they look cold!

Last Wednesday we were able to leave the Chesapeake City dock, but where to go? Our first thought was Baltimore, but they were having Fells Point festival and most marinas were going to be full. The other thing was where ever we chose we may end up being stuck because mother nature was having a little fun with 'blowing up stink" as the Captain likes to stay. Our first stop was the mooring field at Georgetown marina up the Sassafras river. The winds didn't bother us much, its very protected up the river. We picked up a mooring ball, put down the dinghy to go in to pay . Dick wanted to treat me to a lovely dinner at the restaurant on the hill over looking the water. So, we went back to shower and change. The night was really cold and breezy so we decided to stay on board and enjoy a snugly warm dinner.

Thursday, our next stop was the Kent Narrows Yacht club, we chose this marina because the captain has routine blood tests and we needed to find a lab. Quest was supposed to be approximately a mile a way, which to us was walkable. Well to our surprise the map provided by the Quest website was totally wrong and it was close to three miles. This wouldn't have been so bad, but there were no sidewalks and we had to cross over an overpass. Not only that there were lots of little turtle remains on the road reminding us of the peril! It was a totally frustrating situation. Dick showed the Quest Labs what we had printed up, although that lab is not responsible for the website, we made sure Quest found out it was wrong.Needless to say we called a taxi for the return trip. That evening we did enjoy a wonderful dinner at the club.

Here's where our plans had changed again, it was too early to go to Annapolis for the boat show, so we decided to check out the East side of the Chesapeake. Dick posted a message on the MTOA listserv to let people know we were heading up the Chester River to Chestertown. On the way up the river we talked to David who told us about a great anchorage and invited us aboard their pretty boat Covenant in the evening to get together. We had a delightful time! Thanks David and Glenna.

Our trip up the Chester River was only about 20 more miles, so we weighed anchor and headed up. As we were leaving the creek, I (Elle) spotted two eagles resting on a green can ( boating marker, sort of like the road line giving direction which side to drive on) . I ran downstairs for the camera and Dick slowed the boat, unfortunately they don't like you getting too close! So, the pictures are from a distance because when we drew close they flew away. But what a treat!!

Early afternoon we arrived at our destination Chestertown and to our amazement there were several boats anchored out. We put the dinghy down and went to shore to explore. We spent two days in the anchorage. The city provides a dinghy dock which was jam packed. There is a park along the shore that has tall grasses where many ducks and geese congregate. Chestertown is picturesque historic little town with homes circa 1700's and brick sidewalks. There is a walking tour of some of the homes that local residents open up and invite groups through on Saturday afternoon. We were a little late for the tour, but we had a great time walking around. We talked to one local resident who was in the midst of finishing his renovations. He explained he chose Chestertown because it has the feel of a quaint neighbourhood, there are no major roads going through it and most people need a reason to come see it, so its very quiet. Each night we enjoyed a terrific sunset and of course the full moon.We had a great time in Chestertown, its a definite must see as far as we are concerned.

Monday morning we weighed anchor again, several boats had left before us. A few miles before reaching the mouth of the Chester River the waves seemed to be building and found out there was indeed a small craft advisory in effect. So, we checked the map and decided to head into the Corsica River that we had previously read about. It promised to be a well protected and quiet anchorage. We were not disappointed, it was wonderful being tucked into a secluded spot where we pulled out the book we are presently reading. (Night Over Water by Ken Follett)We haven't read a fictional novel in a long time and the suspense of this book is intriguing. The anchorage on the Corsica River was very peaceful until the morning when the migrating ducks started creating a racket.

We had planned on going to St. Michaels but again Mother Nature started her actions again. Our plan was to anchor out there and return to the Kent Island Yacht club on Wednesday. NOAA was predicting Gale warnings so we called the Yacht Club and they accommodated us a day early. Scrubbed the decks, filled the H2O tanks and now getting ready to enjoy a dinner at the club.

NOAA wasn't wrong, last night after our lovely dinner at the club we had to add lines to hold the Summer Wind steady. There were gale winds 30-40knots all night and here I am writing at 3:00 in the afternoon and winds haven't settled down one iota! We are safe, snugged down in the Summer Wind.

To be cont:

Cape May to Chesapeake City

We spent 2 great nights in Cape May. Our first night we went for a lovely dinner at the Lobster House. Cape May has a huge fishing business and restaurants always serve the freshest and tastiest fish. The next day was filled with chores such as laundry and trying to figure out what was going on with the bow thruster which only operates intermittently. So, while we tended to the task of doing the laundry, we had mechanics aboard, they tested the batteries, checked the brushes, and scratched their heads with confusion ( NO CHARGE). During one of our trips to the laundry room we met Steve and Ruth who have lived aboard their 48' Krogan Whaleback, named Sequel. We started to chat and the next thing we knew we were invited aboard around 5 for cocktails. In the mean time, the laundry was finished and mechanics left, so we decided to take advantage of the great weather and walk to town. Cape May is lovely with many historic colorful homes adorned with ginger breading. It has great little boutiques, nice sandy beaches and an ACME food store within walking distance from the marina. We returned back in time to join Ruth and Steve aboard their beautiful 'home' and later all four of us ventured out for pizza together. Then we were invited back aboard Sequel for coffee and Dancing with the Stars TV show. Thanks Ruth and Steve.

We timed our departure from Cape May so the tide would give us a push up the Delaware River. Before we left, Dick met Janine and Richard who were fueling their Heritage East named Chez Nous. There was a mass exodus out of Cape May that morning. Dick and I counted at least 8 boats in the train. This year is proving much busier than last year with cruisers. Arrived at Chesapeake City and anchored out for the night. We took the dinghy down and spent a little time with Jeanine and Richard who were from Ontario, what a small world. Early the next morning we were able to get on the free dock that the city provides. This is where we met two Canadian sailing couples from Nova Scotia Canada, whom we passed going down the East River in New York. This dock is in a very picturesque little park and we've enjoyed watching two weddings( not that this is a hint to anyone we know ;) . Chesapeake City has many homes Circa 1800, great B & B's, boutiques and restaurants. We've also enjoyed the many locals that walk through the park and stop to talk. It has been great.There is also a wonderful C & D canal museum which has the 39'water wheel that was used for the locking system.

The weatherman has been correct about the winds, we heard from our friends on Shangri-La who ventured out and they had spray up to the bridge. They said the waves were mounting in the afternoon, they figure about 6 feet. Tomorrow we hope to venture out ourselves. Keep your fingers crossed!

To see the slide show "Starting South" click on the arrow, For those that would like to see this and others that we have created in full size go to

http://picasaweb.google.com/dilass9

L'Shana Tovah , the beginning of a New Year and New Adventure

Hard to believe its mid September and time to start heading south. The past three weeks we've been very busy. Celebrated with family, birthdays and back to school.We've enjoyed a few events with the Harlem group. There was a fantastic Island night where we had a great dinner, listened to some fantastic island music that beckoned your hips to sway. Another event was the Labor Day weekend at Oyster Bay. We left on Friday to get a great spot to set our anchor.There were about 10 Harlem boats and dozens of other groups.The weather was fantastic, we spent two days swimming and enjoying the warmth of the sun. Sunsets were marvellous, and watched fireworks from nearby towns, then the full moon topped off the evenings.On Sunday we took our dinghy to shore where Harlem gathered and had a fantastic bbq. Early Monday the weather cooled, and it was time to head back to City Island, that afternoon we went to the club and enjoyed another bbq.

Some of you know Dick was busy with his leg surgery. It's amazing how technology and medicine has progressed. He's been in very little discomfort and chasing me relentlessly : ) which is wonderful. His doctor gave him the ok to be aboard and he'll do the other leg in November.

Saturday we timed our departure right with the East River and heading down the New York harbor. The weather was a little cool in the morning, the temps were in the 50's but warmed up to the low 70's, the sun was shining and the New York skyline was crystal clear and beautiful.We made great time down the river, at times we were cruising at 12 knots! Before dropping the hook in Atlantic Highlands we purchased fuel at $2.46/ gallon, which is a 'good' price compared to the cost of fuelling last fall at $4.00/gallon. The anchorage was packed with several sailboats, mostly from Canada, heading south. We enjoyed a grilled dinner aboard the Summer Wind and enjoyed the lovely sunset.
Sunday morning we weighed anchor, NOAA promised a delightful cruise down the Atlantic Ocean and we weren't disappointed. The temperatures were crisp in the morning but warmed up to mid 70's. The sun was shining and the seas were calm. Early afternoon we entered Manasquan Inlet which was busy with boaters and the beach was loaded with bathers. Entered the Glimmer Glass and warmly welcomed back by the bridge tender. We dropped anchor and settled down for the night. Two Canadian sailboats joined us in our little anchorage. It was a beautiful evening.
Left the Glimmer Glass early Monday to head for Atlantic City. Again, NOAA had a great report, so the trip on the ocean was uneventful. However upon entering the Abescon Inlet, we were wondering if the Summer Wind had enrolled in surfing lessons, because she was doing an excellent job with the waves! It was low tide and the tide was beginning to roll in, therefore a rocky entrance. Entered the anchorage and well, we cut the entrance a little short and before the Captain could correct it, we were aground. Oh, Oh, no problem,we can wait for the tide to roll in. Eventually we were able to get the Summer Wind into a spot for the night and settled down to enjoy the lights of the casinos. It turned out a little dissappointing because Harrah's didn't put on their usual spectacular show, oh well.
Early Tuesday morning we turned on the computer to check NOAA. We knew the weather was going to change soon and we didn't want to get caught. Well, the report was not sounding so bad, so we headed out into the ocean for a 'looksee'. Made it out into the ocean, things seemed fine, however as we turned more westward toward Cape May, the seas were not so friendly. We were getting 2-3 foot waves on the beam, which means the Summer Wind was rolling. The thought of trying to control the boat for 4 hours in rolling seas didn't appeal to either Dick or myself. So, we made the decision to do a little backtracking. We decided to attempt the inside route instead. This route doesn't appeal much to us either because there are several timed bridges, the route winds and adds another 14 miles and its very shallow in some of the marshy areas. Yes New Jersey has marsh or more correctly 'wetlands'. Well late afternoon we pulled into our favorite marina, Utsch's. It's a family run business and they are wonderful.

to be cont'd