Back to sailing....After quite a thorough cleaning (mostly the ship) HD and crew greeted Mary Span, Cin's Mom, at the White Plains airport and stole her back to HD once again, now docked in Essex, CT. The next two days itinerary was a result of a comment made by Mary in a phone conversation a month prior that she had always wanted to visit Cape Cod. The first mate arranged a land excursion for the two girls to a B & B in Chatham on the Cape, as a surprise early 80th Birthday present for Mom! The Mom/Daughter trip was a blast...both were surprised that Cape Cod was not a single town, but rather a collection of little villages! So they "cruised the Cape" by car from Chatham to "Ptown" and stopped for our very first ever HUGE Lobster Roll at a hole in the wall spot on the water near Dennis-AWESOME!
HD was repositioned to Guilford, CT for a day sail to Norwalk for the early morning flight for Mary back to St. Pete. Sailing through light fog HD and crew successfully arrived once again to Norwalk Cove Marina (HD had spent a week there in the parking lot back when "Irene" passed through). All enjoyed Jonathan and family's visit for dinner and the catered food extravaganza he whipped up for us. Frizze' lettuce? Delish as always.
At 6 the next morning the crew piled into Jonathan's loaner car and deposited Mary back at the White Plains' airport for a thorough scanning.
At noon HD sailed to Manhasset Harbor, home to Port Washington, where the captain had purchased a Rhodes 19 thirty years ago and sailed back to Greenwich, Connecticut with Jonathan and their father as captain. This was the first of a week of rarely leaving the ship while in transit to Annapolis for the Sailboat show.
One night in Great Kills Harbor on Staten Island and a rendezvous with Greg (who brought mail and boat parts; thanks!) at John's Pizza on Bleeker in the West village.
The next three nights the crew never left the boat while navigating what is called "The North Atlantic" on the charts. Anchored one night each in Shark River, Atlantic City and Cape May, NJ.
Transited the Delaware Bay and the C& D Canal in one day before reaching the Chesapeake.
The seven hour, 50 NM sail down the Bay to Annapolis was in favorable winds and tides resulting in record sailing performance by HD.
So, here the crew sits; anchored in the South Harbor of Annapolis in view of the biggest sailboat show in North America. Two years ago at this show the crew together picked out the Tartan 4300 as the boat of choice and test sailed one a month later on a return visit to the Chesapeake. Last year after delivery of HD to Michigan, the new sailors procured all the toys at this show.
The goal was to sail to the show this year on the way south and the crew is blessed and grateful to have been able to do so, with all the gifts we've been given. It has had a profound impact today as we read last week of the passing of Steve Jobs at the early age of 56. Today is a gift we have been given to do with as our free will allows. We pray that we use this day as He would have us.
God bless.
