Summer 2021

      Our summer starts when we get home to Connecticut. No matter how early. No matter how cold. And it was cold. In May. We were on a dock temporarily at Old Lyme Marina and actually plugged in to power to get heat some nights. When we moved to our mooring it wasn't bad... until it got worse. Memorial Day Weekend was almost freezing, 40s anyway. And to make it worser, it rained all weekend. Only one other boat showed up for our annual Power Squadron Rendezvous at Hamburg Cove. Oh well. Did I mention we had two other adults aboard? With our 3 year old grandson? And we could not go in the cockpit due to rain and cold? Challenging. Good thing he's cute. 

     Early summer was holding some promise that the Covid situation would start to improve. Many people, like Carol, were now getting fully vaccinated, especially in the northeast states. This was good. Our medical visits started in May and continued into June. And July. Only one of my tests showed the need for a follow-up. The follow-up indicated no issues. My oncologist believes tests beget tests and are not always a good idea. In this case he was right. Tough judgement calls for patients when a test is recommended by your doctor. Anyway, all is still good. Still in remission. For now. 

     I have been getting an infused treatment every two months. Sort of a maintenance regimen. I had wanted an injection version but my Miami oncologist was reluctant to make a switch in treatment in March while heading home.  In May, in Hartford, I got the injection instead of the infusion. It didn't work out so good. I got a fist size lump on my abdomen and an interesting rash along my belly to my side. Red then blue then white little bubbles. As I said, interesting. Nothing serious but I went back to infusions. They take longer to administer but nothing interesting happens. Like our aversion to adventures, interesting medical situations are also something to be wary of. Interesting usually isn't fatal but...

     In July we took the boat to Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island. The 4th of July weekend started nice, was pretty miserable in the middle and ended nice. The middle part included cold, rain, wind and dragging our anchor. Hauling our anchor by hand after dragging in wind and rain was lots of fun. Ah, cruising. We had intended to meet our daughter and her family there but a medical procedure interfered. Not a procedure of ours for a change. Late in the weekend old friends from the New Haven Squadron cruised in and we visited them on their new boat. First visit to another boat in a long, long time. 

     Later in July we started our 'vacation' cruise. Not our vacation, of course. Cobbe and family were aboard for two weeks. Two long weeks. 

     We started out by heading to Mystic later in the day and got to Ram Island for dinner. The next day it was Block Island. 

     

     A rare, quiet moment on 'vacation'. 

     It was crowded but we got ourselves a good place to anchor in Great Salt Pond near Breezy Point. We had a major wind shift with gusts that made us wonder if we dragged but it turned out okay. We were trapped aboard due to wind and rain for more than a day. Did I mention the three year old? 

Several beach visits and a trip to the 'zoo' marked our four nights at Block. Many visits from Aldos, too. 

     From there it was a passage to Cuttyhunk Island. It was uneventful on the way except for sea sickness for some crew in mostly flat seas. Ok, maybe it was another kind of sickness. Mostly in the morning. We got an expensive mooring at Cuttyhunk and had seafood delivered out to the boat. Then it was a few days in Hadley Harbor, also in the Elizabeth Islands. Beach visits, swimming, wading and a seal watching excursion filled our days before we went over to Lake Tashmoo on Martha's Vineyard. This is near Vineyard Haven and is very nice but with a shallow entrance. 

     After 4 nights it was back to another stop in Cuttyhunk. We visited the library and talked to local folks about changes on the island before we headed back to Block Island. Only a couple of nights in much tighter anchoring but we had a chance to visit with the Quigleys on Miss Ruby. We went to dinner together ashore and had drinks (drinks???!!!!!) at the Oar. Outboard motor troubles started here before we left for a night up the Mystic River and a visit to Mystic Seaport Museum. Yes, I work/volunteer there AND go to visit there, too. 

     A week or so after this cruise (and an expensive outboard motor repair) we went to Essex Boat Works for our annual haulout for maintenance. We discovered we had a bent starboard rudder from a botched tow by TowBoat/US on our trip north. We had more than three weeks on land and a major bill for the repair. This meant no Labor Day weekend cruise and no overnight guests aboard. Cobbe still got to see Thomas the Tank Engine in Essex and the Nautilus submarine in Groton as well as other area attractions. 

     Once back in the water we started on more expensive maintenance. This time on our engines. 1000 hour service was delayed last year due to Covid restrictions so all these expenses seem to be coming all at the same time. Ah, boating. The total oozed up over $10,000 in August and September but, as I said, some of this was due to deferred expenses. Wait until the boat show in October and desired new electronics are added to the bills. 

     As I post this entry we will just about be ready to depart on cruise #12 back to Marathon. Stocking up on supplies and wrapping up other boat preparation. Still an active hurricane season to be concerned about. Next report will be from Annapolis. 

     

Annapolis to Home 2021

     As mentioned in my last posting, we pushed on our last day to get to Annapolis and had about 4hrs of uncomfortable seas (out of 12hrs). The next day, our first at Annapolis, was fairly breezy and the wind was from a poor direction. Had we not pushed the day before we would have had 7hrs or so of rough conditions not the 4hrs we actually had. An okay trade-off, I guess. We picked up a city mooring in Back Creek, Eastport, a part of Annapolis, and then got fuel our first day there. Each day we were visited (harrassed) by geese. They climbed all over the boat, leaving 'presents' and making noise. They also decided our dinghy was a good spot to lay an egg. No, it's not.

      

     The person who measured us for a new sailcover last fall came out again to measure for corrections. We were unhappy with the results and the company promised to make it right. Re-make it right. We won't get the new cover until after we are home. 

     We made some minor repairs, changed engine fluids and got some shopping, restocking and dining out done. The weather was nice, cold, windy, nice, cold, warm, sunny, cloudy, warm, windy, and cold. Springtime. 

     We stayed a bit more than a week hoping to time the weather and winds the rest of the way up the east coast and to maybe get warmer weather. Maybe not. 

     When we left Annapolis on a Saturday it was not quite as freezing as last year. Cold, very cold, but not freezing. The wind was fairly light out of the west and later faded to near zero. Minor ripples on the Bay. It became a nice day so, even though the current was not in our favor, we decided the planned short passage to Worton Creek could be extended to Chesapeake City on the C&D Canal. There is a free dock there but on the weekends local powerboaters tie up there for an afternoon. Sure enough, one tied up in the middle of a space for two just as we arrived. And only stayed an hour. This meant we had to anchor and our trouble with our windlass continues. We could have gone to the dock when the daytrippers left but we were concerned with low water when we would want leave on Tuesday. This looked like the day when wind direction and direction of the current would combine to make the best possible passage down the Delaware Bay/River. This meant a 3 night stay and only 24hrs is allowed at the dock. It's nice to walk around on land but we are used to staying on the boat without touching land for many days in a row. There are no re-stocking options in Chesapeake City so nothing was missed by not going ashore. Okay, there is a nice ice cream shop. 

     We could have made it an only two night stay by going to Worton Creek previously but we took advantage of the benign conditions to get more miles under our keels. We are always making choices like this based on weather forecasts and other variables. Sometimes the guesses work. Sometimes........

     After 3 nights at anchor we headed out early. Very early. We often leave in the dark because the C&D Canal is well lit but because we're here much later in the Spring than in past years we had plenty of predawn light. Of course it took 40 minutes to raise the anchor due to the failed windlass. I got the method down pat using a halyard winch to help but it is slow. The current in the canal was in our favor so it we were quick but once in the Delaware River we were slowed down for the middle part of the passage. We had 1-2 ft. of chop for a while but it wasn't all that bad overall. The current improved a little in our favor and then the passage around Cape May was okay. Not great. Not as awful as past trips through the area. Just okay. We took the near-shore route very close to the beach which shortened our passage around the Cape.  

     We then continued up the east coast of New Jersey. Seas started out as 1-2 ft. on our stern quarter so it was a little rolly but not uncomfortable. After sunset the wind and waves eased to near calm but there was an occasional large swell. No problem. Going through New York City was very quick as we had great current (up to 13kts SOG) and we went all the way to Port Jefferson, L.I.  where we borrowed one of the few moorings that were in. 33+hrs from start to finish makes for a long day. Not a bad day. Just long. Getting old. Sigh. 

     Our last day on the road was rainy but calm. It was the first passage this cycle that had rain. We generally stay put in adverse conditions but this was not adverse, just wet. We completed our cruise in the rain because the next day was forecast to be gale conditions. Not good. That we avoid at all (or nearly all) cost. 

   

 So we are back in Old Lyme. We're at a dock as our mooring is not in yet. We'll move to it within a week or so. Now it's time for Carol's second vaccine injection, a trip to Long Island to get our car and see Cobbe. Oh, and our daughter and her husband, too. We will also start our usual round of medical visits. Routine. Well, we hope they will be routine. One never know do one? 

     Everyone, enjoy the summer! Come see me at Mystic Seaport Museum where I'll be a docent again, usually on the weekends. 

Miami to Annapolis

We finally left Miami after 5 nights and a medical visit. Saturday, our last day and night there, was amazing. And not in a good way. PWC and powerboat wakes constantly roiling the water with no concern for other boats. Floridiots. We did go for another walk but not to the park as on previous days. We crossed the island to the beach (south) side and walked a couple of miles. Very nice. And not too crowded. Got an arepa at one of the food trucks. Delish. As evening approached the music started up. Many, many raft-ups with each blasting sound at at least 100db. This went to 0200. We were surprised, ok, not really, that there was no enforcement of speeds in the harbor and the marine police were all gone by evening. Ear plugs and a pillow over the head did not quite keep out the sound. Amazing. When we left Miami, we went all the way to Lake Worth Inlet via the ocean. Palm Beach. Seas were about 1 1/2 feet but eased during the day. Ran into Marathon neighbors in the anchorage. Our trip to Fort Pierce, also via the ocean route, was flat calm. Barely any ripples. We stayed two nights and did extensive food restocking and other errands. Also got to see some friends for the first time in quite some time. Our passage to St. Augustine was not so uneventful. The first day and night was fine, the second not so much. Someone missed a floating buoy after Crescent Beach and put us aground. Backing and filling didn't get us free but a passing powerboat wake helped. Backing and filling is using forward and reverse at higher power repeatedly to try to swing the boat to get us free when stuck in the mud. It puts a strain on everything but with the help of the wakes we got free without calling for a tow. Maybe we should have. One engine was sputtering with a clogged Racor fuel filter, the other threw a serpentine belt and and broke its coolant water pump. Or maybe the pump broke first throwing the belt off the pulleys. Who knows? We limped into St. Augustine where things got worse. After we got to the Municipal mooring field it started to get very rough. The wind was NE and the waves were more than two feet. Seasickness meds were needed while moored. I don't think that ever happened before. The second full day (out of three) had a brief respite from the wind and waves so we went ashore for showers, laundry, bill paying and a visit with shore-based friends. We got soaked returning to the boat and never got off of it again. On Monday we also managed to make arrangements for our replacement pump and a mechanic to meet us in Thunderbolt, GA.

After four nights we got underway on one engine only and went to the Sisters Creek free dock outside of Jacksonville, FL. Nice to return there. Chatted with some boaters we'd seen before along the road. Then we went offshore to Cumberland Island, GA. It's longer than the ICW route but avoids shoal areas and traffic. We then went to two new anchorages (to us). One was barely a wide spot in the road, the other was up a small creek similar to several in the area we used before. We chose these spots so we'd get to Saturday's anchoring spot in time to watch a UCONN Sweet 16 WWB game at noon.

We got to the Herb River in Thunderbolt, GA in time to watch the basketball game on our phones and stayed two nights. Then it was two nights at Thunderbolt Marina although we only needed one. Our engine pump and mechanic arrived on the scheduled day (a miracle) so our second day let us get to a grocery store via a loaner car. Then we went to another marina for two nights. We got hit by a impressive thunderstorm there and then a day of strong winds. Carol's planned Covid vaccine was cancelled, unfortunately. We then moved on to an anchorage a little south of Charleston. Our passage after that was very long. We hit the Wapoo Creek Bridge near its scheduled opening time but there is no way to get to the Ben Sawyer Bridge opening after that without a 45 minute wait. Grrr. Hate those. The passage would have been very pleasant (okay, it was) without the delays. A nice day and we got to the shallow areas near high tide. We anchored in Winyah Bay

and then went up the Waccamaw River to Osprey Marina. Another night at a marina! Scandalous! It was okay as we got fuel for the boat and a Covid shot for Carol. Finally. We then had a short day as we only went to Calabash Creek right on the SC/NC border. This let us stage future passage timing and do some minor boat work. After that, another #@&&$%# adventure. We went by Shallotte Inlet with no trouble even though it was near low tide and it was supposed to be an issue. Lockwoods Folly Inlet was supposed to be straight-forward and we went aground in the middle of the marked channel. Two hours. About 45 minutes was with Tow/BoatUS who did not want to tow us in the direction we wanted to go. Insisted on a sideways pull and trying to wash away the sand. When I said I wanted to be pulled forward he wanted to record me stating my desires. Then he did what I wanted. And it worked. Of course. His 30 years of experience did not overcome physics and sailboat keel dynamics. Go figure. The delay got us to Carolina Beach an hour later than planned but we still managed a visit to a hardware and grocery store. A walk on the beach, too. Our passage to Mile Hammock went fine. We even saw a M80 Scorpion assault vessel. This is a new stealth catamaran that carries smaller attack boats inside. I could tell you more but then I'd have to kill you. Or I'd get investigated. Or something. Or you could Google it. Our passages to Cedar Creek and then up the Pungo River were fine. The Neuse and Pamlico were quite pleasant for a change. The Alligator River and Albemarle Sound were, too. Of course, our windlass failed after that and now I am pulling up the anchor and chain by hand. Not so fine. Extremely difficult, in fact. Painful. A couple of days of manually pulling up the chain and anchor let me work out the best way of doing this. Still not fun but less yelling. We also had our usual stop at the Great Bridge free dock so no anchoring needed. Then we went to a pay marina in Hampton, VA. We often stop here with a free night certificate but we get the coupon at a boat show in the fall. No boat shows last year. Sigh. That marina was fully booked anyway, so we went to a nearby, high-end marina. High priced. Low value. Got a 'free' 5 gallon bucket at great cost. We did laundry, showered, and topped off our water as we often do in Hampton. Ready to push home. Next it's into the Chesapeake Bay. An easy first day brought us to Reedville, VA. We stopped at a new-to-us marina instead of anchoring. It was cheap but had no services. It did have a restaurant that was supposedly very good and inexpensive. It closed 5 minutes after we arrived. Sigh. The next day we continued up the Bay. It was near calm with forecast Small Craft Advisories. Carol laughed at the conditions and decided we should go all the way to Annapolis to avoid the predicted conditions the next day. This made for a more than 12 hour day. Of course, the wind did pick up making rough conditions the last 4 hours of the day. 8 hours very good, 4 hours not so good. Sigh. So we got to Annapolis. Time for a re-measure of our sail cover, oil changes, shopping, dining and a wait for the weather to warm up. We hope. Sigh. We took an Annapolis City mooring in Back Creek, Eastport. We'll get back to back-breaking anchoring soon enough.

Starting North 2021

We got started north this year a little earlier than planned, and then we stopped. Windy weather was coming and it would be from an uncomfortable direction to be on the ocean off of Marathon. We were not going offshore very far this year, only to the Channel 5 bridge and back to the ICW. This was because of a scheduled appointment in Miami, my every-two-months immunotherapy Retuxin. So we left early and then waited. Our passage on the ocean was okay, not great, not bad. Then the breeze picked up but on the stern, so no problem. We anchored in Tarpon Basin off the ICW in Key Largo. And waited. The wind came up. It went down. It changed directions. It came up, again. Then it really got windy. And we waited. Did I mention it got windy? Really windy? After five nights we moved a little closer to Miami. We anchored in a little bight in northeast Barnes Sound off North Key Largo. The Sounds were fairly rough but our anchorage was in the lee of the Key so it was not bad. We even had company. This area is kind of near where Card Sound Rd. turns sharp right to head to Key Largo. Near Ocean Reef Club. We could smell the money in the air. After that stop we headed to Miami. Biscayne Bay wasn't too rough as long as we were in the lee of Key Largo and Elliot Key. Once we got past there and had exposure to the east it got choppier but the angle of the winds and seas changed enough so that we were not bashing directly into the two foot waves. Not too terrible. When we got into the lee of Key Biscayne it got much better. Unfortunately No Name Harbor was full and the anchorage outside had too many boats, also. We headed to a new spot to us, Marine Stadium at Virginia Key. A lot of boats in there but very roomy with protection from the winds that were still blowing over 20. Great view of Miami and recomended by our friends on Gelato.

. This photo is not the reason Carol may not be convinced to return there. There is a lot of noisy partying. Most of the night. And not exactly our music. There are a lot of jet ski and other powerboat wakes, too. We had to stay several more nights after my doctor visit due to the north winds continuing to blow strongly. Speaking of doctor visits... I have not talked too much (I hope) about my health conditions lately. There has been no reason as things have continued to go well. This visit confirmed this. My CT scan results were very good and my blood seems almost like human blood. Values that are still out of range are getting closer to normal. All good. Remission seems to continue. Yay! Worth mentioning were a couple of people encounters during my medical day. I mentioned very early in my cancer journey the people I met while getting chemo or met out in a waiting room before our treatments. Sometimes it was while they waited for an update on their condition from their oncologist. While having different conditions or being in different stages of our journeys we all had something in common. We were all part of a not-so-exclusive club (unfortunately) that no one wanted to join but outsiders could never, no matter how sympathetic, quite understand what it was like to be in such a club. A woman, a few years older than me, attempted to sit near me (properly dustanced) but sat on a low table instead. She figured it out quickly and laughed at herself and then started a conversation. As I said, this happens a lot in our club. We exchanged diagnoses (a different lymphoma), treatments, current status, common conditions, opinions about the doctors and nurses, and some life experiences. We also just laughed with each other. Had fun. Instantaneous friends. I cannot think of that happening in any other situation I was ever in. I may never see her again. Maybe I will. She just joins a list of people I've encountered, since I joined the club, that I am unlikely to ever forget even as I've forgotten their names. As I said, we talked about the staff we encountered at the Sylvester/Lennar Center and she told me of her treatment at another facility. Because I get treatment in Hartford as well as Miami I have experienced different systems, styles, facility set-ups and personnel. I have found some things in common: the commitment, caring, competence and dedication of the nurses, technicians, receptionists and support staff is amazing. Beyond the call of duty. More than just a job, it is a calling, I think, even for the lower paid support staff. Of course, the patient spends most of his/her time with the nurses. So far I have had eight infusions at one facility and nine at the other. And when I leave one place it's six or seven months before I come back. The nurses and staff always remember me. Always know my situation and lifestyle. Always engage in meaningful conversations that show they didn't just check my chart for the info. And I see this with their other patients, too. We have different cancers, are in different stages, have different life situations and are given the care and support each are in need of. It is amazing. No bad days are evident to the patient. I do not know how it's done and I know a nurse or two. Really know one, of course. As many of us became aware of care giver sacrifices during this pandemic, what I've seen through my journey is multiple levels beyond that. No disrespect intended. All the thanks I see various patients give to their nurses barely scratch the surface of what is deserved. I'm sure a bit more in their paychecks would be appreciated, too. I know people not in the club don't have much reason to give this subject much thought but it's never the wrong time to just say, "Thanks!" As I post this we about to restart our passages north from Miami. We had slightly unusual days since Marathon and my medical encounters were worth mentioning so I've posted this long before our planned stop in Annapolis which is still my next planned posting. Again.

Rickenbacker-Powel Bridge, Virginia Key to Miami.

Marine Stadium. Long out of use.

Hurricane bent trees on Virginia Key. Yielding to outside forces but growing anyway.

Marathon stay ends

     We are just a few days away from starting north and leaving Marathon. I usually do an enroute update once we get to Annapolis. We'll see. 

     After my mid-winter update blog entry we really haven't had very much happen. No adventures. We like no adventures. A lot. I mentioned learning to play pickleball in December. I played twice per week with the occasional third time. A lot of fun. And addicting. We had a tournament amongst us all and I was doing well. Until. I tried too hard to rush the net and I pulled a calf muscle. Ouch. Very painful. I had to skip some playing days, wrap it with an ace bandage and then I limped a bit for a week. Getting old.  Getting old hurts. Sigh. I also played softball a few times. I used to play a lot pre-lymphoma. It seems I get more soreness and strains playing softball. Sticking with pickleball. 

     In January I got a message from the University of Miami health system asking if I wanted the Moderna version of the Covid vaccine. We said yes but had to rent a car to drive to Coral Gables (130 miles) to get it. It was very organized and a quick in and out with only minor side-effects, arm soreness and a slight out-of-sorts feeling for a half of the next day. One month later (February) I got the second shot. This one had worse (but more locallized) arm pain and I slept the entire next day while feeling totally out of it. One day. Acceptable. I also combined that trip to the mainland with my every-six-months CT scan. After effects of the barium drink and the radioactive iodine injection may have contributed to how out of it I felt the next day, not just the vaccine. I also spent a good portion of our BJs shopping stop on the way home in the rest room. Figure that out yourself. BTW: CT scan results: very good. 

     In January while doing some underwater boat maintenance I encountered a very large Black Grouper. These are a bit smaller than Goliath Grouper but it still was at least three feet long, probably 3 1/2 feet. About 1 1/2 feet high, too. Big. I was able to touch it with my scraping tool without him reacting much. I was NOT going to use my fingers! I'm rather attached to them. And want them to stay that way. When I touched his tail he had enough and wandered off. At his size he probably does not have predators to worry about, least of all me. I was not quite as unimpressed as he was. 

     A few times since January we had the chance to meet up with Gwyn, formerly of the catamaran 'Ala'. Carol started to join in playing Mah-Jongg with her and others once a week. Too complicated a game for me. And little chance of getting injured. What's the fun in that? 

My new friend, Casey. 

     We are leaving a few days sooner than we wanted to so we (we hope) beat some sporty weather that is coming. Sound familiar? Yep. Once we get to the Miami area we have to wait a bit to go to my every two months injection appointment. After that the weather is forecast to be okay for a while. Forecast. We'll see. So far out it is more like a weather guess, not a forecast. As we start north we have no work schedule or appointments (after Miami) for the first time in many years. It'll be nice to have a relaxing cruise. We'll see if that actually happens.

     We had a surprisingly good time here in Marathon this winter season. Some social activities were cancelled and we skipped a couple due to our Covid precautions but we were still involved with the community, played some sports and got some time walking the hammock at Crane Point. We also attended a wedding on the bow of a boat while we watched from our dinghy (see top photo). Winter here was way better, and safer, than we thought it was going to be. Our lifestyle and retirement income keeps us mostly safe and comfortable. What else is there?

 

   

     

 

Winter (2020-2021) in Marathon

      We started our winter in Marathon with a bit of an adventure. Hate those. My last post mentioned that we had hustled to our winter home to beat forecast unsettled weather and unsettled weather we had. Very unsettled. A day after we arrived the wind started blowing. And blowing. And blowing. Not a gentle breeze but consistently above 20kts and sometimes in the 30s. Or more. This wind was accompanied by the occassional deluge but we were able to go ashore to get groceries, pay bills and get a feel for the community with Covid-19 affecting all of us. Not too many seasonal boaters had arrived when the weather changed. For the worse. After a little more than a week of mostly nasty, windy weather, it got worse. A Tropical Storm that had hit Honduras bounced off of it, came back into the Gulf of Mexico/Carribean Sea, went under Cuba and turned north for the Florida Keys. T.S. Eta crossed over Cuba and steered right for us. Steered may not be the correct term because the forecast track constantly changed. Sometimes from hour to hour. It was going to pass south and west of Key West, it was coming right at the middle Keys (us), it was going well east of us to the Key Largo/mainland area and it cycled through these potential landfalls several times. From west to east. From east to west. The forecast windspeeds also varied a lot. We decided we would secure the boat as best we could and leave it to go ashore during the worst of it. Then we decided it wasn't going to come that close to us or with too strong of winds so we would stay aboard. Finally at the last minute when the forecast was for a direct hit on us with 60kt winds we made the run to a shoreside hotel. This was less than 10 hours before the hit was to come. 

     The forecast called for arrival at 1500 on Monday. Then 0300 on Monday, a big difference. It actually hit at Lower Matecumbe Key about 2200 on Sunday. The storm made a last minute jog east and had an increase in forward speed. This meant we were not in the dangerous semi-circle as forecast but on the slightly less windy side. We were actually within the circulation so the nastier bands were way to the north on mainland Florida. We had been hit by those bands of heavy winds and rains on Sunday and even Saturday so we did not miss out on the fun. Our hotel was pretty nice and it was well insulated from outside noise but I still heard the wind hit us at 2200 (10pm). Late Monday morning I walked back to the marina and even though it was rough and squally, I could see that the boat seemed to come through the storm fine. We stayed two nights at the hotel, mainly because we had paid for two nights due to the forecast. Worst that happened is the cable went out for about ten hours of those two days. Once back to the boat the wind continued in the upper 20s with higher gusts for another three days before we got a two day break. After the break was over the wind started again with two cold fronts. Near gale conditions (not quite) at times but mostly upper 20s again with significant gusts. These are not particularly dangerous or uncomfortable conditions in the harbor but the dinghy rides can be pretty wet. 

     During this breezy time we rented a car to drive to Miami for my doctor visit and maintenance Rutuxin. What a disaster!!@#!! Enroute they called me with a re-schedule for the injection. I went a little nuts with them over the phone, insisting on the planned actions happening that day. It takes almost three hours to drive up there and I was not going to make another trip due to their incompetence. For some reason my blood pressure was a little high when they took my vitals. They also messed up how I would get the medication. It was supposed to be a 10 minute injection but instead I got a 3 hour infusion. Infusions are fine but I was expecting to be out of there in minutes not hours. Plus Carol could not be with me and had to wait in the car all that time. Not fun. Besides raising my BP everything else was great. Some of my blood values were in normal range for the first time in more than a year and some others were very close to normal. I continue to make improvements almost six months after ending chemo so that's good. This maintenance regimen is to keep me in remission and/or improving into the future. I just hope they don't keep trying to kill me with aggravation.  

     After that came Thanksgiving. There was no big Thanksgiving Pot-Luck this year for obvious reasons. We usually have around 150 people in close quarters so that was out. We had dinner alone but did have an hour Zoom chat with Cobbe, daughter and SIL. That was good.

After that holiday we started preparing for the next. I started up an auction on the VHF radio net in the morning. Collected books and other items to remote auction to raise money to buy bikes for local kids in need for Christmas. I've been involved in this auction in one form or another for around five years and this one went well, too. We raised about $1000. and with the money people contributed directly to the fund the marina staff purchased all the bikes WalMart had in southern Florida. Some of the older kids in the area will have to wait for delivery after Christmas but we do have the funds to buy the bikes when available. Nice to have played a small part in this. 

     In this time frame I was asked to substitute for a net controller on our morning VHF marine radio chat when he was away. This led to another net controller pushing me to volunteer to replace himself as a controller once a week. Sigh. So now I'm a net controller. What's that? Every morning the cruisers listen to VHF Channel 68 at 0900 to get information on activities, request help with problems, buy or sell stuff they need/want and also have some fun with trivia questions. A controller is needed to keep this organized and running smoothly. Otherwise it is chaos and no one can be heard when everyone tries to talk at once. Controllers take one day a week each. This is pretty common in boating communities but ours is one of the largest of this type. There are other radio communication methods that are even worldwide but this is just local communication. You get recognition from other boaters for doing this. And complaints. Normal. Sigh. Again. 

     I have not been able to volunteer at Crane Point because my tour guiding is not yet allowed but we've been going there for a walk every week or so. I started playing pickleball with the other cruisers. It is a slight risk for catching Covid because of people together unmasked but you are generally six or more feet apart while playing even though you are breathing somewhat heavily. I mask during breaks. It's a risk. We'll see. Like tennis 40 years ago, I am barely average. Luckily most everyone else is fairly old, too. Getting a minor ankle sprain my third time out should have been expected, I suppose. Played through it but it stiffened up pretty badly later that day. Fortunately, only a one day issue. 

     In the 'everything always breaks' category, I had to replace a spun prop on our outboard motor as well as its carburetor. Purrs like a kitten. Again. A spun prop is when the propeller slips internally and doesn't provide thrust. Not good. 

          Before Christmas this little fellow, Grogu, showed up. Many people who saw the videos and photos we posted believed he was really here and not a projection. Hmmm.

     One last disaster before I post this mid-winter update: Carol bought a new, very expensive sail cover from Bacon Sails in Annapolis. A major struggle to install it. And it doesn't fit. Grrrr. 😡🤬 

    Next up... another drive to Miami for checking blood and other maintenance.  

     

Passages to Marathon 2020

     This posting is about our 2020 passages to our winter home in Marathon. No need to mention my health situation except to say I will soon get a maintenance injection of Retuxin in the hopes of maintaining my current remission. That's it. Only mention. Immunotherapy, not chemo. Everything else is about our trip to the Florida Keys. 

     We left Annapolis after a week on a City mooring. We had someone come out to the boat to measure our boom for a new sail cover and then we left town. We only went a few miles to anchor up the Rhode River because we left much later than our normal time. But, but, but, what about isolation and Covid? Believe me, we are well aware of the need to protect ourselves. Me especially. Our visitor wore a mask as did we. He only was on deck, not even coming into the cockpit. I was a little close to him in the dinghy. We do the best we can. 

     After we restarted south we went to the Solomons area. After fueling we went a little farther up Mill Creek than we usually do. The spot we wanted had three boats and our usual spot wasn't ideal for the predicted wind direction and speed. It was a nice, protected spot. Maybe we'll go there in the future, too. We had a dilemma while in the Solomons. It was predicted to be Small Craft Warnings the next day but not until 1100. This meant we could probably get south of the warning area before the warnings started. Probably. The warning area was the Potomac River and north on the Chesapeake Bay.  That was three hours south of our anchorage and started four hours after our normal departure. A little close. It was going to be mostly calm before the warning started. Should we leave in the good conditions and hope to get south of the impacted area before it got bad? Should we stay put because the next day would have lighter winds and from a much better direction? Trust the forecast for wind arrival? Tempt fate by not going when it's nice? Will we get future bad weather because we didn't go in the early morning good conditions? Tempt fate by going into known afternoon risky conditions when it is quite nice in the morning and for half the passage? What to do??? Any guesses?

     We stayed put. Did a couple of minor projects and sat in beautiful, calm conditions. The wind did pick up quite a bit later in the morning. The trees were swaying semi-violently but we would have almost out of the area when the wind started. Oh, well. Getting old. Making choices based on comfort. 

     When we left the next day Small Craft Advisories had been extended but started at Drum Pt. and north. We were at Drum Pt. Leaving the Solomons area was a little rolly with seas up to two feet on the beam. Not terrible and once we got out in the Bay and turned south all was fine. Seas were on the stern and faded through the day. Crossing the Potomac River was okay. We've had it bad there. Not this day. We ended up in Jackson Creek, Deltaville, VA. in our usual spot. Then we went south out of the Chesapeake. Conditions were pretty calm and when we entered Hampton Roads we had a lot of military traffic including a small aircraft carrier, a LHD: the USS Bataan. Plenty of traffic was on the VHF and we had several overhead passes of surveillance aircraft as we passed the Naval Base. We tied up in Portsmouth at the High Street Landing free dock. Someone came by to hand us the rules and tell us when we could ignore them. Nice. On our walk most were masked and very friendly. Only one (well dressed) couple asked us for money. We passed. 

     We left a little later than normal because of bridge opening schedules and still were held up by railroad traffic at the Gilmerton (road) Lift Bridge. We made (a little late) it to the 0930 locking at Great Bridge, Chesapeake. VA. After fueling at AYB we tied up at the free south Battlefield Park dock. Rain was forecast for at least two days but it was light at the times we walked to the grocery store. When I needed to go up the mast to take down our navigation lights (anchor and tricolor) and our Windex, we did it early on the second day before the rain started. While at the dock we met a friend of Sue and Al (Gelato) and chatted with him quite a while. We also chatted with another catamaran couple and offered appreciated advice. I note the appreciation because I'm not all that used to it. We also went to the Battlefield Museum that is in the Park. It was a long time coming and this was the first time we found it open. It was an interesting history tour in a very small museum. Only took us about 45 minutes to go through it. And we read everything. And chatted with the docent. We had previously read all the signs in the park about the battle and knew a fair amount about it but it was still worth the $5 admission fee. The battle in 1775 changed the course of the Revolutionary War before it really got started. 

     There was a chance we'd have to stay three nights at Great Bridge but the predicted thunderstorms were delayed. We got underway and got to an isolated anchorage (Broad Creek) a little north of Albemarle Sound before the sky turned black. The storms missed us and it stayed warm enough to swim and shower. At night it got very weird. I got up for a pit stop and heard strange noises outside. It was like the whirring of the wind generator (no wind) or a pump running. I went out to check it out and quickly dived back inside. The were a few mosquitoes and at least a million (no exaggeration) midges. The underside of the cockpit hardtop was black with bugs. The under-canvass forward shelf was inundated. It was really gross. And a little scary. A few of the little bastards got in the boat but quickly got swatted. The next morning proved to even more gross. I sprayed and the ones not already dead soon were. The cleanup took hours. People on the VHF and Facebook were talking about the experiences they had with the bugs. Boats several miles around us had similar experiences. If we had a million bugs (easily), how many were there to invade the other boats, too? I will remember the sound forever. 

     The next day crossing Albemarle Sound and going down the Alligator River was uneventful (that's good) if slightly choppier than forecast. After a Belhaven stop, the Pamlico and Neuse crossing was the same: uneventful and slightly choppier than forecast. We'll take it. We've had horrid days here. Cedar Creek off of Adams Creek was pretty and restful. Our only change in routine was a brief stop along the way at the R. E. Mayo docks for shrimp. Delish! 

     From Cedar Creek we went to Mile Hammock, the anchorage basin at Camp Le Jeune. We paused for fuel at Casper's Marina. The marine base was quiet. Until about 9pm when several helicopter or Osprey landings were made. Very noisy but that is to be expected. It did not last as long as some others have in the past. Then we passed by Wrightsville Beach and headed to Carolina Beach and a municipal mooring. $20/night. Got a little rain  shower but really got lucky because the sky turned black a few times with storms coming very close but just missing us. We stayed two nights and did some minor grocery shopping. We also went to the beach. After that stop we left and headed down the Cape Fear River. It was only a little choppy with waves on the stern but it was very slow as we were going against the flooding current. We did not head out into the ocean as we have a few times in the past. We turned right at Southport and continued down the ICW. We had no problems at the usual trouble spots because we got to those areas near high tide. We anchored in a formerly usual spot just into South Carolina, Calabash Creek. The next morning we crossed the ICW and went out of Little River Inlet into the ocean. It was supposed to be fairly light winds with small seas on the stern. Well, on the stern was accurate. It got up to six foot on the stern with winds shifty on the stern so we had to furl the genoa. It kept wanting to gybe. It wasn't an uncomfortable passage but required an upperbody workout to go in a reasonably straight line. The passage into the Winyah Bay channel was a bit exciting for thirty minutes or so, then it was just slow. Against the ebbing current. We anchored in a spot often used by us near the ICW. 

     

     The next day we went to the ICW again. It was foggy and there were dredges working right at the beginning of the canal. The rest of the day went okay as the tide was rising so the shallows were not very. We stopped for fuel at Isle of Palms Marina and continued on through Charleston. We just made it through the Wapoo Creek bascule bridge before it closed for the day and Elliot Cut's adverse current slowed us down to 3.0kts. before we stopped at a new-to-us anchorage in the Stono River above the fixed bridge. 

     After that we continued south through South Carolina, something we've usually managed to avoid. This time we were hitting the tricky shallow spots at or near high tide so it wasn't too stressful. Carol didn't like this passage that much. Boring. I did not agree. You have to pay attention to the route and there are those usually tricky spots to keep you alert. I saw an eagle in the morning and later in the day it rained. Heavy at times but not awful. We got to Beaufort (Bew-fert), SC a little after 1500, missing the bridge opening. The bridgetender did not tell us there could be a 1530 opening so we went into Factory Creek to anchor. We used to come here a lot. We saw Fleetwing a fellow Waterway Guide contributor at a the local marina. The next day we had to wait for the first bridge opening at 0900. This meant a late (for us) start. Except for no rain it was much like the previous day. We got to the shallow, tricky areas at or near high tide so had no issues. Crossed the Savannah River into Georgia, another something we'd rather avoid... Georgia. We got fuel at Thunderbolt Marina, a place we used to love but has gone down in hospitality and competence, and then we anchored again up the Herb River. Saw and said hello to My Time Too for the third time on this trip south. We followed him out of the Herb River in the morning and down the ICW. Most of Georgia has stayed reasonably deep and although we started at low tide we were fine and of course the tide kept rising through the day. Even Hell Gate was pretty easy. We waited outside it for a large northbound power vessel and then cruised through. It is still narrow if deeper than in the past. We anchored in the Crescent River once again. We seem to hit this spot if we have to take the ICW route through Georgia. We don't always stop here because we do not always take the ICW and northbound we stop somewhere else. Hurricane Epsilon's waves kept us out of the ocean even though it is very far away and not affecting our weather. At this point Hurricane Zeta was brewing near Cuba and we were worried about possible trouble ahead. 

     

     From Crescent River we had an interesting day. Fog alerts were posted but it was clear where we were. When we started. After 30 minutes or so it got down to near zero visibility. We could see the front of the boat so it wasn't the worst fog we'd ever been in but it was a good try. We had to go through the Mud River about an hour from low tide in a few hundred feet of visibility. Not a good idea. We made it seeing just under 10 feet of water. Not too bad. For Georgia. Major dredging was done in the last year or so which means water depths are mostly better. Jekyll Creek, another bad spot recently dredged, had a rising tide so even though it was an hour past low we had more comfort. This photo shows what happens when you don't pay close attention. 

     We made it to our anchoring spot off Cumberland Island, GA. Saw a few of the wild horses as we were coming in. Saw a docked submarine at the dock at Kings Bay Naval Base. 

     We went offshore out of St Marys River Inlet. It was a bit rough bashing into the waves heading out but the current was ebbing so it was fast. When we turned south it wasn't too bad. Not great but okay. We avoided the shallows of the Amellia area and all the weekend local boats that were out. Heard from friends that the local boats made their ICW passage to St. Augustine annoying. At St Auggie we got a municipal mooring and stayed two nights. Laundry, fuel, water, showers and dinner out were on the agenda. Chatted with friends on Peppromenon but didn't visit good friends who are local. One is on their boat and reasonably isolated like us, the other is more possibly contaminated by Florida. Sorry B & J.      

     From St Augustine there were no major issues. We stopped for fuel in Daytona and anchored in our usual spot near New Smyrna, G'45'. This is opposite the yacht club and walking distance from a hospital. How do we know where the hospital is? Scroll back 5 or 6 years in this blog archive. The next day was a bit boring. We were going into a fairly strong breeze which slowed us down a bit and gave us some small chop but mostly it was only hot and humid and not really an issue. The bridges were not an issue including the ones that need to be opened. We saw quite a few Osprey which is good but towards the end of our passage we started getting followed by a large number of terns. They were close and swooping in our wake but didn't seem to be scooping up any fish brought to the surface. Just strange behavior we hadn't seen before. We stopped at Eau Gallie, Dragon Point. We leave early every morning, at first light usually, so we pass by boats that passed us the day before. They are still sleeping or the crew is preparing their breakfasts for them. Must be nice. Our trip to Fort Pierce was no exception, we were passed by boats that had passed us in the past. It was also a repeat of the headwinds slowing us down with hot and humid conditions cooking us. A few more clouds than the day before kept us from burning up. The day was longer/slower than in recent years due to current and the Ft. Pierce (Banty) bascule bridge schedule. Also as we approached the Ft. Pierce fixed bridge a barge slowly pulled in front of us and filled the channel. We had to wait for it to come to a rest against the fenders of the bridge  then try to creep by in the remaining horizontal space. Oh, we also have to be sure our mast will clear under the bridge. We knew it was near low tide so we believed we would clear and had to ignore that issue as we dealt with maybe 5 feet of clearance on each side of our 24 foot beam. What fun! Anyway we did not hit the bridge side, the barge or the overhead. Lucky again. 

     The next day we were up early as we usually are and headed out the Ft. Pierce Inlet. We were against the current so our exit was a little slow but it was not rough. Carol Guay was ashore at the Inlet and waved and took pictures.

Good to see her even though we could not visit this year. When we turned south in the ocean the waves were behind and reasonably small. We had the genoa out for a couple hours but sailing did not help us much. When the wind starting shifting on our stern we had to furl. We tried again later in the day for another two hours with the same result. It got choppier as we neared the Lake Worth Inlet and it got slower as the Gulf Stream comes closest to the shore here. We were a mile or so offshore and the Stream is more than 5 miles away but somehow it pulls the water along and slows down low powered craft.

The only other places the current had a major influence on us was after Miami and before Fowey Rocks. After that the Keys turn farther west and away from the Stream. Overnight was fairly calm with small waves (under one foot) on the stern. Our biggest concerns were the thunderstorms. Earlier in the day isolated storms passed around us just giving us a little rain for a short period of time. At night it can be more scary but we got lucky again. We could see the darker areas around us indicating rain and could see the lightning behind us or to the west. It was quite beautiful and the near full moon was popping through the gaps in the clouds to illuminate the towering cumulus clouds. It was very clear (if not raining) and sharp atmospherically. We could see very far in the dark and in great detail. Doesn't happen like that much. Morning found us off Matecumbe Key still in the Florida Straits. With daylight we turn and continue west in the Hawk Channel. We tend not to use Hawk Channel at night because there are hard objects to hit and there are thousands of crab pot floats to try and catch our props. We got to our Marathon City Marina mooring ball about 1315 which was a little later in the day than we were expecting.

The current slowdowns the previous day could not be made up with times of good current. It was a long day which followed a long night which had followed a longer day. Carol thinks we are getting too old for these long passages with limited quality sleep. Could be. We made our decision to go offshore hoping the conditions would be decent (they were) and because the forecast for the Keys and south Florida is awful. Terrible. Not very good. Any passages in the coming week (ICW or ocean) were going to be treacherous with winds at gale strength. Not good. We will be reasonably safe and secure on our rental mooring. We will see. 

     So that completes our southbound passage for the fall of 2020. It was fairly quick with few stops and as much isolation as is possible. Here in Marathon we will not participate in any social events (most are already canceled) and the marina's mask guidelines are as they should be. We will just have to see about their enforcement. I will probably be a tour guide at Crane Point again but only if I can be sure my groups must wear their masks 😷.  

We will stay here nearly four months unless something drastic occurs. Hey, it's 2020, who knows what new crap will happen? Storms? Kicking out non-residents? Locusts? Meteors? Shark attack?  Crocodile attack? We have one of each of the last two so that possibility is not zero. Locusts are unlikely but we do have stinkbugs which are worse. 

     Next blog entry is probably not until just before we leave here. Unless  something drastic DOES happen.