In my last post in the previous thread I wrote from Chesapeake City: “I’m going to catch up with friends, restore my sleep cycle, and try to get into the jellyfish cruising mode, open and close, open and close, open and close….”
Well, the jellyfish about dried up and died from the heat. “Nicely protected” translates in to “airless” in the unusual heat of those few days. I headed out the next morning just to generate some breeze by burning diesel. I anchored down in the Sassafras River just upstream from Betterton Landing. The breeze died and I just lay there in the cabin thanking my lucky stars that I didn’t spend the summer in the Chesapeake. It was all I could do to just open and close.
I went in the next morning to replenish fuel and ice and then went back out to anchor. It was still hot and the past few weeks caught up with me. It’s been an exciting time, falling in love, a couple of long road trips, returning (for brief periods) to my professional life. I just collapsed for another day.
I picked up a mooring at Georgetown Yacht Basin the next day so I could have dinner with Peter and Pat, owners of my race winning schooner:
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=146516
and forumite Bob T and his first mate Laura. We had a nice dinner at the Granary during which boats and cruising were mentioned a few times in passing while various beverages were consumed.
I woke up the next morning to a different world. I made an early start intending a long day to Knapps Narrows. It was blowing hard by the time I exited the river. It would have been a great sail but I hadn’t slept too well the night before. That four Taco special had been talking to me all night long and I didn’t feel like handling the main alone. So, I motorsailed with varying amounts of jib rolled out.
Good thing for the SPOT and cell phones. A friend called as I was nearing the Bay Bridge and said there was some nasty looking stuff on the Doppler radar moving up the bay and suggesting a hard left after the bridge into the Bay Bridge Marina. I took the advice and was glad I did. I was beat and it was getting right gnarly in the bay.
I decided I’d better spend another night (That crying sound you hear in the background is my wallet.) after a walk down to look out at the bay and spent the day listening to the rain except for lunch with a friend who stopped by. I’m hoping to make Solomons tomorrow although it will be a bit sporty with the north wind having been blowing straight down the bay for a few days. At least it will be behind me.
You’ll notice that, once again, I’m managing not to do the leisurely cruising I promised myself. It’s amazing how days evaporate when you look at a calendar. This week shows that I’ve got to allow a few days for weather delays, I need to get the engine valves adjusted in Solomons, and make a stop in Gloucester to see folks about the research vessel. I absolutely must be in Hampton in nine days to meet up with my father so I’ll feel better when I’m within a couple days sail.
Well, the jellyfish about dried up and died from the heat. “Nicely protected” translates in to “airless” in the unusual heat of those few days. I headed out the next morning just to generate some breeze by burning diesel. I anchored down in the Sassafras River just upstream from Betterton Landing. The breeze died and I just lay there in the cabin thanking my lucky stars that I didn’t spend the summer in the Chesapeake. It was all I could do to just open and close.
I went in the next morning to replenish fuel and ice and then went back out to anchor. It was still hot and the past few weeks caught up with me. It’s been an exciting time, falling in love, a couple of long road trips, returning (for brief periods) to my professional life. I just collapsed for another day.
I picked up a mooring at Georgetown Yacht Basin the next day so I could have dinner with Peter and Pat, owners of my race winning schooner:
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=146516
and forumite Bob T and his first mate Laura. We had a nice dinner at the Granary during which boats and cruising were mentioned a few times in passing while various beverages were consumed.
I woke up the next morning to a different world. I made an early start intending a long day to Knapps Narrows. It was blowing hard by the time I exited the river. It would have been a great sail but I hadn’t slept too well the night before. That four Taco special had been talking to me all night long and I didn’t feel like handling the main alone. So, I motorsailed with varying amounts of jib rolled out.
Good thing for the SPOT and cell phones. A friend called as I was nearing the Bay Bridge and said there was some nasty looking stuff on the Doppler radar moving up the bay and suggesting a hard left after the bridge into the Bay Bridge Marina. I took the advice and was glad I did. I was beat and it was getting right gnarly in the bay.
I decided I’d better spend another night (That crying sound you hear in the background is my wallet.) after a walk down to look out at the bay and spent the day listening to the rain except for lunch with a friend who stopped by. I’m hoping to make Solomons tomorrow although it will be a bit sporty with the north wind having been blowing straight down the bay for a few days. At least it will be behind me.
You’ll notice that, once again, I’m managing not to do the leisurely cruising I promised myself. It’s amazing how days evaporate when you look at a calendar. This week shows that I’ve got to allow a few days for weather delays, I need to get the engine valves adjusted in Solomons, and make a stop in Gloucester to see folks about the research vessel. I absolutely must be in Hampton in nine days to meet up with my father so I’ll feel better when I’m within a couple days sail.
