Last leg to Marathon

      We dragged up the anchor in Faber Cove, Ft. Pierce and got underway in nice conditions. Fort Pierce Inlet was slow due to the incoming current but the ocean was calm with a long, slow swell. Comfortable. An easy day ended anchored in Lake Worth, Palm Beach, FL. 

     In order to get to the Miami area in  daylight we got up at 0400 to head back out to sea. Lake Worth Inlet is an all-weather, all hour waterway. Wide and well lit. And we've been in and out in the dark here several times. Heading out was easy and the sea was mostly calm. Started out with seas of 4 to 6. Inches, that is. Then they went down to ripples from there. The only issue was in calm conditions powerboat wakes can travel for miles. Wind driven waves knock down wakes but we got quite a few big ones from boats that had long passed out of sight. We ended up in No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne. It's Baggs State Park and where Carol went for the first swim of the 'season'. A tiring 11 hour day but it got us past Fort Lauderdale and the boat show congestion (FLIBS). 

     When we get to Key Biscayne we feel that we are finally in the 'Keys' even though Key Biscayne is really Miami. The park is 'the Keys', the rest is Miami. When we leave there to head south in Biscayne Bay we are 'in the Keys'. Clear water. A clean scent in the air. Feels like home. The passage is a bit tiring as it is a long day to Upper Matecumbe Key (Islamorada) where we anchor for our last night southbound. The gap between good anchoring spots for us make it a short day or a long day and we choose to go further and end our day between 3 and 4 o'clock. About 8 hours. Not too bad. A cleansing swim in clear, shallow, almost warm water let me find and cut some fishing line caught in a saildrive zinc. We may have a hull/saildrive rubber seal issue to deal with in Marathon. Nothing crucial, just an annoyance. Another one. Our night at anchor got a little rough as the winds got up near 20kts. Made for 1ft. waves and noise. There were also professional fireworks on shore for some reason. And after 10 o'clock, too. Kinda late. Oh, well. The winds eased about 0400 as forecast and we got underway at our usual time. The water in Hawk Channel was calmer than forecast. Lighter winds. Nice 1-2ft seas on the stern. Not a bad last day. Warm. Sunny. NE breeze. Would be a nice all-winter forecast. Not likely.

     We arrived at the Boot Key Harbor City Marina in Marathon, FL. about noon. Our earliest arrival day by a few days and we got the smallest number mooring ball we ever had, too. C-1. Probably the closest we've ever been to the dinghy docks. 

     Because we arrived earlier than usual it seemed a little quiet. It will get busy in the next few weeks. Activities will ramp up. 

     Let's sum up this year's cruise south: It went fairly well. Fairly easy. Our first couple of days in Long Island Sound were mostly rough. Then our passages off New Jersey were nice and smooth. So were our days in the Chesapeake Bay before our haul-out. Our time in Annapolis was nasty due to the remnants of hurricane Ian but once we started south again it was nice. We had one extra day in Oriental for rain and thunderstorms but even that was brief and we still got some walks and shopping in. Dining out, too. That was it for lay days until Ft. Pierce where we stopped for an extra night to visit friends. Our offshore passage off South Carolina and Georgia was a snap as were our hops off the coast of Florida. All that added up to no delays and our early arrival to Marathon. Now we have to hope no late season tropical weather gets us. 

Autographing my Points East article. Not quite sure if they were yanking my chain in requesting the autograph. 2nd time ever for a request. Weird. 

  

Offshore and to Ft. Pierce

      We left Charleston at first light. Sunrise wasn't until we were in the shipping channel headed out past Fort Sumpter.

 It was almost totally calm and not quite as cold as it had been. The forecast was for near calm at Chucktown with a north or northwest breeze and 2ft seas in Florida waters. That is pretty much what happened. Go figure. At times the sea was glassy with a very small, gentle swell. At other times there were ripples on the water. The breeze picked up as we neared the St. Marys channel, at first on the beam, and then later on the stern. St. Marys Inlet is the border of Georgia and Florida. The seas were up to 2ft but because they were behind us we were quite comfortable. 

     During the first day we had 3 different large pods of dolphin come to us and play in our bow wave. Stern wave, too. The ocean was so clear we could see down into the depths and it seemed the dolphin were swimming in air. We've had this happen a few times over the years but it is still amazing to see. The thrill hasn't faded. 

      I don't know if this dolphin video will play for you. 

We ended up in St. Augustine as planned after 27 hours at sea and got a city marina mooring. The seas entering the channel were a workout for the arms but at 2ft we were not uncomfortable. We caught up on some of our sleep, showered ashore and did some shopping in the tourist traps. We also went out to dinner at A1A restaurant out on their balcony. Even though it was 70°, it got a bit chilly. Good food, however. 

      The next morning we got underway about 20 minutes later than usual because the sun is getting up later and later. We had an easy time dealing with the bascule bridges and the George Musson was nice enough to hold the opening a couple of minutes so we could get through there without a 30 minute wait. They do not have to do that but some tenders are nice enough to help the boaters out if possible. We appreciate it when they do. A couple of the fixed bridges were very low (okay the water was high) and we had to crawl under them. We made it without hitting anything. We stopped for fuel at Daytona Beach. It was the most we have ever paid. Over $400 for 78 gallons. Highest rate we have ever paid, too. Ft. Pierce will be only a dime cheaper per gallon but we won't take on as much. Sigh. 

     So we anchored at New Smyrna at a wide spot in the road. I left some kidney stones and half my prostate here 6 or 7 years ago. The anchorage was a bit rough due to the wind and the wakes from passing-by local weekend boaters. Both were forecast to fade overnight and did. 

     Crepuscular rays at sunrise at New Smyrna. 

     Departure from New Smyrna was problematic. Our windlass woes got worse. Sounds like a gear issue on retrieve and an electrical issue on lowering. Makes no sense. Not going to be fun the last stretch to Marathon. We went down to Eau Gallie and anchored around Dragon Pt. This is just north of Melbourne and a regular spot for us. This passage seems long when it is nice out like it has been recently and endless when it's dismal as it has been a few times in the past. Our nice weather stretch was forecast to continue. Going to Fort Pierce was tricky because the water was very high at several of the bridges. We barely made it under the Wabasso and the 2 Vero Beach bridges. It was a very close call but we made it. The fact that we are finally into 80° weather made it better.  After a stop at the City Marina for fuel we crossed the ICW to anchor in Faber Cove, Ft. Pierce. This is a favorite spot but while we were here we observed a boater dinghying back from someone's personal dock after trespassing through their yard. Those are people who end up ruining it for the rest of us. Powerboaters. From the midwest. Sigh. 

     We will stay in Ft. Pierce 2 nights, visit old friends, and then head out on our last segments to Marathon. The weather forecast is great so we will probably inlet hop... go offshore each day and come in each night. Next posting will be from our winter home. 

Great Bridge and beyond

      We left Great Bridge very early, about an hour earlier than normal. Being a holiday, the Centerville Turnpike Swing bridge did not have the opening restriction until 0830. Went through it by 0725. I had to call the bridgetender to convince her it was a Federal Holiday and that they should be opening on request. It wasn't until we were through that I told her the holiday was my birthday. #70.

      We sighted multiple eagles along the way. Other raptors, too. It was very, very cold but calm. 

     As mentioned in the previous post, we got the new Covid booster while in Great Bridge and of course, I got very sick the next day. Chills, fever, sore eyes, sore shoulder. I'm used to it. Happens every time. Still sucks. 

     We ended up in a usual anchorage in Broad Creek, just before Albemarle Sound. We were between Shiloh, NC and Jarvisburg, NC. We did not get the bug swarm Carol feared. A transient in Great Bridge said they got them 2 or 3 weeks ago. All dead, I guess. Cold snap was good for something. The Albemarle Sound crossing was uneventful. Light breeze behind us. It isn't always this nice. Blue skies but cool. Warming up! Basically uneventful all the way to Belhaven, NC. I bumped the bottom of the Alligator-Pungo Canal when I squeezed to the side to give room to a northbound barge. I guess that's an event. No big deal. We went aground in the same spot 10 years ago. Not this time. Our passage on the Neuse/Pamlico waters was also uneventful. Not quite calm but light 1ft seas were mostly astern. We ended up in Oriental, NC at a free town dock. We got there early enough to get a spot as we watched the live camera feed on the internet as we were travelling on the Neuse River to be sure there was space for us. Of course someone scooted in after my last check of the feed just before we entered the harbor. They were just there to get coffee at the shop across the street but it forced us to switch our tie-up side at the last moment. An annoyance but no big deal. We planned to stay 2 nights due to forecast thunderstorms. 

     There is a slightly strange theme in Oriental. They have dragon eggs, okay painted rocks, all around the area. On our walks we sighted at least 6. Then there is the actual dragon. No, not the one painted on the bench. 

   

 The town is named for the sign board from the wreckage of a ship lost near Cape Hatteras in the early 19th century and found by the then newly appointed postmaster's wife. Yes, she found the name board along the outer coast 25 miles away and suggested the name of the town be changed to match it. Not strange at all. This is likely the origin of the oriental dragon themes that abound here. 

     Anyway, after one partly rainy day, we got underway again. Our passage to Camp LeJeune, the Marine Corp base, was a little cooler and a lot cloudier than forecast. We had good current most of the way so, in spite of a fuel stop, we made good time. Our trip from Camp LeJeune, Mile Hammock basin, was nice. Great weather, with blue skies, if a little cool to start. Our passage through the New River inlet area was taken slow because it is shallow and difficult to navigate but we did okay. It's been dredged (ongoing) but it's still an adventure. We just barely made the 1100 Figure Eight Island swing bridge opening but, having done so, the Wrightsville Beach bridge 1200 opening was easy to make. We got a municipal mooring at Carolina Beach again for one night. At $20/night, the cost is reasonable. We sat out weather and did some exploring here this past spring. Not this time. We departed Carolina Beach slightly later than normal to try and time the currents. It worked reasonably well. The Cape Fear River had ripples building to 6". Nice. The current when rejoining the ICW at Southport was good and stayed mostly good all day. Lockwoods Folly only caused minor agita and Shallotte Inlet was a breeze. We anchored at Calabash Creek just into SC once again. Our trip through the Myrtle Beach ICW area after that was slow due to adverse current most of the day. Started off wearing short pants but with a sweatshirt and it warmed up from there. We stopped at Wacca Wache Marina for fuel and then went right into nearby Cow House Creek where our anchor winch failed. I thought it was the down switch but after investigation apparently it's not. The relay clicks but does not engage. The 'up' function works, however. Strange. Still investigating/guessing. Our passage down the Waccamaw River was swift and smooth. Winyah Bay had small waves behind us so that was comfortable, too. Once back in the ICW at the Estherville-Minim Canal we passed by our usual anchorage at Minim Creek because it was very early in the day and a new-to-us anchorage at the South Santee River would get us closer to Charleston for the next day. We got a few repairs done including getting the windlass working properly. No great genius of mechanical ability was involved. I have no idea why the relay was kicking in correctly. Or why it stopped previously. A future problem coming I suspect. I reconnected the wires I had snipped while testing it the day before. Boating is fun. Anyway, the South Santee anchorage is exposed to the wind and has a lot of current but conditions were benign and posed no problems. 

     When we got underway for Charleston it was very, very cold. Not quite freezing but with the breeze... brrr. Wore many layers. The shallows of McClellanville were less worrisome because we anchored 45 minutes closer to it in the South Santee. We beat the low tide. By just a little. Once again, for the 2nd year in a row, we anchored in the Ashley River where we used to regularly stop years ago. It was a 'fly off and work' stop for Carol. Not a great anchorage due to wind and current. Not a great place to be alone like I used to be. Great city, however. We haven't visited it in a while. 

     We are going to head offshore from here. Small weather window again. Remember, this past spring didn't work out so well. Supposed to be nice here and a bit south but northern Florida may not be so great. We shall see. 

     The next posting will be from Florida, maybe Marathon. Uh, if we survive. Funny, we never used to question that. 

     

South from Annapolis

      Our time in Annapolis was a bit damp. Hurricane Ian was a long way off to the southwest when we got there but we still got outer bands which gave us a lot of rain and wind. Near gale winds. Our first night was the worst of it but our anchorage spot in Spa Creek had a good enough holding bottom and wind protection so we stayed secured. Then Ian dissipated and was absorbed into a strong cold front. This caused more rain and wind. Very slightly less wind but just as much rain. More than 4 days and 5 nights worth of rain. The weather radar showed the swirling rotational pattern of a hurricane but it wasn't even considered subtropical. It certainly wasn't warm. Brrr. 

     At least our first walk to the pharmacy in Eastport was pretty.

    

We got a couple of brief breaks in the rain and got to a bakery, the drug store (twice) and the water dock at Truxtum Park. Then, after 5 nights, we left. In some rain. And wind. At least we got our needed meds but not our needed vaccinations. Re-scheduled those for our next multi-day stop in Great Bridge. Oh, well. 

     Our trip to Solomons was in Small Craft Advisory (SCA) conditions but the rain was mostly passed. The wind and seas were behind us so we were not all that uncomfortable. Not bad at all. Mostly 2ft but 4ft seas happened at some points. The Solomons anchorage areas were mostly full with transient boats which was a little unusual. They may have stayed in port due to the weather we had been out in. Also, perhaps like us, cruisers are not gathering at the 'too late in the month this year' boat show and are already on the road south. Luckily there are many areas to anchor so no problems. 

     Finally we got back to cruising mode, up early and 8 hour days. We went south to Deltaville, VA, crossing the mouth of the Potomac River in 1 ft. following seas. Conditions eventually became totally calm and we anchored in a usual spot in Jackson Creek. After a beautiful and calm night we headed out in near calm conditions which eventually became almost 6 inch seas. A breeze developed on the nose which caused the wavelets. It was also a day of adverse currents which became awful as we went into Hampton Roads. Our time enroute was 90 minutes longer than our average passage time due to the current. We went into the High Street Basin in Portsmouth to dock but there was no room due to local small boats taking up space. They do not stay overnight so the space becomes available eventually. Just not when someone could use it. We went back a short way to anchor off the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. We've been there many times and it's okay but not great. Holding ground is only fair, crab pot floats abound and it is exposed to ICW and commercial traffic wakes. Pretty 'though. The Hospital is on the near shore and the battleship Wisconsin is across the river. Exteriors for the TV show NCIS were filmed nearby. Whoop-de-do. In the morning we picked up the anchor earlier than we used to because it was Saturday and the Gilmerton Lift Bridge was not restricted as to opening times. When we got there a very large barge wanted to come through the bridge northbound and the waiting vessels squoze to the sides of the channel. This let us go through first southbound as we were the only boat positioned properly after the barge passed. It didn't really matter as we have to wait for the schedule at the Great Bridge Lock anyway. The lock was full and the boats were slow going in and out but we made it through for the 10am Great Bridge bascule bridge opening. Our planned fuel stop at AYB was delayed by other boats so we tied up at the free dock on the opposite side of the ICW briefly. We then untied and went to the fuel dock, filled up and then went back to the free dock for two nights. This is one of our favorite ICW stops. Free dockage. Groceries close. Pharmacies, restaurants, a museum, a library and walking trails are also features. What else could one want? Did I mention the free dockage? 

     We went up the mast to remove some equipment to allow us to get under some bridges on the ICW, got a couple of vaccinations each, picked up more meds, got groceries, did some routine and minor maintenance and then got underway to continue south. 

     Next posting may be from our home in Marathon. Maybe sooner. Who knows? 

Cruise # 13 Start

     We started our 13th cruise south about a week earlier than average. We planned for a haul out where we used to have it done in the past and needed to adjust for the time ashore. The last five or so years we've been hauled for our annual maintenance in nearby Essex, CT. 

     Our first day underway was beautiful and nasty. Beautiful if you were on land, warm, sunny and dry. Nasty if you were on Long Island Sound bashing straight into the wind and 3+ft. seas. Nothing major broke. Several minor things did not fare as well. Some fresh blueberries flew out the fridge and decorated the galley. Think blue puree all over the floor. Several dinghy tie down lines chafed through but that was nothing new. Sigh. 

Throgs Neck and Long Island Sound behind us on day 3.

     Our start on our 2nd day was delayed because of very strong winds but we eventually left Port Jefferson in late morning when the wind eased. A little. The angle of the wind and seas made for an okay passage even with the heavier winds and we ended up on a free mooring in Port Washington, NY. Then we got underway very early the next day to go through New York City with the current. Hell Gate can be lots of fun (not) if you have an opposing current. The forecast was good so, even though we wanted to hopscotch down the NJ coast with day only trips, we decided we would do another overnight passage offshore to take advantage of a two day weather window. The seas were not quite calm, there were ripples on a gentle, small swell. We'll take it. Not our calmest overnight passage but close to it. The Cape May rounding was easy as we followed our previously established route on our GPS. We call it 'following the breadcrumbs'. You put your vessel icon on the recorded previous course track on the GPS screen and steer your boat so your icon stays on the track. It's still a bit scary to rely on your GPS and go very close (maybe 100 meters or less) to the beach to make the rounding. In the dark. Flat calm seas and a half moon overhead made it as close to easy as is possible. A few hours later we heard a sailboat that was behind us went aground in the Cape May Channel. We use that route if it is safer (due to wind and waves) than the beach route. We do not know if they screwed up or the channel had shifted from bad weather recently. 

     

     Going up the Delaware River was slow but calm. Nice boring sunny weather and seas about zero inches is nice (for a change) but when the current is against you, it's a slow passage. Boring, but boring can be nice. Beats having an adventure. Hate those. Last year this section was so rough our stern plants died from salt water spraying over the entire boat. We ended the day (two straight days that is) anchored in Chesapeake City. Very warm and dry. We planned to wander around the upper Chesapeake Bay until it was time to go to Pasadena, MD to get hauled. 

     

After two nights we went down to the Sassafras River. We've anchored near the mouth but this time we went about 90 minutes up the river to Georgetown/Fredricktown. We went just because we never had before. Pretty, but not really worth it. We stayed at a Sailing Associates Marina fixed dock for the price of a mooring and got showers and a swim in the marina pool. By not really worth it, I mean not worth the time it takes to go up the river and the time it takes to get back to the Chesapeake Bay main channel. 90 minutes each way. Like I said, a beautiful area but there are areas just as nice that are not as far off the road. After getting back to the Bay it was only another 90 minutes to be anchored in Worton Creek, one of my favorite spots. We sat out several storms here in the past but our run of great weather continued. We did not sight any of the eagles we could hear in the nearby trees.  

     When we left Worton the next day we, in fact, did see a bald eagle on a daymark right outside the creek. Impressive. The passage down the Bay was nearly flat calm and we went into the Magothy River and Sillery Bay to anchor for a few days before heading to our haulout facility. One of Carol's favorite spots, it is very beautiful, landlocked, quiet and protected. Our great run of weather was going to come to an end while there and it's not a bad spot to do nothing. 

     We didn't quite do nothing but fairly close. In Chesapeake City I did battery maintenance which I forgot to do monthly over the summer. This could have been bad and almost was. In our little cove in northern Sillery Bay I did engine oil changes before the serious weather change hit us. Other than that, it was mostly nothing. A little writing about our experiences and a lot of reading. Oh, and some observations of the sights around us. Just watching the day go by. The horses grazing on land, the birds swirling about overhead, fish tails snapping at the surface of the water, the nettles pulsing by below, the clouds drifting by above. Like I said, a total waste of time. 

     When we picked up the anchor after three nights and one serious storm the anchor was a bit difficult to pick up. Dug in well. That's good but makes for some work. A trade-off. We also saw one of the eagles we'd been hearing around us. I may be wrong but we seem to be seeing more and more bald eagles in the upper Chesapeake. Nice. We won't see them in our next stop. Too suburban. That stop was Bodkin Creek where we anchored to await our scheduled haul-out. 

     

     We got hauled out at Pleasure Cove Marina for the first time in 5 or 6 years. It went well and was only a little more expensive than Essex Boat Works in Conn. Carol likes it better here because it is cooler than it is in Conn. in August. Duh. Boat looks pretty but the new depth sounder we installed does not match our GPS. Very upset with the GPS Store where we bought it. It cannot be replaced without hauling the boat as it would leave a large hole in the bottom of the boat. Not good. 

     

     We left the marina after 4 nights and headed to Annapolis. A bit lumpy along the way but the 2-3 foot seas were mostly behind us (as was the 15+kt. breeze) so it wasn't too uncomfortable. It was fast anyway, even against the current. A clean, smooth boat bottom surely helps.

     We got 94 gallons of diesel when we got to Annapolis and then looked for an open City mooring. None available. We anchored well up Spa Creek and hope we will hold on as a gale, the remnants of hurricane Ian, will hit us our first night. Not likely to be fun. It is supposed to rain most of every day we are here but we already stocked up on groceries in Pasadena courtesy of a ride from a semi-local boating friend, Gwyn. We just need to get some pre-ordered prescriptions and flu and Covid boosters. 

     We are not going to the Annapolis Boat Show for only the second time in 35 or 40 years. It is too late this year and we would be late to my medical appointments in Miami in November. Sigh. We will miss going to the show. IMHO, they made an error with the scheduling. 

     We plan to be in Annapolis 4 or 5 days, weather dependent. Of course surviving the first night is weather dependent, too. I hate "I" hurricanes. 

Summer 2022

      As we come to the end of the summer of 2022 and prepare for our fall migration this will be a summary (or summery) of the season. I'm kind of thinking of it of the summer of not seeing because of cataract surgery in each eye but let's start at the beginning. 

     After our arrival in May we spent time tied up at the dock at Old Lyme Marina. This is because our mooring is not installed until mid-May usually. It helped being on the dock because of the colder than normal spring weather and we could plug in to get some heat at night. Not to run full time but to just take the chill off. The marina was way behind schedule due to winter weather issues and Covid running through the staff. They were vaccinated but caught an Omicron variable. No one had very serious symptoms, fortunately, but, of course, it wasn't fun either. We have not caught it. Yet. Still alive. It would be very serious for us with our compromised (nearly nonexistent) immune systems. 

     By the end of May we had started our seemingly endless medical visits. I have a PCP, endocrinologist, dentist, cardiologist, ophthalmologist, oncologist, dermatologist and I'm probably forgetting someone. Then there are various blood draws and scans thrown in. Carol has the same visits to schedule, removing the endocrine and oncology doctors and adding pulmonology and rheumatology. Scheduling is fun as we try to get all these done in Connecticut. In Miami we only do my oncology follow-ups. Faith in, and comfort with, the medical options available here are why we cram in most if our medical visits in the summer. Yes, there is quality care in other parts of the country but there are places where there is not. There are known unknowns and unknown knowns. Huh? 

     This year we opted for my cataract surgery in both eyes. Knew this was coming after observing the changes over many years. Wish I had done this last year. The problems we had were unique to us living on a boat. You can do no lifting,  bending down or pulling for one week. This is an impossible restriction while living on a boat. Then there is two weeks between each eye surgery. Of course there are multiple doctor visits before, during and after each procedure. The actual surgery is not long, difficult or particularly uncomfortable but suddenly one eye has a new, clear lens and sees much better than your old eye did. It still needs correction however and you no longer have the right prescription/correction in your glasses. One eye is new, one is old. Then you have the second eye done a few weeks later and you have correct glasses for neither eye. You have to wait weeks before you can be measured correctly. Your eyes have to settle after having your original eye lens lasered into oblivion and replaced with an artificial one. Once both eyes were done I could read just fine but could not quite see well enough to drive. You can opt for close vision or far vision but the combo option has not been perfected yet. I had 20/60 vision which is not quite legal to drive. This was a tremendous improvement over my 20/200 previous vision but I still needed glasses and there was a built in delay before the exam for, and the eventual delivery of, new glasses. Hence the summer of not seeing. About a month and a half all together. 

     Our first summer venture was to Hamburg Cove for our Memorial Day Rendezvous. Not too many Waterbury Squadron members have boats any more so only three boats showed up. Our starboard saildrive/transmission started making a strange noise and then failed to be in gear while maneuvering around the moorings. It took more than two months to get a mechanic to come to the boat to make repairs. Still makes noise but it is working. Because we sat for so long barnacles grew crazily on the boat and props. Not much rain made for saltier river water and very unusual growth. Because of my eye surgeries I could not go in the water and no paid diver would come to us. Sue and Al of Gelato came to the rescue (THANKS AL!) and dove to scrape our props which let us get to Block Island with the kids. The boat bottom was still covered in marine growth and we were slow but, with the props cleaned by Al, we could get underway. Cobbe's behavior mostly okay in an almost 5 years old kind of way and Kaia's 5 month old developments were nonstop. 

     I had fewer days at the Museum due to my eye surgery issues but I worked in a rotation of the different exhibits we interpreters (docents) man and the variety helped pass the time. As much as I love having the deck of the last wooden whale ship in the world, the very hot, dry summer combined with my health situations made the air conditioned exhibits much more comfortable than the Morgan. The Museum had several social/dining events for the staff and volunteers as well as the workshopping of a new play and CPR/AED training. There is something special about being an 'insider' at the Museum and having 'inside information' and background knowledge and then sharing it with visitors. Plus, after nearly 40 years, I still love just wandering around the grounds. It's a special, historical place. 

     Carol's health issues, after several dormant years, crept up. MOHS surgery on her temple for Basal Cell skin cancer was relatively minor but the process was, uh, interesting. Except for the actual cutting, I observed. Close up. Like I said, interesting. The photos are kind of gross, however. Not posting them. But, all good. No trace left. Stamina became more of an issue, too. Very brief walks led to heavy breathing and fatigue. Cardiology thought it to be a pulmonary issue. The pulmonologist believed it to be a cardiac issue. Sigh. At least her non-original equipment heart valve still seems to be working fine. Warranty has long expired, however. 

     We had planned to go to Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island for Labor Day Weekend to meet the kids. Unfortunately Kaia caught Covid. She was the only one not fully vaccinated yet and, of course, everyone else also developed it. Much milder in the vaccinated but still not fun. 

                            Sick baby

     The passage to Coecles was surprisingly quick considering it was mostly against the current. The first night was breezy and a bit choppy but not terrible. Then it turned beautiful. I managed to do some bottom scraping and to put new zincs on the props. The used zincs I put on a few weeks earlier vanished. Hope these stay put. They are very expensive but neccessary. The hull was badly covered in growth but the props were okay after Al scraped them for us and I touched them up a few weeks ago. The passage back home on Labor Day was fine, too. Poor current direction but the forecast rain held off until we were home several hours. When the rain started, it went on for 40 hours. And heavy. Major flooding occured all over southern New England. 

     The last week in Old Lyme was for stocking up, putting things in and taking things out of storage, and a few more medical visits and tests for Carol. At least I am done with medical until November in Miami. Done with chemotherapy for good. Bloodwork and oncology visits will continue every three months or so. CT scans will be periodic, too. If/when my remission ends the treatment will be in pill form unless there are further advancements in treatment options before then. Not pessimistic about the future, it's just the type of lymphoma I have. Chronic. Not curable. Not aggressive. Should be years of remission. It's been 2 1/2 so far. Could be worse. 

     As I post this entry I have one more weekend at the Museum and Carol has one more doctor visit. Can't head south without the cardiologist's okay. Carol is also going to see the kids for our last weekend in Conn. and I'll join her briefly to leave our car there in Long Island for the winter. 

     The next posting should be from Pasadena or Annapolis, MD. 

Homeward Spring 2022

      After 4 nights we left Annapolis on a Monday morning. We usually stay longer but this year we seemed to be making a lot of 4 day stops. Most unplanned. Future weather was a potential issue and we did all we needed to do in the 4 days. Some boat stuff inventory, groceries, meds, a booster shot and more. We also got the chance to enjoy downtown Annapolis and some restaurant dining, just not as much as usual. 

        Our mooring in Back Creek, Eastport.

     Departure day was cold and gray but seas were only a foot so it really wasn't bad. Just against the breeze and current. We went half the distance we could have gone, to Worton Creek, MD, a regular spot for us. Very protected. After one night we got underway to complete the passage to Chesapeake City and out of the Chesapeake Bay. It was very foggy, maybe 1/4 mile visibility, until we got near the canal and land was closer on both sides of us. Cool, not cold, but still against the wind and current. Not bad, however. We tied up at the city's free dock for 3 nights and then went to anchor in the basin for 1 night. This was for the tide state when we planned to depart at first light on Saturday. So after 4 cold, windy nights at Chesapeake City (there's that 4 again) we picked up the anchor on a cold, not so windy morning and did not go aground leaving the basin. It was very cold with ice on the deck but the current was in our favor and we flew up the canal. I slid across the deck once and fell once while raising and cleaning the anchor and chain. Ice is fun! Delaware Bay was mostly flat and our passage around Cape May Point was easier than it has been in years. Faster, too. Nice for a change. The sea was okay as we headed towards Atlantic City but the wind and seas increased the last 2 hours or so of our passage. A little discomfort after a mostly good day was the price to pay for the forecast for next day. We left Atlantic City at first light for a long day at sea. We had very light winds but the residual swell was around 2ft. with small wavelets on top. Once in a while it was flat calm and seas averaged well under 1ft. On the stern, too. Made for a comfortable day. We can't remember when we had as nice a passage as this off the NJ coast. Of course, we can't remember last week, never mind years ago. Once we got near NYC we went into Coney Island Creek to anchor for the night. This is about 2 miles from the Narrows-Verrazano Bridge so we were staged for our passage through the City.  The anchorage was new to us and it was interesting. It is landlocked with a lot of very old vessel parts and gear lining the north side. We were worried about wreckage on the bottom, too. Fortunately we did not hook onto any debris and get stuck. We anchored more than 1/2 mile from the noise (music?) but it was still very loud. The bottom mud was gross, with an oily smell/feel to it. There is a park along the south side which could be worth exploring but, of course, we were not getting off the boat. 

     We delayed getting underway in the morning due to a passing thunderstorm but once we got going it wasn't too bad if cold and damp. 

     The passage through the City was swift because of current timing but it was a bit choppy with wakes, etc. It was decided to pass by Port Washington and head to Port Jefferson on Long Island. Big mistake. Just after passing Manhasset Bay it got rough on the Sound. Rainy, too. Conditions were not forecast to be like this. Sigh. After getting beat up for a couple of hours we bailed out and headed into Oyster Bay. As soon as we turned into the Bay the waves were no longer an issue but visibility, which wasn't great to begin with, got worse. We found our way in and anchored where we have in the past. Normally this is a pretty spot but the weather made it less attractive. Gray, dull, misty, rolly and isolated. The day was not a great re-introduction to our home waters of Long Island Sound. Interestingly, as we turned into Oyster Bay after being cold, wet and bounced around, we came across 3 groups of Optimist prams, sailing dinghies and board sailors out tearing about in the nasty conditions. Probably a hundred small boats all spread out. Goes to show: sailors are crazy. Or dumb. 

     Oyster Bay is normally a beautiful spot but our stay was gray, damp and dismal. However, we were comfortable enough. From there the forecast was for light winds from the east or northeast (our direction home) with heavy overcast but not much chance of rain. Against the current, too. Mostly the same forecast as when we came into Long Island Sound the previous day. That didn't work out so well. We headed out, unsure of our destination. Would it be Port Jefferson? Branford? Duck Island? Or maybe all the way home to Old Lyme? The were several calculations, recalculations and course changes but we ultimately decided to press on home. The current didn't slow us down as much as we thought it would and the next day was forecast to be rainy all day so we pushed on. The seas were mostly flat and it didn't rain so the 10 hours underway didn't seem so bad. An overcast, dull, calm day can seem boring but sometimes boring is nice. Adventures are highly overrated. 

     Coming home into the Connecticut River after 7 months away. Nice. 

     This trip north as a whole saw more long underway days, more long weather delays/layovers, more lingering cold days and one horrible passage. Nice times occured, too. Nice times don't seem to get mentioned as much. Human nature, perhaps, but rest assured, the good times/ great times, make it all worthwhile. We wouldn't continue our lifestyle otherwise. 

      So, we are home. At our main home at Old Lyme Marina. We'll go and visit the grandkids, get our car back, start our medical visits, start work at the museum again and start on boat maintenance projects. In other words, enjoy the summer. Hope it gets warm soon. 

Next blog posting will be after the summer. Try to survive the wait 😝