The Bubble Burst, But I'm Optimistic

July 21, 2012

We have been looking forward to seeing the Chesapeake since we started this trip over a year ago.  And, the one location on the Chesapeake that everyone mentions is Solomons Island.  Well, we're here and we don't get it.  We walked around part of the island yesterday and rented a car to drive around the surrounding area today.  There are some good seafood restaurants on the island, but not much of anything else.  I've asked a few people what the attraction is.  The only thing that they have come up with is the Tiki Bar.  Now, I don't care how great the bar is -- do you plan a vacation or even a week-end around a bar? 

Just to be fair, we decided we should visit the Tiki Bar on a Saturday night to see why it was such a crowd favorite.  Well, it is cute.  There are lots of Adirondack chairs sitting in sand along with palm trees.  To make sure I was really giving it a fair observation I had my once a decade alcoholic beverage.  Ok, we were the oldest people there, but still...I don't see it being special enough to come here for vacation or even a week-end -- 
sorry.  

The water in the Chesapeake Bay is full of stinging jelly fish and we have been told that it is polluted.  Yikes!!!  Not what we were expecting.  The St Croix River in Minnesota was our home port.  The water was so clean you could drink it.  The St Croix is one of the Wild Rivers of the United States -- it is highly regulated.  Huge wooded bluffs are on either side of it's banks and really cute small towns with good restaurants and cute shops dot it's shore line.  We thought that the environment here would be similar or----something like Sanibel Island in Florida.  One couple in Stuart told us that the Chesapeake doesn't get pretty until you are north of Annapolis.  I'm going to stay optimistic.
We rented a car to use until we drive to Reagan Airport on Thursday.  Tomorrow we'll visit Annapolis.  We have been there several times and love the city.  Not sure where we will explore Monday through Wednesday, but I'm sure we'll find some interesting back roads.  On Thursday we are flying to St Louis to spend a few days with Jennifer and her family.  We have a car there that we will drive to Minnesota to spend time with Steve and his family.  While we are gone the boat will be pulled so repair work and maintenance can be done.  Hopefully, there will be no surprises when her bottom is exposed!  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!                 

On Our Way To Solomons Island

July 16 - 20 , 2012

The Washington Monument is visible from
almost every corner of DC.

Downtown Georgetown

We were totally exhausted after everyone left last night.  It felt good to sleep in Monday morning before starting on load after load of laundry and cleaning the interior.  We wanted to go to Georgetown and just do a quick walk through.  Since it was soooo hot again, we decided to wait until 5:30 to leave the boat.  We are anchored in the middle of the Potomac, so the dingy was launched.  We walked to the Metro station, took the subway and then caught a bus to Georgetown.  Now, it is 8:00.  An hour of walking around was enough for tonight.  Headed back via bus, taxi, dingy and finally at the boat – 10:30.  Dead tired. 

Colonial Beach from our anchorage

Tuesday we began our trip back down the Potomac.  No more long days.  We anchored out for three nights after 35 mile days.  A very relaxing pace.  Wednesday we stopped near Colonial Beach.  The inlet is too shallow for our boat.  We set the anchor in a bay and took the dingy in to explore.  The waitress at lunch told us downtown was a block away.  Does this sound familiar…..?  We found nothing in the area that resembled a downtown.  Continued walking to the ‘shopping center’.  That turned out to be a 7-11.  So much for my grocery list.  Keep in mind the temperature is near 100 with humidity at a similar number!  So 1 ½ miles later we have a dozen eggs to show for our effort.  The dingy ride back to the boat was expanded to see the local beaches and cool us off. 

A portion of the campus waterfront

Man and his faithful dog on a paddle board --
Isn't balancing on a paddle board hard enough?

Thursday brought us to the St Mary’s River.  We anchored in Horseshoe Bay and once again took the dingy in to explore.  St Mary’s College of Maryland is a beautiful campus of about 2000 students.  It was originally established in 1840.  St Mary’s City was the fourth permanent settlement in British North America and was Maryland’s first capital.  It is also host to the Governor’s Cup Race, the largest sailing race on the East Coast.  Bob and Deidre, an Australian couple, were anchored near  
us.  We share mutual friends, Jon and Bonnie.  After our ride into town, they stopped over for a drink and an exchange of travel information.  A good evening.   

Friday morning we are off early.  We left the Potomac and are back on the Chesapeake.  When the two  bodies of water converge, there is a lot of current from two directions plus wind and wave action.  It can be a little dicey.  We were told to enter at slack tide (highest or lowest point), which for us was 9:30 AM.  We made it with no incidents.  The Chesapeake was fairly flat with only one to two foot waves on our bow.  Yea, no sea sickness for this leg!  For the first time in about a week, we were able to turn off the air conditioning, open the windows and enjoy the fresh air.

We arrived at Spring Cove Marina on Solomans early this afternoon.  It seems that every inch of waterfront is one marina after another.  We have never seen such a concentration of boats.  The island has been inhabited since colonial times with  early businesses of ship building and a cannery.  Obviously, they found out that making space for boaters to visit is much more lucrative!  Unbelievable.......           

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

  

Remote Anchorages and Busy Cities

July 7 – 16, 2012

Jennifer and JAC flew into Richmond, Virginia, rented a car and drove to the marina.  They arrived just in time to take us on errands:  Costco, Battery Plus, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target and the grocery.  We really know how to show guests a good time!  We hadn’t been to the grocery for a little over three weeks.  We were totally out of fresh vegetables, fruit and milk.    

The next morning Brian cleaned the boat exterior while Jen and I took the rental car back.  Did you know that some Avis locations will drop off and pick up?  Just another option.  We left Chesapeake headed for Portsmouth immediately going through a lift bridge and lock.  It’s a short trip to Portsmouth -- only 13 miles.  Our course took us past a portion of the Norfolk harbor. This is the busiest port we have ever been in:  a naval base, repair base for destroyers, and a heavily used commercial shipping center.  It was a short but very interesting passage.  Each of us kept exclaiming “Wow, look at that one!”  Every ship seemed bigger than the last.

As far as you can see ships line the shores.
Heavy rain for a couple of hours.

JAC wanted to hold her brother's hand. 
He said, "I love her, but she's at an annoying age."

We had hoped to walk through the historical section of Portsmouth and have dinner as soon as we arrived. For the third day in a row, temperatures were in the low 100’s with extreme humidity.  About 5:00 we ventured out. It was smoldering.  Sitting in the restaurant we couldn’t cool off fast enough. To quicken the cool down, we dribbled ice water down each other’s backs.  It helped… After dinner, we did walk past some of the historic homes. Portsmouth was founded in 1752 by a
wealthy ship builder. The shipyard was
ordered to be  burned at the beginningof the Civil War to keep the confedercy

Talk about the hot seat!
Sit on black metal that has been in 100+ degree
sun all day.

from capturing it.  In 1855 1/3 of the residents of Norfolk and Portsmouth died from the yellow fever epidemic.  Back at the boat it was time for our annual Captain Ron film festival.  We had watched it earlier in the trip with Christopher. Now, he wanted his Mom to see it.    
  

 

Until we started crossing a portion of the Chesapeake, neither Brian or I realized just how big it really is.  It is 200 miles long, 30 miles wide and 46 feet deep.  More than 150 rivers drain into it.  For two days we were in five foot waves that were slamming against our starboard bow.  Brian was the only one that didn’t feel the effects of the rough water.  However, both nights we found beautiful quiet anchorages.  The dingy took us to a beach where we found shells and JAC got to put her feet in salt water and sand for the first time.  After dinner the second night, we went for a ride in the dingy to check out the neighborhood.  At a small marina we found the Active Captain boat.  Active Captain is a program that interfaces with our navigation and posts information about anchorages, marinas, hazards and local knowledge.  It is a huge asset as we travel in unfamiliar areas. 

Active Captain boat.

We decided to go to Washington DC.  It’s a good place for Jennifer to fly out and there are plenty of interesting sights along the way.  Once again we were surprised at how wide the Potomac River is.  The entire Potomac River is in Maryland.  Virginia’s state border is the western shore.

A belated birthday party for Jennifer.

We had never heard of Mallow’s Bay until we passed it and read some notes.  It is the largest concentrated shipwreck fleet in the western hemisphere.  A graveyard for 235 ships – mostly wooden cargo steamers – that were too expensive to keep afloat.  After they were stripped for salvage, they were systematically sunk in this bay.  Additional information and photos are on ---------- http://boneinitsteeth.blogspot.com/2011/07/mallows-bay-ghost-fleet-of-potomac.html?=1               

Take my word for it -- this is Quantico!

If you read Patricia Cornwell mysteries, you are familiar with Quantico.  It is the location of a Marine Corp Base, FBI Academy, FBI Laboratory, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.  Come to think of it – you might have heard of it for lots of reasons.  



George Washington’s home, Mt Vernon can easily be seen from the river.  In 1858 it was purchased from his family by a group of patriotic women for the purpose of preserving the estate.  The Mount Vernon Ladies Association is a private, non-profit organization that still maintains it in trust for the people of the United States.  During the Civil War, soldiers of both armies visited the estate to honor the first president. 

A fort has been on this site for over 200 years.  The first Fort Washington was built in 1809.  The area is now a National Park.

Alexandria City Marina.
The Torpedo Factory -- now an art gallery. 

In 1669 Scotsman John Alexander bought the tract of land that is now Alexandria for six thousand pounds of tobacco and Cask.  We were fortunate to reserve a slip for the night.  We didn’t arrive until 7:30.  As soon as we were docked we hopped off and walked into the busy historical downtown which is adjacent to the marina.  We saw enough to assure us that we wanted to see more the next morning.  Brian and I had attended a wedding in town years ago and remembered what a fun place it was.  Friday morning we were off for breakfast at La Madeleine and

Time for a trim.

haircuts for the guys.  After walking through some of the neighborhoods, Brian and Christopher went to The Torpedo Factory to see if there really were any torpedoes there.  Jennifer, Jac and I did some quick, but productive shopping. Our slip was promised to someone else, so we had to be on our way by 3:00. 

Can anything be as much fun as a trolley ride?

Next stop Washington DC – only five miles away.  When we called for a slip on Friday, there were none available at the Capital Yacht Club.  They told us we would have to anchor mid-river and dingy in.  But, when we arrived, they had a slip we could use for three nights.  Perfect!  It is still blazing hot with high humidity.  What looked like a short walk to the National Mall, of course, was much further than anticipated.  Dinner, cool-down and a rest in China Town at Legal Seafood.  The next morning we purchased tickets for the double decker

tour bus that let us hop on and off at all of the sights.  It felt like we saw every one of them.  Jennifer and the kids were on a nine o’clock flight Sunday night so we had time to go to the Smithsonian’s Air and Flight Museum in the morning.  During our stay in DC we had some great meals, but our best seafood was on the wharf just beyond the marina.  The fish market was there with a walk-up kitchen on a barge.  Kind of scary to look at, but so good to eat!  Since there was no place to sit and eat, and, once again, it was dripping sweat hot, we carried our food back to the air conditioned boat.   

We are so glad that we decided to make the trip up the Potomac.  It turned out to be a great week of anchorages, history and the excitement of a big city with plenty of  memorable moments for each of us.

James Hath, my high school boyfriend, on the
Vietnam Memorial Wall.

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

Nothing beats a nap on Grandpa's shoulder.
Followed by a little impromptu dancing!

Trying to teach JAC how to play Crazy 8.

Sad.....Time to go to the airport.



We're Moving As Fast As We Can

June 30 – July 6, 2012

Here we are doing what we said we didn’t want to do – We’re rushing to try and get someplace to pick up guests.  Our daughter, Jennifer and grand daughter, JAC, are flying into Norfolk, Virgina on Saturday, July 7^th.  All of the delays in the past couple of weeks have put us behind schedule.  Now we are pushing to get there on time. 

Rushing past Charleston

No time to see Georgetown

We had to sail right past Charleston and Georgetown.  And, we spent one day out in the ocean.  By going out of the intercoastal we were able to make 118 miles instead of our usual 70 or 80.  The intercoastal route has lots of kinks and turns.  Plus, there are many areas where we are required to slow down:  bridges, marinas, residential areas, fishermen in small boats.  Out in the ocean, we can run a straight line at a constant speed.  The only problem being out at sea – it is boring! 
  Everywhere you look, there's  nothing     but water and horizon.  On the intercoastal there’s always lots to watch: scenery, birds, dolphins, homes, towns and boats.

Hilton Head we will see you next visit

Once we left Savanna, we anchored out for four nights in a row.  That means five days on board without touching a toe on solid ground.  Not something that is easy for adults and certainly not easy for a six year old.  Christopher was great.  He knows that we are on a

fast pace to meet up with his Mom.  Not one complaint.  What a trooper!  He has been elevated  from swab to first mate.  On the 4^th of July we pulled into Morehead City Marina in North Carolina.  From the front of our boat we had a perfect view of fireworks in two cities.  Couldn’t have been in a better location.     

The Naval yard adjacent to Charleston
Amazing ships and planes

While on the intercoastal we passed two sharks in a feeding frenzy.  The only thing we could see were tails slapping back and forth and water splashing in every direction.  Don’t know what they got, but it must have been delicious.

We know that we will have two or three more trips up and down this coast.  We can certainly visit the areas that we missed.  The rush is worth it to have a week with family.       

Gotta Smile – we’re lovin the ride.   

A retired aircraft carrier -- now a museum

Naval fire boat shooting red, white and blue water
to celebrate the 4th of July

We could include pictures of all the beautiful homes
along the river, but prefer to show you the really weird.
Shiny copper sphere.

Neptune's bride
Metal sculpture about 20 feet tall

We're seeing more eagles as we get further north.
This one took off as we passed his perch.

Osprey family in their huge nest

A pelican's beak can hold three gallons of water and fish.
He uses his beak as a sieve to drain the water, then throws
his head back and swallows the fish. 

This statue was to draw attention to the
real estate for sale sign.
Unfortunately, we only saw the giraffe.

Seagulls following a fishing boat to get leftovers

4th of July fireworks in Morehead

We made it!!!
Friday July 6th we arrived at the Atlantic Yacht Basin
in Chesapeake, VG

   

Hot Times

June 29, 2012

Savanna is already feeling its summer heat. We arrived to a temperature of 103 degrees with a heat index of 112. Yowza! Our guide book recommended the city bus. Here we go again! The dock master gave us a map and said the bus stop was about a half mile away. He was right. Two busses later (and, a lot of sweat) we were at the historic river walk. First stop – frozen yogurt in an air conditioned shop.

A little rest to take in the scenery.

Some of the historic buildings on River Walk.
We ate dinner upstairs.  I think this was the
first time I ever turned down outdoor dining.

One of the cargo ships that passed by.

The water in downtown Savanna travels at a fast speed and has a tidal change of nine feet.  It is a busy port with huge cargo ships continuously moving through.  A variety of old buildings are now filled with hotels, restaurants and stores.  At the far end is the famous statue of the Waving Girl, Florence Martus.  Between the ages of 19 and 63 she waved a cloth or lantern as ships passed hoping one would bring back the man she loved.  Sorry to report – he never returned.  After dinner and our walk through town we called for a taxi to take us home.  We had visited Savanna when friends, Larry and Joan, were thinking about retiring there.  It is a beautiful city with lots of great stories. 

Saturday morning we awoke to find the newspaper and a box of six Krispy Kreme doughnuts on our back deck.  What a wonderful surprise!  Newspaper quickly read.  Krispy Kremes devoured immediately!  A diver came to the marina to check the damage on our bottom.  He was only under the boat for about ten minutes.  A bull shark was under there with him and wouldn’t go away.  When it nipped at him and cut his wet suit he made a hasty exit!  The bottom doesn’t appear to be seriously damaged.  We can wait until we get to the Chesapeake for repairs.  Additional good news – the insurance will cover repairs and the tow.  Life is so much better now.

Gotta Smile – we’re lovin the ride.