Day 91: Mile Zero of the ICW to The Great Dismal Swamp Canal – 12/10/12

We wake up to a beautiful sunny day – cold, naturally, but with a brilliant blue sky – and of course, the inevitable hangovers all around although they are not as bad as we deserve!

We set off down the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, past the huge naval base and past Portsmouth.  As we motor, more and more boats are added to the line of vessels heading south for the winter – snowbirds – as we are called apparently.  The are all different; tatty little things that hopefully never go out on the ocean, large, flashy power boats and lots of catamarans.

It’s all going on along the river, something new to look at every few minutes, not all of it pretty, but interesting all the same.

Photo:  Heavy industry all around

Photo:  In the navy …

We go under many bridges, lifting railway bridges, opening bascule bridges and fixed bridges with early morning traffic flowing across them.  We pass under the first of the many 65 foot bridges.  Looking up while we are under it looks close but our VHF antennae glides through without touching.  After ten miles we turn right into the Dismal Swamp Canal, Mike almost missing the turn because he was turning around showing Bob how much room Silver Moon had left above her as she went under the next fixed bridge.

Photo:  Bridges, bridges, bridges

Photo:  More bridges

Photo:  Made it under that one!

Photo:  Entering the Great Dismal Swamp Canal

Photo:  Into the countryside

Immediately we are into countryside leaving the hustle and bustle of Industrial Virginia behind us.  We motor parallel to a minor road for a couple of miles, going through small villages flying their Confederate flags.  We are in the South now and it is beginning to show!  We arrive at the first of the two locks, the Great Lock, with 40 minutes to spare before the lock opens.  Putting down the anchor we wait for Silver Moon to arrive at lock and when they do they tie on to us and we all sit back and wait.

Photos:  Silver Moon tied on to Jeannius awaiting the opening of the lock

Gradually another six boats have gathered just outside the lock and right on time the lock master calls over the VHF and invites us in, the first four of us tying up down the starboard side and the last four on the port side.  We pass him up our lines and he loops them back to us.

  Photos:  In the Deep Creek Lock

Photo:  Robert the lock keeper (and bridge operator)

Robert has been doing this job for over 30 years and tells me that the alligators are gradually pushing their way north (I ask him about this as the Royal Army Corp of Engineers’ plaque on top of the lock has an alligator on it).  He himself has seen a couple of ‘gators in the Dismal Swamp.  I’m definitely not going swimming.

When all 8 boats are in he closes the gates and starts to let the water in.  Operating the flow very gradually we are gently brought up 8 feet and we take in the slack on the lines as we rise, keeping them taut so as not to let the boats swing in the slightly turbulent water – a bit like the Panama Canal but on kiddie scale!  I am amazed (and horrified) at the short, feeble lines most of the boats have with them.

When the water it up to the right level, we release our lines and motor out.  Immediately the last boat is out Robert closes the gates and jumps in his car to drive to the next bridge along the canal as he lock operator is also the bridge keeper.  The boats all slow down to wait for him and we can see him tearing along to get there before us all.  He stops the traffic, lifts the bridge and the little line of boat ducks are free to continue their journey.

Photo:  The traffic stops and the bridge lifts for us to pass

  Photo:  Jeannius on her way through the canal

As we go further along the side of the Dismal Swamp, the terrain becomes, well, more swamp-like really.  First we get increasingly brown water (tannic acid apparently) then lily ponds and trees hanging overhead threatening to get caught up with the mast and stays.  Occasionally a brush with overhanging bushes and trees leaves the decks littered with bits of twigs and leaves as the autumn in really coming into play and the leaves drop almost as you look at them.  We glimpse the occasional terrapin along the way, sunning themselves on rocks and tree stumps.  Apart from the noise of our engines, it is beautifully quiet and pretty.  The Dismal Swamp today, is anything but dismal.  In the bright sunshine it is exceedingly pretty and in this beautiful canal we pass through into North Carolina.

Photos:  Lily ponds and serenity in the Great Dismal Swamp Canal

Photo:  Tannic acid turns the water (and your boat) brown

Photo:  Mike laid back and happy, steering with his feet

We are the third boat to arrive at the Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre where there is a 190 foot dock that is free to tie to for the night on a first come, first served basis.  We glide onto the dock and are helped to tie up by the boat just arrived in front of us.  Silver Moon rafts up alongside the monohull in front – if they rafted to us we would all but block the canal!

Over the next few hours, eight boats are rafted together on the dock, all very cosy and companionable except for one boat which eventually manages to pull in behind us after a terrifying attempt to pull in where we are convinced he is going to slam into us.  I’m not saying that I could do any better but then I’m not the captain of a boat!

Photos:  Rafted up for the night

We go for a walk along the canal – we see terrapins sunning themselves on the banks, somewhat larger than the ones I used to have.  Luckily there are no alligators – yet!

Photo:  Terrapins resting in the sunshine

Photo:  According to the navigation software, we are land-locked!

I make crab cakes for dinner using Rosemary’s recipe and lots of Old Bay spice just like my Pasadena friends have instructed me.  I have never made them before but later when Maggie and Bob come over for dinner, the crab cakes are devoured very enthusiastically so I guess I did them right!  Our wine consumption is very much lower than that of last night but then we have an even earlier start if we want to make the first lock opening in the morning.

 

Position:  36 deg 30 min N, 76 deg 21 min W

Distance so far:  2861 miles

Day 90: Mill Creek to Mile Zero of the Intercoastal Waterway - 11/10/12

We are wakened a few times by strong winds gusting across the boat.  We have put loads of chain down and are not concerned but the clanking of the chain against the runners, even though we have the bridle on, sounds unpleasant.

The alarm goes off at 6 am again and by 7 am we are on our way once more.  Although it is really cold, the sky is clear and it’s going to be a lovely sunny day and maybe, eventually, warm.

  Photos:  Sunrise leaving Mill Creek

The wind is still blowing between 6 and 7 knots when we leave, but the ride is comfortable because it is right behind us once we turn the corner out of the bay and head south.  Although the seas are heavier than we have had recently, the waves are going in the same direction so rather than the lovely rollercoaster feeling, it’s more like one of the kiddie rides at the fairground.

We are heading to Willoughby Bay to meet up with Maggie and Bob on Silver Moon and call them to see when they expect to be leaving their marina.  I can’t wait to see them and sail with them down the Intercoastal Waterway.  They have about 10 days to spend with us before they leave to meet friends. 

We are sailing into the entrance of the James River when we suddenly get a call from Bob over the VHF telling us to look over our shoulders, and there is Silver Moon coming up behind us just having left the marina.  We slow down so that they can catch us up and Maggie and I do our little WARC Parade of Sail dance.  Woop, woop, happy days!

Photo:  Maggie and Bob sneak up behind us on Silver Moon

We sail down the river at Norfolk, home of the biggest naval base in the world, and it shows.  Lines of destroyers, aircraft carriers and other naval vessels line the river.  Amazingly, there are banners announcing work being done by BAE (British Aerospace).  So the Brits help to maintain the US fleet, huh?

Photos:  Naval vessels, cranes, cargo ships and low flying aircraft, Norfolk has it all

We eventually drop anchor just outside the naval hospital in very shallow water by my reckoning but Mike has a very good, very slow motor around to check for just the right spot and pronounces the one he finds just perfect.

We go over to Silver Moon for dinner, happy to be reunited with friends that we have travelled the world with.  Now we can have another little adventure with them.  They present us with gifts, a Silver Moon cap for Mike and a pinny for me.  Now we will forever be promoting their boat – smart move!

Photo:  Me in my new pinny

Far too much wine is consumed.  I try to stop Maggie from opening the second bottle of Kim Crawford SB but she is adamant and it would be churlish of me to let her drink it alone!  We will pay for the excesses in the morning no doubt, especially as we have to be up and on the way by 8 am.

Photo:  Wearing matching J Crew t-shirts, Maggie and I

 

Position:  36 deg 54 min N, 76 deg 19 min W

Distance so far:  2830 miles

Day 89: Eastern Bay to Mill Creek – 10/10/12

At 6 am it’s still bloody cold and very dark.  When Mike gets up I slither even further under the blankets.  Thankfully it’s actually too bloody dark to go anywhere so I get to stay in bed (with my tea) for some while longer before he starts making noises about leaving.

Unfortunately when the sky starts to lighten, visibility is hampered by the presence of quite a thick bank of cloud and drizzle – looks like fog to me!

It’s almost 7 am when we finally get going.  Mike sits at the helm in about 10 layers of clothes including hat, socks, gloves and waterproofs to keep the damp out.  I sit inside catching up with over a week’s work of blog – well someone has to do it and it’s pointless both of us freezing our bits off.  I do make copious amounts of tea though and serve him a hot meal at lunchtime.  The salad can wait until he is in the warm tonight!

Photo:  Mike freezing at the helm

Gradually the cloud thins and blue sky starts to appear.  By mid afternoon we have wall to wall sunshine although it’s still cold immediately you are out of the sun.

We pass an old, rusted ship, presumably anchored in the Bay.  We have been told that there are some of these littered around that the armed forces use for target practise.  Hopefully they are not doing it today although I do see a fighter jet streak overhead, the noise of it following on behind some time later.

We get further than we think due to a bit of help from a positive current and decide to go into Mill Creek for the night.  The channel is very narrow and of course the entrance to it is strewn with crab pots.  Unfortunately we are heading straight into the sun at this point and after Mike narrowly misses two pots, he calls me out from the warmth of the salon to stand as lookout at the bow of the boat.  Even with my sunglasses on it’s difficult to see them so he slows right down until we are past the blooming things.

We follow the course of the creek, lovely houses on both sides.  It get’s narrower and narrower at we get further in and we find a handful of yachts in our overnight spot of choice.  Having got rid of the mud on our anchor and chain this morning, I am hoping for a sandy anchorage again but Mike informs me it’s mud again.  Terrific.  However, it’s good holding and sets nice and firm.  Quite strong winds are expected overnight and Mike lets out a lot of chain just in case.

It’s beautiful in the creek.  Surrounded by thick woods, the trees just starting to take on their Autumn hues, lovely light shed by the setting sun gives our surroundings an almost magical quality.  If it weren’t for the two yachts rafted together having a bit of a noisy party, it would be serene.  Sheltered by the trees, it’s warm enough to sit outside with our cups of tea, something that was not possible in the wind outside in the bay.

Photos:  The anchorage at Mill Creek

Photos:  Sunset at Mill Creek

Then it’s time for bed – almost – in readiness for another 6 am start.  Yuk!

Position:  37 deg 47 min N, 76 deg 19 min W

Distance so far:  2775 miles

Day 88: Pasadena to Eastern Bay – 09/10/12

Mike scrubs the cockpit and decks first thing and although they are still not good, they are a lot better than they were.  I can’t believe how much dirt arrives as a combination of being on the hard, being in a creek with plenty of pooping birds and people traffic, which, if the boat is dry at the time, but when it’s been raining, is a nightmare.  The non-slip surface is at the same time fantastic and a real pain in the arse!

After filling up the water tanks and drinking water bottles, I send Mike to the rubbish bins with the old mat and the rest of the accumulated rubbish while I finish tidying around.

Provisioning is next on the list and we take the car to Safeway, a funny experience since we have Safeway in the UK (or used to).  Given the number of things on my list, I’m amazed that the trolley quickly becomes full as I try to estimate how much of the heavy things we are likely to use in the next two months.  We won’t have a car after today, the supermarkets all seem to be out of town and I can’t see me wanting to drag bags of heavy shopping miles along the road.

After filling up the car with fuel, we drive over to Kathy and Andy’s house to relieve their fridge and freezer of our stuff.  They are not there but Pig is, Pig being their blind Sharpe who growls and barks in our general direction even though he’s met us before.

Finally it’s over to Michelle and Joe’s to return the car which has been such a godsend to us, despite the irritating female on the sat-nav system!  Michelle drives us back to the marina, we unload, then it’s the final goodbye to this part of the world as we cast off our lines and leave Bodkin Creek.

We negotiate our way out of the narrow entrance and head out once more into the Chesapeake Bay, later than we thought we would be leaving and not giving us much time to get anywhere useful.  After deliberating about our destination, Mike settles on Eastern Bay, just past Bloody Point and around the corner.  We anchor 4.5 hours and 26 miles later.  The bottom is sand and I am hoping it will clean our chain which still has its inch thick covering of grey mud from over a week ago.  I stand letting out the chain watching a bank of cloud settle on the horizon.  We could be in for some rain tonight.

The bay is a lovely half horseshoe shape with some rather nice waterside properties.  We are the only boat moored here and I hope for a quiet night – we are exposed to southerly winds but none are predicted overnight.  We turn in early as Mike sets the alarm for 6 am tomorrow, ready for a revoltingly early start.  We have decided not to do any night sailing in the Chesapeake – the lobster pot experience in Maine was enough.  Crab pots in the darK?  I don’t think so!

 

Position:  38 deg 50 min N, 76 deg 21 min W

Distance so far:  2703 miles

Days 81 – 87: Landlubbing – 02/10/12 - 08/10/12

A bed that doesn’t move, flushing toilets and plentiful hot showers – the first few days on land are always blissful for these three things alone, regardless of the weather, which is just as well as we wake up to a mixture of drizzle, wind and rain.

Because we were so late getting the boat out of the water yesterday, Mike didn’t have the opportunity of even trying to get the bloody buggery screw out of the sail drive seal, and knowing that he won’t rest until he knows where he stands with it, he takes off, armed to the teeth with tools that Craig has provided him with for the job.

In the meantime, with Bill and Matt at work, Rosemary and I go out in the rain to one of her local shops, a rather nice one which sells furniture, rugs, lamps and other stuff for the home.  She is looking for two comfy chairs for her office and an occasional table (an end table as they call them here).  She finds some chairs and keeps them in mind for the future, but is drawn to a huge rug and a lamp for the table she hasn’t yet seen.  My kind of logic!

The rug is priced at $2300 but reduced to just $492, a bargain.  The owner, a rather obnoxious character who seems to have a rather lofty opinion of himself, proceeds to knock off another $200 because the rug has a coffee stain and Rosemary manages to get another few dollars off and ends up paying $250.  Now that really is a bargain.  We want to take it there and then before he changes his mind but he obviously doesn’t want to load it into her car in the rain and offers to deliver it free of charge tomorrow.

Mike arrives back in the late afternoon, flushed with success having removed the screw (with even more heavy duty equipment lent to him by the boat yard staff).  The poor thing is cold through having sat under a boat in the pouring rain for hours.  If he had been right under it he would have been OK but working on the sail drive, the rain had been running down the sides of the boat and straight down the propeller shaft and onto him.  Bless.  I make him hot tea.  He shows me the sail drive and I pretend to be enthralled.  It’s a nice piece of stainless steel but hard to get excited about.

Rosemary has made crab cakes for dinner, and while she is at work again in the evening, Bill cooks them and I make a salad.  I now know how to make the crab cakes and am determined to make some myself.  The crab around here is so fantastic.

At the end of the evening, I get to meet Lisa at last, Rosemary’s daughter.  We should have met in Tahiti but I was lying in bed poorly sick when she arrived at the boat with Rosemary to say hello.  Meeting her, with her bubbly personality and good looks, is like meeting a female version of Matt.

Next morning, the bargain rug arrives early and Rosemary gets to work getting the coffee stain out.  With one go it is 90% gone.  I bet if the creepy shop owner had known how easy it would be, he wouldn’t have been so keen to negotiate!

We had been expecting a visit from Jim and Annie today but the plans changed at the last minute so Rosemary and I go out shopping instead leaving Mike in Bill’s work room, sail drive in hand and eyeing up the vice.  First we hit the furniture shop again where I find a table which will do the job (60% off) and Rosemary buys another matching lamp to yesterday’s.  Oh how I love spending other people’s money – it’s almost as good as spending my own!

After that she drives me around Middletown then we go into Frederick, a pretty little colonial town nearby.  We stop for lunch (crab soup – variation on the crab theme – I hate to be boring) then browse around some pottery and antique shops.  After all the rain yesterday, it’s humid today and unpleasantly sticky.  I go into a shop to cool down.  The shop is called Angel and it sells – everything angel.  I’m sorry but it’s a bit weird.  The lady in the shop is anything but angelic herself and only just about forces out a hello in reply to my greeting.  Maybe it’s my accent, but amazingly my dulcet London tones usually elicit the opposite response.  Her ‘objets d’art’ are a mixture of gross and twee and I escape.  Hopefully no one saw me go in and my reputation is still intact.

Mike comes in having had a little journey into the countryside in search of replacement screws for his sail drive.  He has been to somewhere called Thurmont and the sat-nav took him down some questionable roads laid with gravel rather than tarmac.  He couldn’t believe it when he saw people sitting out on their porches, some with banjos.  With memories of the film ‘Deliverance’ playing through his mind, he hadn’t stopped!

Bill and I cook dinner again and settle down to watch the Obama v Romney debate.  I try to concentrate, we all do, but eventually Bill sticks his nose in a book and Mike and I get our computers out.  Bill talks to the TV more than we do but then I guess he understands what’s going on a bit more than we do.  When Rosemary gets in I join her in the kitchen.  By the time we have finished chatting, the debate is over.

Both Rosemary and Matt are off work the next day and take it in turns to entertain me while Mike goes back to the boat clutching his replacement screws.  We leave Matt in the kitchen dealing with a whole side of fillet of beef.

Photo:  Rosemary, Matt and a rather large piece of beef

We first visit Rosemary’s daughter-in-law, Cary, with her new baby, Gavin and to my mind, two terrifying dogs.  As we let ourselves into the back garden I am told that the dogs are really friendly and not to worry.  Rosemary does not know the extent of my dog worrying tendencies so this advice falls on stony ground.  The old ‘docile’ one is bad enough as he comes to investigate, sniffing and coming far too close.  His jowls are like the ones belonging to the dog in the film ‘Turner and Hooch’ and all I can think of is ‘mind the cashmere, mind the cashmere’ as I pull my cashmere cardigan out of the way of any potential slobber.  However, the one guarding the back door, growling and barking enough to raise the dead in his defence of Cary and baby, is terrifying.  Cary takes pity (I probably have gone white with terror) and goes around to the front to let us in that way.  I am such a wimp.  Both dogs are wagging their tails after all.  Mind you that’s probably because they’ve heard that British meat is white and tender!!  At the end of our visit, Cary locks the dogs away to let me escape.

Next we go duvet hunting at the mall.  The very helpful assistant in Macy’s asks me whether we are looking for a comforter or a duvet.  When I ask him what the difference is, he replies that they are the same, which rather begs the question ‘why ask me which one I want in the first place’.  Actually they do seem to be different – by my understanding and using my eyes, comforters are usually already in covers that cannot be removed.  Duvets on the other hand, are always white and you buy covers for them.  Simple.

Matt meets us at the mall and when Rosemary goes back home to prepare dinner, he and I stop for lunch then go off to look at the house he is moving into next week with two friends from work.  After that it’s a drive into the country and a visit to Harpers Ferry and the Shenandoah River, which causes us to leave Maryland, enter Virginia and then West Virginia, all within a couple of miles.  The river and the surrounding scenery is beautiful and the historic town (I can’t remember what the historic significance is now even though Matt explained) is very pretty. 

Photos:  Views of the Shenandoah River, West Virginia

Photo:  View from the hill top

Photo:  Me and Matt squinting into the sun

We stop for frozen custard – like ice cream but smoother then head back to Middletown where we are due to meet some of Bill’s family for a drink and hot crab dip at The Main Cup, the restaurant where both Matt and Lisa work.  Lisa makes me a killer margarita, her specialty.  It’s huge.  One is most definitely enough for me if I wish to continue standing!  We have dinner back at Rosemary and Bill’s and their son Eric joins us afterwards with Cary and baby and no dogs!

Photo:  Mike and Rosemary

Photo:  Matt and Savannah

Photo:  Eric and Bill

Photo:  Cary and baby Gavin

The next day we leave.  It’s so sad to say goodbye to Matt although we put off our goodbyes to Rosemary and Bill as we will see them tomorrow at the Boat Show in Annapolis.  We try to find a rug on the way back to the boat.  Our lovely blue one which matched the salon sofas when we bought it, has now turned a strange green, sunlight and sea water doing their damage over the years.  We fail to find anything decent.

Being out on the hard means that I have to shower on land.  There is only one and it turns out to be occupied.  While I wait for my turn, I people watch.  The Cheshire Crab, the on side bar/restaurant, seems to attract it’s fair share of rednecks and I spend a happy 10 minutes eyeing up a couple who could give ZZ Top and the Crankies a run for their money. 

We drive into Annapolis in the evening to see Jim and Annie.  It should have taken about 30 minutes but takes 90 due to the congestion caused by the boat show but we eventually make it to their house.  Diana, Jim’s secretary, is there too, along with a friend of Jim’s, Mike.  It’s wonderful to have another reunion.  Annie has worked wonders on the house since their return from the rally – the house had been wrecked by a former tenant but now looks lovely.  After a couple of drinks we go into town for dinner and although Jim’s first choice is full, we have a lovely meal in his second choice then walk back to the house as we are staying the night with them.

Photo:  Off to the Annapolis Boat Show

Saturday sees us at the boat show but I have to say the one in Annapolis is a tenth of the size of the one held in Southampton.  We see a lovely 50-foot catamaran, the Isara, made in Taiwan.  As pretty and well designed as she is, I still see glaring design faults with regards to blue water cruising.  As far as I am concerned, nothing is better than a Privilege except a bigger Privilege!

We meet up with Rosemary, Bill, Annie and Jim for lunch.  The other Mike has disappeared and Diana is with her sister on another table as they staff can’t fit them on with us.  All we really need is the rest of the crew from Ocean Jasper, Bob and Maggie, and the crew from Chessie, Jutta and Jochem, and the gang would all be together again.

Photo:  Part of the motley crew

Photo:  Annie and Jim – still the lovebirds!

We say goodbye a little more sadly than we did yesterday and drive back to Pasadena, still trying to find a rug on the way, again to no avail.  Just by us in the car park is a classic Dodge Challenger – Victoria would have loved it.

   Photo:  Dodge Challenger – just for Victoria

Kim and Craig are putting us up while we are still out of the water, and although we arrive late, there is still plenty of food for us.  Cathy and Robbie join us for a drink along with some of their other friends and we have a pleasant evening, partly entertained by Kona, their large black dog that I am not afraid of at all, who is intent on dismembering as many soft toys as he can.

Photo:  Chez Harrell – our home for two days

On Sunday we go back to the boat.  I sweep, clean and tidy but an thwarted by the sheer amount of power drill tools and other fixing paraphernalia scattered about the floors which makes the boat look very fetching when Cathy arrives with five of the octuplet children (yes, it’s confusing – I still refer to Kim’s written notes regarding who belongs to who).  Late in the afternoon and after a lovely hot shower (and I confess, it was no boat shower) we go over to Cathy and Rob’s for one of their Sunday football parties.  The game is on all of his TVs and screen and everyone turns up with a dish of food and drink.  It’s a great idea and much better than going down to the local pub.  Mind you, I suppose Robbie’s basement IS the local pub!

Unfortunately I decide to do some innocuous stretches first thing on Monday morning and my back goes into spasm causing me to slow down and take copious amounts of codeine to get it under control.  It’s infuriating that when you do the very thing that is supposed to be good for your back, it sparks off the very thing you are trying to prevent. 

As we leave I ask Kim to post an envelope for me as I don’t recall seeing any post boxes and probably wouldn’t recognise one if it jumped out and bit me.  She tells me to leave it at the end of the drive.  Not wanting to leave it out in the rain as I didn’t recall seeing a post box there, she looks at me strangely and tells me to leave it in HER post box.  “But it isn’t for you” I say, looking confused.  She then patiently explains that if you have something to go in the post, you put it in your own box, put the little flag up and the postman takes it away when he delivers to your house.  How lovely!

Photo:  Envelope in, flag up – what a simple idea

My back doesn’t stop me scrubbing the sides of the hulls – unfortunately/fortunately (mixed blessings) the bloody painkillers have done their work by the time this is due to be done.

The boat goes back in the water right on time and we move her around to the fuel dock for the night.  Cathy rings and offers to take me to Costco in the afternoon where I provision our meat and fish probably for the next two months.  The freezer had better not go kaput.  On top of the stuff that Bodkin Creek Kathy is holding in her freezer for me, it will have over $450’s worth in there.  On top of the food, I also manage to find a rug.  Hurray!  No more mangy green!

The octuplets want one more opportunity to get together to say goodbye to us, and after initially planning it for Jeannius, the plans are changed because the weather turns nasty.  Instead we go back to Cathy and Robbie’s where they have done steak, crab bake and stuffed pasta, all totally delicious.  What wonderful hosts they are and what a fantastic group of friends.  Unfortunately Sean and Stacie are not able to make it and Michelle and Joe leave before I remember to take my camera out!

  Photo:  Kim and Craig

Photo:  Robbie and Cathy

We go back to Jeannius, sad to say goodbye to more people that have been so kind and generous to us and made us feel so welcome.  Maybe I’m not such a boring old git after all.  I can’t speak for Mike though!!!

Tomorrow we will finish the provisioning, clean the cockpit and be on our way once more.

Day 80: Bodkin Creek to Middletown – 01/10/12

With the third blanket we are both toasty warm – just!

Today we are getting hauled out so just after midday we make our way over to Pleasure Cove and sit and wait far past our allotted time of 1 pm to 3.30 pm.  The boat they had hauled out before us was the biggest they had ever hauled and it gave them some problems – apparently.  I think a long lunch time came into it somewhere as it was very quiet for a very long time!

Mike drives the boat into a tiny slot – it seems that there are just inches either side – the travel lift is in position over the top of us and the bands are underneath – and we climb off and watch the proceedings from a distance. 

Photo:  Jeannius swings over the water

Photo:  Mike watches from a safe distance

Photo:  Finally Jeannius is lowered into place on land

Now I’ve seen Jeannius being hauled a couple of times already but it never ceases to amaze me – and worry me!  She seems to swing there precariously while the guy operates the lift remotely, performing a 30-point turn to get her at the right angle to get her up the hill and deposit her in her resting place for the next week.  By the time the props are in place and they guys clear off, the afternoon has all but gone.

Mike takes the water taxi from the marina over to Kathy and Andy’s house where we have left the car, taking the remnants of our fridge as well for them to add to the stuff already in their freezer.

I pack a case while he is gone, but unsure of what the weather will give over the next few days, it looks like we are going for a month when I finally get it zipped up.  Hopefully the Thomases won’t be terrified when they see the size of it!

It’s about 70 miles to Middletown and we are leaving at rush hour.  Amazingly we don’t get held up that much as the traffic keeps moving.  Unfortunately the instructions I have from Google Maps differ with those being given by the in-car sat-nav system.  Mike opts to follow the sat-nav although I prefer Google – it has never let me down, but the driver has the last word – apparently!

We’ve found that the in-car systems are often no where near as good as the cheaper ones you buy and stick on the dashboard, and in Michelle’s car, this is also true.  As with the one in Joe’s car, it infuriatingly stops giving you verbal instructions as soon as you leave a main road and some of the instructions are very last minute.  She also has a very irritating voice.  Oh for the Billy Connolly one which screams (so I’m told) “turn round you fucking idiot, you’ve gone the wrong way”!

By the time we get to Middletown it is about 7 pm.  The lady of the car (not me obviously) takes us down a road which goes through the local high school playing fields, and proudly announces that we have reached our destination.  I think not.

We travel in circles for a while, taking in the local delights of the floodlit football pitch, sports halls, car parks and school buildings before we eventually find our way back out to the main road.  Finding my Google Map instructions just a tad too late I discover where we should have gone and by luck rather than good planning we finally find ourselves at the bottom of their road.

Bill hears our approach and comes to open the gate, luckily for us as I would never have thought of pulling up a knob on the top of it to do so.  I would have been there for hours!

It’s great to see Bill and we meet the gorgeous Savannah for the first time, the family’s chocolate brown Labradoodle.

Bill heats up our dinner and I open some Kim Crawford SB, hoping that I drink slowly enough to have some to share with Rosemary when she gets in after work and, holding myself back, I do.  She comes in just after 9 pm and amid kisses, hugs and glasses of wine we start to catch up on events since we last saw them in the BVIs last May.  There’s a lot so it’s a good job that we have a few days!

Matt comes in a bit later and there’s more hugs and kisses.  I can’t help but think that the good and bad times on those three oceans cemented friendships pretty well!

 

Position:  39 deg 10 min N, 76 deg 31 min W

Distance so far:  2677 miles

(No change to the position or distance – land miles don’t count!)