Grady and Jeff are ready for something!
But seriously, we have done quite a bit of preparation since yesterday. We took down the dodger and bimini canvas, wrapped halyards around the roller furling, prepared the dinghy, reversed the boat to point into the N winds and generally got everything ship shape for the expected 35-45 blows with gusts to 65 mph. Thanks to Ted & Shirl for helping us turn the boat around in the gusty conditions. Sandy is currently on track to hit Atlantic City where we were less than a week ago. Local restaurants and local businesses have sandbags standing by expecting some flooding due to Spring tides and surge associated with Sandy. We have a ditch bag and contingency plans if necessary but plan to hunker down as she makes landfall sometime tomorrow. For now we are chillin' with Kracken & Neala with her Bombay Sapphire. What, us worry?
At 1600 the five of us (Jeff, Neala, Grady, Shirl & Ted) headed out in a breeze and light rain to search for the happy hour crab feed at a bar in town. Alas, they were closed due to impending flooding so we went instead to McGarvey's Tavern for drinks and food. We finally hooked up with "Sandy" - turned out to be our server - and had a great meal again. After dinner we got ice cream and chocolates then moved to the Annapolis Yacht Club for some after dinner drinks before returning to our boats at 2000 in somewhat more rain but hardly any wind. Tides were higher than usual and many businesses downtown had already put out sandbags.
Grady's last supper
Saturday, October 27 - Annapolis with Friends & Family
Neala and Shirl headed into Annapolis for a shopping trip and Grady & Jeff spent the morning installing a vented loop on the heat pump and the turning blocks for the whisker pole up on the mast. Jeff's cousin Megan arrived after noon and the three walked into Annapolis to meet up with Neala for lunch at the Middleton Tavern. On the way, we passed several groups of Midshipmen (& women!) from the Academy. After lunch, we all met up with Neala's old friends, Beverly & Ned. Neala & Beverly stayed in town to wander through art galleries and Ned joined Megan, Jeff & Grady for another trip to Fawcett's. Remember this little Fawcett tidbit: When buying boat hardware, always buy in 3s - one for the bay, one for the bilge and one for the boat!. Later, Ned & Beverly took Neala & Shirl grocery shopping to get supplies for the impending Frankenstorm. Then Neala's life-long girlfriend Barb joined us all for happy hour on Northern Lights before walking to the Chart House for a fine dinner that included lots of laughs, a great dinner and yummy Molten Lava Cake dessert! It was great to have Barb stay over in the salon as the winds began to blow.
Neala in Annapolis with NL in background
We ran into Melissa Trost, a former EYC sailing instructor and crew-mate on SchockTop, getting ready for 55 AYC small boat races
The girls: Neala, Shirl, Barb & Beverly
The guys: Jeff, Ned, Ted & Grady
Ted, Grady, Ned, Beverly, Barb, Neala, Jeff and Shirl at Chart House
Friday, October 26 - Cruise to Annapolis YC
Left Fairlee Creek carefully navigating our way through the narrow and shallow channel followed closely by Serenity, then turned south and motored towards Annapolis in clear, warm conditions. After a couple of hours the wind built over our port quarter so we hoisted the sails to sail on a broad reach until we got to the William P. Lane Bridge, just north of Annapolis. Good to be sailing again! Heading into the harbor in Annapolis, we passed the 2012 J-24 East Coast Championships - 35 boats from the East Coast, Canada & Bermuda - to port. We enjoyed the scenic ride into Annapolis harbor past the Naval Academy and many marinas then waited for the Compromise Street bascule bridge to open. We followed Serenity under the bridge before motoring to our slip, just yards up the Spa Creek from the bridge. Jeff was totally obsessed with getting to a real chandlery to buy a serious anchor for Northern Lights, and after a couple of calls they were picked up by a representative of Fawcett Marine. They returned an hour or so later with a really big 45 lb Manson Supreme anchor and 120 ft of 3/8 BBB chain (Boy, was Jeff excited!). Jeff & Grady spent little time installing the new anchor on the boat with the help of the friendly Fawcett representative. Later, we all went to diner with Ted & Shirl at Rockfish enjoying local crab-fare and our first night in Annapolis.
Cruising towards Annapolis
Sailing to William P. Lane Bridge
William P. Lane Bridge
J-24s Starting a Race
Bascule bridge at Compromise Street, Annapolis MD
The BOMB aka Manson Supreme #45
Jeff & Grady installing the BOMB
Closeup of the new anchor
Thursday, October 25 - Cruise to Fairlee Creek Anchorage
We left Summit North Marine with Neala at the helm while Jeff took more MiHIN calls and she & Grady navigated their through the rest of the C&D Canal. Once in the Chesapeake Jeff rejoined the quarterdeck and we motored, along with Serenity, in calm conditions towards Fairlee Creek. About 6 miles out the wind built a little and we hoisted sails for the last leg of the passage. The harbor entrance to Fairlee is quite narrow and shallow so we tip-toed through the tulips (channel markers) on our way to anchor for the first time on the trip. We anchored in their broad, calm, tree-lined cove resplendent in fall colors and enjoyed watching a Bald Eagle perched on a nearby scraggy tree along the shore. Serenity anchored nearby and we all dinghied over for a visit. Grady stayed on board (because they had beer) while Jeff & Neala motored to shore to go exploring and collect meaningless pieces of gravel (according to Neala, priceless treasures of peach-colored quartz!). Jeff & Neala returned to Serenity for cocktails & Shirl's specialty hors 'd oeuvres. We eventually returned to Northern Lights and grilled some fine steaks on the barbie to accompany Neala's stir-fried veggies.
Ted & Shirl on Serenity
Neala loves to drive!
Beachcombing in Fairlee Creek
NL & Serenity are actually in the background
Enjoying another great sandwich creation by Neala in Fairlee Creek
The Group: Neala, Jeff, Grady, Shirl & Ted aboard Serenity
Steaks in the salon in Fairlee Creek
Accompanied by hugs & a nice Zin
Chillin' after dinner - Fairlee Creek.
Wednesday, October 24 - Lay Day at Summit North Marina
Today was a work-day. Jeff spent most of the day on the phone doing MiHIN business and Grady spent the majority of the day topsides with a bucket of Oxy Clean, a hose and a brush. He took off all of the canvas and eliminated all of the Erie Canal goop along with a few spiders that had accumulated over the summer making Northern Lights sparkle like new. The weather was beautiful with sun shine and temperatures in the 70s. Starting to feel like Florida already! Neala & Shirl went on a power walk for an hour or so along the marina docks. Later the three of us went to Aqua*Sol, the marina's restaurant, where we enjoyed delicious cuisine, excellent service from Mary Kate, and desserts beyond our wildest expectations. Grady had a caramel cheesecake, Neala had bread pudding drizzled in caramel sauce & whipped cream and Jeff had a huge warm chocolate brownie cake with vanilla ice cream. Never mind the chocolate martinis after! Neala was sure glad she had gone for that power walk as we waddled back to the boat.
Neala on power walk. What does she see in him?
Guess Shirl sees the same thing...
Tuesday, October 23 - Heading Up Delaware Bay
We rounded the southern tip of New Jersey threading our way among the shoals via the local-knowledge inside passage a quarter mile offshore before heading north in calm conditions towards the C&D canal about 50 miles away. We had heard lots of horror stories about treacherous waters and quirky currents and fast-moving commercial ships on this passage. Fortunately for us we encountered none of this and had a very calm passage up the Delaware Bay encountering only one barge that was anchored, one small tanker, one large car carrier and a couple of pleasure yachts. We passed the Ship John Shoal light after sailing for a couple of hours in a nice 10 kt SW breeze, then motored past the nuclear power plant before turning into the C&D canal around 1700. Continuing on, we proceeded to the Summit North Marina, recommended to us by Jim McBrier, for the night. The marina turned out to be a beautiful, serene location with numerous herons, hawks, ducks & geese surrounded by brightly colored fall landscapes. Great docks, nice people, Serenity a couple slips down - its all good.
Grady fishing in Delaware Bay
Jeff & Grady studying the GPS
Nuclear power plant makes an interesting reflection on the Delaware Bay
Heron at Summit North Marina
Off the stern, Northern Lights at Summit North Marina
No comments:
Post a Comment