Travel Day 3 - Antipoison Creek To Great Salt Pond Marina, Hampton, VA

     The promised rains came, heavy at times, and successfully washed off all the salt.
     Pete was the first to hoist anchor and get underway by 7 AM.  The skies remained overcast, but the breezes were sufficient to keep the jib full.  Once again the current gods were looking upon PEKABU and blessed her with a strong ebb tide and Pete was docked in Old Salt Pond Marina in Hampton by 2 PM.  The plan was to stop here and fill up with fuel for both the boat and the dinghy, so that he can make it to River Dunes before needing more fuel.
     We are strategizing: By Wednesday, the heavy rains and wind will arrive from 2 lows that will merge and intensive over the Carolina's. Pete plans to leave a bit later tomorrow to catch the Glimerton Bridge's 10 am opening, once the morning rush is over. Then avoid most of the wind by  traveling the Dismal Swamp to one of the free docks and stay overnight during the worst of the rain. On Wednesday, travel to the Elizabeth River anchorage while the heaviest winds blow.  We have checked the local weather stations as well as Passage Weather and Pete is confidant this will work, but if the winds/ rains arrive sooner, he will catch on of the free docks in Portsmouth.

Tonight's Dinner

     Pete spoke with Tim.  He has been disappointed on his journey to Mears, as he didn't meet cruisers heading south.  Well, he is a day behind PEKABU.  While heading to Solomons, he spoke to a number of cruisers and anchored with them in Solomons.  They continued the next day on to Antipoison Creek.  They were currently anchored there and have decided to stay put during the storm.  We are so glad he has found travel buddies.  It always makes the journey more enjoyable.  We definitely miss our travel buddies a lot!
      Pete was able to get a few hours in for work. There was nothing on TV that was worth stopping Pete's reading.  It must be a good book!  It was a quick night once we said our good nights.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

Travel Day 2 - Solomons, MD to Antipoison Creek, VA

     Alarm went off at 7:15.  Bed was made, lunch prepared, and last minute stuff stored and anchor was up by 8 AM.
     The ride from Solomons, out bound on the Patuxent River, was a rough ride.  The winds were out of the NE, creating a significant chop. The topsides will need a rinse to get rid of the salt. As he made the turn south, PEKABU hit 10.3 mph due to the high tides and strong currents. Granted the current lessened once in the Chesapeake. He was only doing a steady 9.3 mph!  The 1-2 foot waves were quartering on the aft port.  With the jib full of wind, it was an easy ride.  For a while PEKABU was able to keep pace with a south bound trawler!

Bailey has taken over Lizzie's bed
We know she loves to be comfy!

    Back in Northern Jersey, Debi is dealing with a cough. The radiologist put her on antibiotics and we are trying to keep her isolated.  Unfortunately, she has started to cough non-stop when Bailey is near. Whether it is from allergy or simply exacerbating her illness, I can't take a chance. Thankfully, I was able to arrange with my sister, Deneen, to take Bailey who will keep their golden doodle, Lizzie, company.  Though it took a bit of time, we got our furry girls to accept one another.  It was fun seeing Joe, Deneen, and their daughters, Shelby and Julia as well as Julia's friend Lily.  Once the furry girls settled down, we enjoyed pizza and good times. Both Pete and I are concerned about leaving Bailey for that long, but Shelby's love of animals should take away some of her missing us.   Besides, Pete's partner, George (who is very wise when it comes to animals), reminded us that dogs live in the moment.  She will do fine.
     The skies were overcast for most of the day, but the sun came out about the same time the currents changes somewhere near Cove Point. The breezes also died.  It was an easy day of travel.
     The anchor was dropped around 3 PM and he was the only boat.
     As Pete did his checks after anchoring, he found that the batteries, after charging all day, were only charged to 90% instead of 100%.  Pete will have to check the settings on the new regulator with the manual,  To insure that the batteries were topped off, he ran the generator for a short while.
      By dinner time, 3 other boats joined PEKABU in the anchorage.  This is one of our favorite for walking Bailey. It has a beautiful beach that is easy to access, close, and picturesque.
     Clouds once again gathered and there is a promise of rain overnight. That is good if it washes off all the salt! After the call was made to DISH to switch to the satellites for the local, Norfolk, feed, Pete was able to catch a few hours of football before our final good night call.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

Travel Day 1 - Grasonville to Solomons, MD

     The alarm went off at 7:15 AM so that Pete could leave around 8.  Everything was ready, packed bags waiting and Bailey anxious to take her morning walk.  Well . . . you now what they say about best made plans! Pete stuck his head out of the companion way and was shocked to seed the docks under about 5 inches of water!  From marks on the dock boxed, it was another couple of inches higher!  Once again we need to wait to get Bailey off the boat as the decks were about 45 inches above the deck, instead of 33-ish.  Since we had to wait, I quickly made breakfast and then scrubbed the bathroom.

Today's high water in Annapolis
Glad we went yesterday!

     By 9:30, the docks were above water. Pete was able to lift Bailey off the boat and onto the dock. Bailey was carried over the deep puddles in the parking lot, walked and then placed into the car while the stuff I need to take with me was off-loaded and placed in the car. Pete and I walked back to the boat so that I could help him leave the slip.  Tim thought Pete was by himself, so he came over to help.  Hopefully, he and Pete will catch up later down the road.
     Pete was underway by 9:40, heading out to the Narrows and wait for the 10 am bridge opening. A large power boat and smaller sail boat entered the bridge before Pete.  As he emerged from under the bridge, he called out to the power boat.  The power boat, and the sailboat following him, were far outside of the channel, heading to the shallows and the underwater breakwater! Thankfully, they heard and avoided big trouble.
    Bailey and I picked up the last of the packages delivered to Mears Marina, before heading over to the storage garage to put away the last of the non important stuff.  Then it was off to Middletown to pickup extra dog food and catch lunch at Burger King.  We were back at Debi's by 2.  Of course Pete and I touched base a number of times just to chat.

Rainbow cloud

      The engine ran very well after being quiet for a good part of the summer. Due to the very high water, the ebb current was quite strong.  It is wonderful to cruised in the high 7's and low 8's mph.  At times, he was doing 9! The current remained favorable for 6 hours, down to Cove Point. Another remarkable notation is that now that we have a working RPM meter, Pete noticed that at our normal cruising speed, PEKABU is traveling about 0.2 miles faster than before she had her new bottom paint.  It is a different brand and a slightly harder ablative than the previous paint we used. Every little bit of speed helps on long days. Being able to use the jib for about 5 hours also helped to speed up the travel and with a wind out of the NE the enclosure once again proved it worth!
     Today's usual 9-10 hour day wound up being 8!  Went up to Spring Cove Marina, Back Creek anchorage was already full so he headed back to Mill Creek. By 6 PM, anchor was dropped in Mill Creek, which is off to the right once entering Solomons' harbor.
    Dinner hit the spot after a long day. It was one of the packets of Tortellini and Meatballs. After reading for a short while Pete called me to say good night!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

The 2019 Annapolis Sail Boat Show ~

     Pete has been talking to Tim, aboard SV EVENING STAR, a Catalina 320.  He has traveled from Detroit with this golden retriever, Jessie, with plans of sailing south. His final destination is undecided. We invited him to join us as we head over to the boat show and meet with our friends Martha and Dan, Betty and John, Jeanne and Gerry for lunch at Pusser's. After lunch, Pete and I toured some of Bali's catamarans and met Claire and Rich aboard the 40-foot cat. It was fun to visit with them in such a great boat!  We also were able to get aboard the brand new Catalina 545. It is big and has a lot of wasted room, and very high head room, 8 1/2 feet, at the expense of a view. It will not make it on our wish list!

      As we were wrapping up our visit to the show the tide was inundating parts of the show. Tim, Pete and I stopped by Storm Brothers Ice Cream for Root Beer Floats before grabbing a seat on the bus for parking. From experience from past shows, we decided to skip waiting on the corner of Ego Alley and head down to the Hotel.  Enroute, the bus stopped and asked if we needed a ride! After several us boarded the bus, we stopped at Ego Alley, but only had room for 5 more people.  We definitely made a good choice.

      Once on Route 50, we were held up in 7 miles of heavy, slow traffic caused by scheduled repairs to the bridge for 2 hours!  Pete had to take his conference call in the car without his computer.  Needless to say, this has caused a traffic nightmare that everyone has been very vocal about, except MDOT.

     Once back on Kent Island, we stopped at Safe Way so Tim and I could compete our provisioning. Route 18 was closed, not for traffic but due to high water.  As we approached our marina, the high water was quite remarkable. The street was under 10-12 inches. Parts of the parking lot was also underwater, but what really amazed us was all the docks were under 3 inches of water.  It was obvious that the current was out going and the water level was dropping, but it will take a while before the docks are exposed, We rolled up our pants, took off our socks and shoes. Tim walked barefooted, but I put my sneakers back on to walk through the water. I needed to get Pete's crocks so we could also return to the boat with the perishable groceries.  Poor Bailey had to wait another hour before we could get her off the boat.  It is a long way from the boat deck to the dock, which is narrow.  Pete gave her a bath so we want to keep her as clean as possible before she and I head back to Deb's.

      

     With such high water the marina cut the power to the docks as a precaution. Once the water level was below the docks the power returned.

     After diner, we emptied out the rear cabin so I could make the bed.  Our friend, Paul, will be joining Pete to take the boat from Charleston, to Florida so this bed will be needed.  The stuff we normally store there has been organized in bags for easy removal when needed. I also put away the provisions that I just picked up.

     Pete is ready to head south.  He plans on leaving about 8 so that he can fuel up and catch the 8:30 am opening of the Kent Narrow's bridge. My bags and Bailey's are packed and ready to off load in the morning. 

     It seems impossible that the summer is gone and time to make the journey once again.  This time will be very different as Pete does most of the trip solo. Having Bailey with me gives him a lot more flexibility.  He can stop when needed to do work and not worry about dropping anchor. He doesn't have to concern himself with dropping and raising the dinghy and most importantly, where he will have access to walk the dog. 

     I will be keeping up the blog based on Pete and my conversations.  The photos will be scarce, but there are plenty from previous trips. Hopefully, Debi's treatment continues to do well.  If so, Bailey and I should be able to join Pete in about a month.

    Well, it is time to start the new journey . . . .

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

Our Summer 2019

It has been a very unique summer. . . .

     We arrived at our new dock at Mears Point Marina, Grasonsville, MD on Memorial Day.  After 19 years at Caste Harbor Marina, we decided we needed a change.  Our dock is primarily for sail boats.  As yearly slip holders, we have free use of the gym located on the property, free breakfasts for all slip holders on weekends during the summer, a large swimming pool and kiddie pool with a Tikki bar, large laundry room, plus on-site mechanics, haul-out, dry dockage, and most importantly: walking distance to 8 or more restaurants!  
     We were welcome to "O" dock with a dock party.  It was fun to meet our neighbors. They also had a raft up and movie night, but we were unable to attend. Near the end of the season, on my way to the laundry, I said hello to a woman, but didn't stop to talk. As I continued walking, I though she looked a lot like our former neighbor in Newark, Rita.  When I returned with the laundry, I mentioned it to Pete. WE knew that she and Craig had a boat, and Pete remembered they had kept it here.  Since I had her number, I called and left a message. Yep! it was Rita and Craig had been sitting in the car at the time we crossed paths.  She even mentioned it to Craig.  After  a good laugh, we arranged to get together for dinner.  We had dinner at Big Al's Tikki Bar while a great local band played.  It was fun catching up between sets.  Yea, we set close to the band.  Though great music, it was loud!

     Most of the summer was humid and hot; too hot for us to polish the cabin and cockpit. Pete had the daily spider patrol. The amount of spiders this year is much more than we have encountered in the past. Getting back on board after dark, you had to sweep with your arm to clear the webs before entering the cockpit.
     Some of the work done on PEKABU included: 
     ~ Unsuccessfully tried to free the main sail. It is still jammed in the in mast furling system. Pete has gone up 3 times without success. When we do get a rigger, he will also be asked to change out the mast light.
     ~ Replaced the alternator and regulator.  Last spring the engine stopped charging the batteries. Once we had the alternator and regulator and the mechanic lined up, Pete prepped everything and ran a chase line so that the mechanic only had to pull the electrical, install, test, and make the adjustments. The mechanic was also able to replace the wires to the RPM and battery charging meters on the pedestal. It is so good to know when we reach our cruising RPMs. We no longer have to rely on our ears to "guesstimate" if we are traveling at the right speed.  YEA!
     ~ The leaking shower and sink faucets in the head were replaced.  In the process of drilling a hole in the shower wall for the new faucet, Pete found the in-bedded electrical line that powered the mirror's lights and fan.  It, too, died last spring. Pete had run a separate wires after not being able to trace the defective ones. There is not way to rerun the wires in the walls, so we will stay with his repairs.
     ~ The windows were re-taped.  He had resealed them last year, but the butyl tape apparently was bad and there was still some leaking.
     ~ Speaking of leaking, he has spent quite a while trying to find the cause of the leak from the front hatch.  It doesn't happen often, but is a problem when it wets the bedding.  We think it is caused by a wind-driven rain from the aft quarter.  The search continues.
     ~ We had Haven Harbor paint the bottom and polished the hull. Pete had found a fabulous sale on the bottom paint by Defender last spring. He spoke with Haven Harbor to see if we could provide our own paint and was told we could.  We saved about 1/3 of the regular price of the paint and had it shipped to Chris and Kel's until we got back north.  Dan and Martha invited us to stay with them when PEKABU was on the hard. We can't thank them enough for their friendship and sharing their home.
     ~ The generator had impeller replaced.  Since Pete continues to loose weight, he had no problem fitting into the back lazzarette. 
     ~ The dinghy engine was serviced and the dinghy thoroughly cleaned.
     ~ The main engine had the oil changed and the hoses replaced.
     ~ Changed the heat exchanger zinc.
     ~ Radar reflector ties replaced
     ~ The leak into the bilge has been traced back to the starboard aft area. Pete thinks that it is from connections to the new hot water heater.  He will need me a the gopher when he get down here to repair it.
     ~ Scrubbed the bilge
     ~ I am sure Pete tackled a number of other projects that I can't remember.
     ~ Plus we went through the "stuff" on board and removed between 150 - 200 pounds of excess weight!


     ~ It was only 2 weeks ago that Pete found our portable freezer having problems. He promptly contacted the manufacturer since it was still under warranty.  They said to ship it to them and they would put a rush on the repair, knowing that Pete was to start heading south in less than two weeks. It was repaired and shipped out on Tuesday, 10/8.  Wednesday, Pete got a call from Stock Island because a very large, heavy box arrived for us and we are not due to arrive until February. Pete immediately called the company. He was told that he wanted to make sure it would arrive in time, so it was shipped out.  They didn't realize that the last shipping address was Key West. (We had a gasket sent for our old unit 2 years ago.)  They did know that Pete was in Maryland.  They will issue an immediate recall and have it sent. Since Pete leaves Saturday, 10/12, he requested the new shipping address be at River Dunes, NC.  Pete was assured that it should be there next Thursday, 10/17. Aah... but the saga continues. On Tuesday, 10/15, the tracking # showed that it was still in Key West.  The rep told Pete that UPS tried to pick it up 3 times without success. It is to be Fed EXed express pick up and delivery scheduled for Friday. Pete questioned if it would be cheaper to ship a new unit directly to River Dunes. They guaranteed that it would be at River Dunes on Friday, 10/18.  Fingers crossed!


   We had the girls with us for a few days at "Camp PEKABU."  It was fun.  We didn't have the opportunity to take them out sailing as it was hot ad no breeze, Between the pool, walking Bailey, drawing, crafts, and games, they slept well at night. However due to storms, we didn't get to see fireworks in Annapolis.  We did catch the Narrow's display in the rain on July 2nd.

    

      

   Our only guest this summer, besides the girls, was Carolyn, who spent a weekend with us in St, Michael's. 
    

    Over the summer, we took advantage of being close to set up our overdue medical appointments. We're doing well, but Pete had to repeat the shots in his knees again.  Hopefully, he will be able to have the surgery on the right knee next summer. 

      

    We also had the opportunity to meet friends from CCYC down in Knapps's Narrows and to get a tour of the Poplar Island Reclamation Project that is currently about half completed. It is a fascinating project that is creating various, natural habitats on different areas of the island. It attracts birds, both native and migratory, fish, plants and reemergence of the Terrapin turtles and their nests, which, up until about 20 years ago, were thought extinct. It is a free tour and well worth the trip.  

      

      

For more information you might want to visit: http://www.poplarislandrestoration.com/Home/About

     Since we are only an hour away, we had a number of opportunities to visit with Pete's Mom. She continues to be our "Energizer Bunny," despite her illness, she "keeps on going!" She is a remarkable woman whose spirit is amazing!

Kathy's Mom &
her 92nd Birthday

    Unfortunately, my sister, Debi, was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of June. She spent July getting answers and lining up treatment.  I joined her in August for the start of treatment and will probably be here in north Jersey for about 4 months. The prognosis is good since the cancer is limited to one area, but the treatment is intense. While here, I am also taking our Mom to medical appointments that has to be postponed due to Debi's schedule. 

September 11th  ~ view from Hoboken, NJ  

       

                       

   I was able to spend some time on the weekends down on the boat with Pete. The best was when we attended the Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band concert at Wolf Trap Park in Sterling VA. We are not big Ringo fans, but it was a great excuse to spend time with great friends. Gerry was able to get tickets for the five couples.  After a picnic dinner on the grounds with Jeanne and Gerry, Betty an John, Martha and Dan, Bev and Mike, we participated in a great concert.  The All-Starr Band featured vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Colin Hay (Men at Work), guitarist Steve Lukather (Toto), keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey), guitarist/vocalist Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), drummer Gregg Bissonette (Toto, Don Henley), and saxophonist/vocalist Warren Ham (Toto). We sang and danced to all my favorite songs.  It was soooo much better than I had anticipated!  Definitely, an evening to remember!

     The other couple of weekends were spent prepping PEKABU for her journey south. Pete was doing stuff on his check list around his work schedule. By the start of the Annapolis Sail Boat Show, 10/10, his check list was complete (with the exception of the portable freezer) He was able to get the on board (original freezer) up and working. We have been using it for dry food storage since our first cruise in 2010. While in NJ, I have been cooking and making individual meal packets and freezing them for Pete.  I had 34 meals prepared.  Thankfully, they all fit into the on board freezer!


~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

Solomons to Grasonville, MD ~ Our new home!

Today:          54 miles             8.9 hours          ICW St M “-”

Total:    2957.5 miles        399.9 hours

After final hugs, Betty and John helped with lines as we departed around 8:30. 

    The skies area clear, but the winds will be out of the north for most of the day. Those lovely, 18-ish mph winds slowed our progress substantially with the help of an ebb current.  We were doing 4-5.3 mph for most of the day.

     The winds died down around 2:30, but the current remained against us until be approached Poplar Island. Thankfully, we had a strong current up Prospect Bay and into the Kent Narrows. We just made the 4:30 opening of the bridge.

     We continued to our new “home” in Mears Point Marina.  Since the docks have half-finger piers, this is the first time we backed into our new slip.  Since it was Memorial Day, some of our new neighbors were around and welcomed us to the marina.  Once lines were properly secured for the season, we ate a light dinner and chilled.

     Our 2018-2019 Cruise is complete. It is good to be home!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  K & P

Deltaville, VA to Solomons, MD ~ 2 Days

Today:          66 miles             9.2 hours          ICW St M “-”

Total:    2903.5 miles        399.9 hours

Saturday, 5/25/19 ~ Winds were out of the SSW at 15-18 as we left around 6:30. The currents were still a problem, so we only averaged 6 mph for hours before it finally turned.  When we loose 1 mph an hour while doing more than 7 hours of travel, that adds another hour onto our day.

     The currents began to help during the last 2 hours.  We kept Betty and John appraised of our arrival times as we were joining SV ADIAMO at Spring Cove Marina in Solomons.

     As we were about 200 feet from the fuel dock, the engine quit.  We were able to glide, turn and dock safely with John and Betty’s help.  Pete saw that the temperature for the engine was 170 instead of 175.  When he checked, Pete found a kink in the engine fuel supply hose.  He was able to use a hose clamp to straighten the kink and the engine restarted.  There was no problem staying on the fuel dock overnight, We will move in the morning.

     We were welcomed aboard ANDIAMO.  It has been too long since we have spent time with Betty and John.  John prepared a delicious sausage and broccoli robe dish. We talked until 9ish, but the day finally caught up with us.  We said our good nights and will see them in the morning.

Sunday, 5/26/19 ~  We moved from the fuel dock to the slip directly behind ANDIAMO.  When the electrical lines were plugged in one of the 30-amp supplies didn’t work.  Once another source was found, we were set.

     Betty offered to drive me to the stores.  A quick stop at ACE Hardware and Harris Teeter, and we were set.  Now I can make a Garlic Shrimp and Veggie dish for dinner.

     One dinner was finished, we played a round of Rummy Cube and of the conversations continued. It was time to say good night as we will be leaving for the final leg of our journey home in the morning.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  K & P