Sue and I went to the boat early on the 4th for a beautiful day sailing on beam reach all the way up to Toms River and back to Barnegat Light to anchor for the night. We installed our new bimini and the wind was off the ocean, so it was cool enough during our sail and a gorgeous day! Later, I inflated our blow-up kayak and explored the anchorage for a bit.
Sue insisted on new curtains to block the sun, now that our new windows provide so much light!
I didn't want to spend time on this chore, but now I have to admit it is a nice difference. What are we going to do for 5 hours before we turn in, Sue wondered. Somehow we filled the time nicely and thoroughly enjoyed the evening, even with limited views of fireworks.
Sleeping was ok, humidity was awful and the boat was soaking wet from condensation. Sue complained that I haven't installed the cockpit shower and she can't stand the stickiness from salt water.
I got up at sunrise and took another trip around the anchorage with the blow-up. Sue does not like it and thinks it is a waste of money, but it served it's purpose when we paddled over to the public dock for a trip to the ocean-side beach at Barnegat Inlet. Much of our discussions revolve around my desire to take Thunderbird out through the inlet. While we were at the beach, a pair of sailboats that were in the anchorage left the inlet for points north. They seemed to be buddy-boating, the larger cutter was from Maryland and the other smaller boat (looked to be about the same size as Thunderbird) seemed to be a bit of a puzzle, I saw the Stars & Stipes hanging from the courtesy position at the starboard spreader and underneath a yellow quarantine flag. There did not appear to be any indication of nationality, not even on the stern as far as I could see. I suppose the quarantine flag was up because they had not yet checked in? Perhaps their destination was NYC for the day.
After we swam in the surf and I got thoroughly sunburned on my back, we took a little hike in town and then back to the boat. Time to head back to the bay for sailing as it seemed like a nice sea breeze again! That's when the day just went downhill!
Did I mention that the sun was hotter than hell, and humid to boot? I foolishly decided to tow the blow-up but used some left-over strapping with snaps to attach 2 pieces together. It seemed to ride fine heading back out the channel and the wind seemed benign at first. My intention was to try out the Double Creek Channel now that it seems to be newly opened. Well I changed my mind as we got out toward the bay and the thermals kicked-up a crazy wind. Plus the flood tide was wicked. When I got to a fork in the channel that confused me, I thought "oh hell, I'm just going to turn around and go back the normal way out Oyster Creek Channel. Trying to make a quick spin, the tide set me right over a channel marker. I hoped I got the transmission in neutral just as I went over it. Luckily it is rubber and didn't seem to suffer any damage to boat or marker. Ok, that was embarrassing! But I didn't drift into any shallows and the kayak was fine behind so no harm no foul, I guess.
We got back to the bay and the wind was now howling at least 25 to 30 knots. I was second guessing my intention to sail, but Sue said why not? Well, I didn't have the mainsail set up for reefing for one thing. Trying to get it done on the fly meant the sail was flogging a bit … enough to knock out the restrainer that holds the sail slugs in the track. I had to struggle to get several back in. Then I had to restrain the clew (which wasn't set up properly). Finally got that under control and settled back with the mainsail finally under control and we were slogging upwind. Phew! Just as I'm thinking I can set out a bit of headsail, I look back and see the blow-up drifting astern!
Sue hadn't noticed it until I calmly pointed it out. That's the last straw and she blew up. Ok, let's just go get it, I say. I try a few jibes and we're unsuccessful, so we sail downwind of the kayak and I'm dropping the mainsail so we can motor to it. At that point, the State Police come cruising up and they pick-up the blow-up and since it is fairly obvious that we're attempting to recover it I think nothing of just concentrating on getting the sail bundled up (and everything ship shape in case they want to make an issue of anything). Just as Sue is motoring up to them, they have their back to us and are taking off for the police barracks at Key Marina! I'm on the bow waving my arms like crazy but to no avail, so we just continue motoring our way in pursuit, bashing through the waves and spume.
Unfortunately, my raw water intake is now collecting sea grass and soon we're limping along, afraid of overheating. At this point, all I want to do is get to Key Marina, collect my blow-up and limp back to Mariners in defeat.
We got to the police barracks and they all had a good laugh at my expense, their only concern was that there was somebody missing in the bay. They explained that they didn't see me wave so they didn't think the kayak belonged to us. They had called in to Coast Guard but were happy that I got there to resolve the mystery.
So we left for home port, but halfway there I was in despair because the exhaust wasn't spitting any water. I just shut down and anchored to clear the intake. Sue was calmed down by then and didn't want to add to my mood over the exhaust, so she gave me encouragement. Luckily, I cleared it right away by swimming under the boat and removing a huge clump of grass from the intake thru-hull (I put it off over the winter and now realize I really have to do something about this).
We got back in and I got to share a big laugh with Ward, who was at the dock ready to help us get tied up in the ferocious wind! Funny how a nice shower and on-shore dinner restored the mood! We placed a bunch of these goofy colored lights around the bimini and settled in for the night to watch a movie on Sue's laptop. Sleeping at the dock was alright but humid again.
Yesterday, it poured rain, so we stopped for breakfast and went home.
We intended to stay out for Saturday, but the rain was the last straw. Funny how this cold front went through and now the sun is shining and beautifully cool and dry. Time for me to put the corn on!
Sue insisted on new curtains to block the sun, now that our new windows provide so much light!
I didn't want to spend time on this chore, but now I have to admit it is a nice difference. What are we going to do for 5 hours before we turn in, Sue wondered. Somehow we filled the time nicely and thoroughly enjoyed the evening, even with limited views of fireworks.Sleeping was ok, humidity was awful and the boat was soaking wet from condensation. Sue complained that I haven't installed the cockpit shower and she can't stand the stickiness from salt water.
I got up at sunrise and took another trip around the anchorage with the blow-up. Sue does not like it and thinks it is a waste of money, but it served it's purpose when we paddled over to the public dock for a trip to the ocean-side beach at Barnegat Inlet. Much of our discussions revolve around my desire to take Thunderbird out through the inlet. While we were at the beach, a pair of sailboats that were in the anchorage left the inlet for points north. They seemed to be buddy-boating, the larger cutter was from Maryland and the other smaller boat (looked to be about the same size as Thunderbird) seemed to be a bit of a puzzle, I saw the Stars & Stipes hanging from the courtesy position at the starboard spreader and underneath a yellow quarantine flag. There did not appear to be any indication of nationality, not even on the stern as far as I could see. I suppose the quarantine flag was up because they had not yet checked in? Perhaps their destination was NYC for the day.
After we swam in the surf and I got thoroughly sunburned on my back, we took a little hike in town and then back to the boat. Time to head back to the bay for sailing as it seemed like a nice sea breeze again! That's when the day just went downhill!
Did I mention that the sun was hotter than hell, and humid to boot? I foolishly decided to tow the blow-up but used some left-over strapping with snaps to attach 2 pieces together. It seemed to ride fine heading back out the channel and the wind seemed benign at first. My intention was to try out the Double Creek Channel now that it seems to be newly opened. Well I changed my mind as we got out toward the bay and the thermals kicked-up a crazy wind. Plus the flood tide was wicked. When I got to a fork in the channel that confused me, I thought "oh hell, I'm just going to turn around and go back the normal way out Oyster Creek Channel. Trying to make a quick spin, the tide set me right over a channel marker. I hoped I got the transmission in neutral just as I went over it. Luckily it is rubber and didn't seem to suffer any damage to boat or marker. Ok, that was embarrassing! But I didn't drift into any shallows and the kayak was fine behind so no harm no foul, I guess.
We got back to the bay and the wind was now howling at least 25 to 30 knots. I was second guessing my intention to sail, but Sue said why not? Well, I didn't have the mainsail set up for reefing for one thing.
Trying to get it done on the fly meant the sail was flogging a bit … enough to knock out the restrainer that holds the sail slugs in the track. I had to struggle to get several back in. Then I had to restrain the clew (which wasn't set up properly). Finally got that under control and settled back with the mainsail finally under control and we were slogging upwind. Phew! Just as I'm thinking I can set out a bit of headsail, I look back and see the blow-up drifting astern! Sue hadn't noticed it until I calmly pointed it out. That's the last straw and she blew up. Ok, let's just go get it, I say. I try a few jibes and we're unsuccessful, so we sail downwind of the kayak and I'm dropping the mainsail so we can motor to it. At that point, the State Police come cruising up and they pick-up the blow-up and since it is fairly obvious that we're attempting to recover it I think nothing of just concentrating on getting the sail bundled up (and everything ship shape in case they want to make an issue of anything). Just as Sue is motoring up to them, they have their back to us and are taking off for the police barracks at Key Marina! I'm on the bow waving my arms like crazy but to no avail, so we just continue motoring our way in pursuit, bashing through the waves and spume.
Unfortunately, my raw water intake is now collecting sea grass and soon we're limping along, afraid of overheating. At this point, all I want to do is get to Key Marina, collect my blow-up and limp back to Mariners in defeat.
We got to the police barracks and they all had a good laugh at my expense, their only concern was that there was somebody missing in the bay. They explained that they didn't see me wave so they didn't think the kayak belonged to us. They had called in to Coast Guard but were happy that I got there to resolve the mystery.
So we left for home port, but halfway there I was in despair because the exhaust wasn't spitting any water. I just shut down and anchored to clear the intake. Sue was calmed down by then and didn't want to add to my mood over the exhaust, so she gave me encouragement. Luckily, I cleared it right away by swimming under the boat and removing a huge clump of grass from the intake thru-hull (I put it off over the winter and now realize I really have to do something about this).
We got back in and I got to share a big laugh with Ward, who was at the dock ready to help us get tied up in the ferocious wind! Funny how a nice shower and on-shore dinner restored the mood! We placed a bunch of these goofy colored lights around the bimini and settled in for the night to watch a movie on Sue's laptop. Sleeping at the dock was alright but humid again.
Yesterday, it poured rain, so we stopped for breakfast and went home.
We intended to stay out for Saturday, but the rain was the last straw. Funny how this cold front went through and now the sun is shining and beautifully cool and dry. Time for me to put the corn on!
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