Yesterday morning the wind had backed right off, so we were able to get the dinghy in the water and head into shore. Alan did some boat maintenance first, but by 11:00 we were off the boat. We dinghyed into Utsch's Marina and tied up there, and they also let us leave a couple of large bags of trash in their dumpster! Called for a taxi to take us to Walmart...a 10mile R/T...$23...to pick up my $4 prescription!! After that we went out for lunch at the Lobster House. We also needed to pick up a few groceries, so we were off in search of a food store. The first thing we came to was a WaWa, which is like an On the Run (gas station store). We were able to get the basics there, so by 3:30 we were back on the boat.
The wind was supposed to shift during the night, so Alan wanted to re-anchor. All the boats that were here Wednesday were gone, so we were the only one left in the anchorage...plenty of room to re-anchor. Of course, we had a hard time getting it set...tried 3 times. Finally got a good hold...but of course, once you've dragged somewhere, you're really nervous if you're going to hold in big winds, which is what was predicted for Thursday night.
Well, it's now Friday morning, and the winds haven't really picked up yet, but we are supposed to have 20-25 by noon, and the seas outside are 5-7 ft, so we'll be sitting here another day. Sounds like tomorrow we'll be able to get up to Atlantic City. Five other boats came in late yesterday afternoon, and they all seem to be staying put today also. I guess we'll have company up the Jersey coast.
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| From Upper Chesapeake |
On Tuesday, we picked up the anchor at 6am, hoping to catch a few hours of outgoing tide. Did we ever! Sailing along at 9-10 knots with the current, but it only lasted about 3 hours. Then we had a couple of hours of neutral current, so we made pretty good time down the Bay. By time we got to the end, the wind was blowing 20-25 knots, and we were down to a reefed main and staysail. Got into Cape May about 3pm and anchored among the few other boats heading as far north (or further) than us. One from Marthas Vineyard, 2 from NH, and 3 from Canada, and us.
About an hour after we anchored, we started swinging in a different direction, and we were a bit close to one of the Canadian boats, so we picked up our anchor and moved. Everthing looked fine, and the wind backed down overnight. This morning the wind had picked up out of the NE, blowing 20-25 knots...gust to 33. I was still laying in bed at 7am, when I heard the engine start...and Alan yelling at me to 'get up here'. I was already on my way. Our anchor was dragging and we were precariously close to running aground. I took the helm while Al got the anchor up, and we tried to re-set. It took several tries, but finally it caught. This is the first time our anchor has ever dragged, and it was a bit unnerving.
We had planned on going to shore today, but the wind is still howling and we are still worried that we could break loose again. So, here we sit on the boat in Cape May...waiting for better weather. It seems that's what we do when we are in Cape May. We have never been to shore here, because it's always bad when we are here, and as soon as it gets nice...we leave. But this time, we will stay, because I have a prescription that I have to pick up at a Walmart a couple of miles from here. I'll finally get to see Cape May.
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Yesterday, Sunday, we left the Great Wicomico about 6:45, and we were lucky enough to do a little sailing. We actually were able to sail on Saturday, too. By noon, the wind died, and we motored the rest of the day.
Sunday on the Chesapeake, in April, when the weather is 80 degrees, is busy, busy, busy with small fishing boats. There must have been hundreds just in the section of the bay that we traversed. Kind of a pain, because they are all trolling, they cross in front of you, and you have to change course so you don't tangle their lines. It's as if their boat won't go in a north/south direction...they all have to troll east/west...back and forth in front of you.
We stopped last night just shy of Annapolis in Herring Bay. Not much of an anchorage, but the wind was light so we didn't really need a cozy spot. Left at 6:45 this morning with Chesapeake City in mind for a stopping point. The current was in our favor all day, so instead of stopping there, we pressed on and got all the way through the C&D Canal. We are anchored about 5 miles south of the canal down the Bay behind Reedy Island. It's a crappy anchorage...lots of current, so the boat just spins in circles.
Tomorrow we head down the bay to Cape May NJ, and we/ve got an opposing current most of the day. That was the reason we decided to make today a long day. We did about 80 NM today. Tomorrow we only have about 50 or so.
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Friday we intended to get a cab and get our propane tanks filled, but early in the morning, our friend Joe, from Maine, called to tell us about the fire along the ICW. Because he had read my blog, he also asked if we got our propane yet. We hadn't...so Joe insisted on calling a friend of his who works at NCIS in Norfolk...'he'll pick you guys up and give you a ride to the propane place". Sure enough, if Joe's friend, Darrell, doesn't drive over to Portsmouth to bring us on our errand. After filling our tank, we went out for a beer, then he dropped us back off at the marina. It's truly incredible how many nice people you meet. Often, complete strangers offer to help. We had tied our dinghy to a dock at the marina, next to a boat that had some people working on it. When we returned, they asked if we needed a ride to the grocery store.
Anyway, w spent Friday night at Hospital Point, with every intention of heading offshore Saturday morning. We raised the anchor about 6:30am, an made our way down Elizabeth River to the Chesapeake. Right turn leads out to sea...left turn leads up the Chesapeake. As we approached the point of decision, Alan decided that he really wasn't feeling good about heading offshore...there was a mist of fog hanging in the air, and he just didn't want to head out...fine with me...I like sleeping at night, and sitting down to dinner with a glass of wine! We'll be a few more days getting home.
So we turned left, and put in about 75 statue miles. Turned up the Great Wicomico River, and anchored down in Mill Creek.
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Yesterday we left Coinjock after a quiet night on the dock. This would be our last day on the ICW...the day with about a zillion bridges that all need to be timed, as they only open on the hour or half hour. The first half of the day was nice...up Currituck sound, very pretty, wind on the nose, but only about 15 knots. The last 12 miles is the worst section of the ICW...very industrial and very busy. After going through the Great Bridge Locks it's all down hill. We were the only boat in the locks, as opposed to it being chuck full when we were southbound. The crowd heading north has definitely thinned out since we got above Charleston.
We are anchored off Hospital Point, ICW mile marker 0, in Portsmouth/Norfolk VA. Alan was cooking chicken on the grill for dinner while I was cooking veggies and rice on the stove...until we ran out of propane. We have 2 tanks, which we filled when we left Maine. Sometime around the beginning of March, our first tank emptied. We figured we could easily make it home of the second tank. I have either been cooking way more in the last few weeks, or that second tank wasn't full. Luckily, we had some little propane cannisters to finish grilling, and I cooked the other stuff in the microwave...but that means, today we are on a mission to get the propane tanks filled. We'll put the dinghy in the water, and head into one of the marinas. My book tells me there is a propane fill station only a half mile away. When we get that done, our plan is to move just 10 miles to Willoughby Bay, at the mouth of the Elizabeth River. Stage there tonight, for an early departure on Saturday. Another overnight up the DelMarVa peninsula to Cape May NJ.
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