Good Just to Get Out

[ITMaster]

Hard to wait for it to get warmer and since it was in the mid 60's Sunday, had to go out and let our new boat buddie check out this sailing thing. She is a double rescue pooch, first time from Katrina, and this time from another family that needed more space. She has taken well to our life and is very happy aboard so far.

Was a nice day, lucked out and got to run wing and wing down the river and enjoy the sun and just serenity of the afternoon even with that low sitting off the coast churning about. Looks like today she is going to pull off the coast and move on out to sea.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Lucky dog. You too! Weather has been mostly nice in Ohio, have been riding the bike outdoors. But Erie is frozen and my small lake is still drained.

 

[Deadline]

Great day

I think I saw you out on the York, off Riverwalk. Wind finally picked up, then died down. What was supposed to be a wash-out was splendid.

 

[Ron20324]

For both IT and Deadline, what is the boating access at Jamestown and/or is it worth the effort and time?

repenceatmsn.com, if you would.

 

[ITMaster]

Ron, it is a fairly long trip up to Jamestown. You would of course need to come to the bottom of the bay and then come around and up the James River. The water is there, and the channel well marked. Once you get there, you would need to rely on finding a decent anchorage. There is not a lot of protection, yet I would consider dropping the hook just up river of the Jamestown Ferry Landing on the Jamestown side. You will not be able to get very close to shore, since the water is fairly shallow close in, however it would be doable. I have never done it, but I have anchored down at Cobb Bay about 6 or so miles down river and on the other side. I would consider that a safer anchorage. I don't recall ever seeing anyone on the hook in the Jamestown area. I would suspect that you are looking at a good 6 to 8 hours from the entrance to the Hampton Roads Harbor ( I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel) to Jamestown, maybe a bit less if you hit it with an incoming tide. A lot of water runs out of that river, and you will feel it, similar to going up river in the Potomac. The York River will get you up to Yorktown, which is a lot closer, and has a public dock, a marina across the river, mooring balls for free and then it is only 14 miles to Colonial Williamsburg and then another 13 to Jamestown on land. If you are planning a trip down here, let me know and I can help you out with logistics and would be happy to.

Yep, Deadrise, that would have been me that popped under the bridge, had just put the headsail away and had the main only out, came down to the end of Yorktown, turned around and went back up river, early to mid afternoon. I noticed I was the ONLY sailboat out there, but I had to get out.

 

[ITMaster]

Ed, I noticed that Lake Erie next to Westfield still was frozen, and so was Lake Chautauqua over in Mayville. My family told me that Erie was thawed out on the north shore though. I just got back last Thursday from there, and there was also still waist deep snow in the woods. Those lakes I believe still have about 13 or so inch thick ice on them. It was warming up though, I noticed in fact that it was getting up into the lower 50s during the daytime, so it won't be long. Guess everyone had a pretty cold and snowy winter this year :cussing:

 

[Ed Schenck]

Hey Tom, why would anyone in beautiful Williamsburg venture up there?! Last night's news had a satellite picture of the ice. We get so much north wind and it blows the ice all onto the south shore. But my only Ohio boat is in a fair grounds barn. And the lake I sail it on, Atwood, is part of a flood district and is drained for the winter. Then it will flood and the docks won't go in until it subsides. In the picture is the control box for the hoist for our one-designs, five foot up the pole. It is next to a road that is usually two foot above the lake level.

 

[wonkodsane]

ITM, it was drizzly and cool this past weekend up here near DC, but like you, the Admiral and I had to get out there. Good sailing this weekend and last and we're looking at a sunny Saturday this weekend too. Gotta love putting in some serious sailing before the motorcraft come out in force for the season.

The flooding up here put a lot of logs in the water and a crazy current on the channel, but nothing we couldn't avoid.