NYC

After stowing the booty from Costco HD was readied to be off to NYC. The captain was actually apprehensive of single handing his way up the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays into the Atlantic off the coast of NJ . The biggest issue is falling overboard while alone and the ship is on auto pilot leaving you alone in the deep blue. While not always a given, the captain feels the first mate would come back for him most of the time were this to happen under our normal sailing conditions.

So with the help of Jack lines and a harness this safety issue was mitigated. Jack lines are straps the length of the boat that are tied fore and aft along the deck. While wearing a harness the sailor attaches a tether from on to the other thereby securing him to the boat while on deck while allowing movement to attend the the current issue happening outside the relative safety of confines of the cockpit.
Happy to report a 100% compliance to using this safety device while underway and a much relieved state of mind because of it.
The winds were forecast to be spirited and in a favorable direction all week which did allow for actually sailing for 90% of the trip. Tides are important  in both Bays so departure is planned around when they will be favorable. First day the 50NM sail up the Chesapeake with the incoming tide was a beam reach in calm waters; fast and enjoyable. HD made such good time we were able to transit the C & D Canal that night to be ready for the outgoing tide down the Delaware the next morning.
Leaving at first light with tide and wind astern HD was in full stride making over 8 its with the current and less than 4 when it turned later tin the day. The further down the Bay HD traveled the longer the fetch the waves had to build in sustained 22 its winds and made for a nervy finish at Cape May. Two days of spirited sailing earned the skipper a day off in Cape May where it was discovered we were back in the prime pizza and bagel country. Enough were loaded on to last the trip into NYC where these would be readily available on almost every corner.
The NJ coast doesn't offer a plethora of good harbors to stop in for the night. Either they are shallow once inside or treacherous to get in to. This geographic restriction made for a 90NM sail out of Cape May to Shark River Inlet which was a stop last fall as well. Feeling comfortable entering in the dark was important due to the length of the sailing day to cover this much ocean. It is never as easy as it seems it should be in actuality. There was a dredging barge in the inlet channel which is covered with a bascule bridge that needs to open to gain access to the safety of the harbor. After finally identifying this floating city block with the help of the bridge tender HD successfully entered the river and anchored for a nights rest.
Given that HD would now arrive in NY harbor on Saturday a plea was put out for crew to help and Greg immediately answered the call. Plans were made for him to take the ferry from NYC to Atlantic Highlands in Northern Jersey Saturday morning.
After some confusion on the captain's part on just where this ferry would dock, Greg was dinghied to HD for the days sail. Greg was at the helm all the day long giving the captain a rest while setting an under sail speed record of 9.7 kts. Again the current/tides are important entering the harbor and made a very enjoyable day.

Greg sets the current speed record for under sail

The new Word Trade building; tallest in NYC

Dockage was planned at, of all places, The Hoboken Yacht Club where we are at this writing. (Hoboken it seems has a rather prestigious claim to being the original home of the NYYC. A man named Stevens, that founded Stevens College here also founded the Club in 1834 and successfully won the cup from the UK in their waters in 1844.)
We are actually trapped in a slip made for a smaller boat and with the continual surge from the river traffic has made for a nerve racking dockage. HD sling shots back and forth as the wakes of the ferries and river traffic attack unabated and bounce off the concrete shore next to us causing the roughest dockside conditions since HD's original  home port, Eldeans in Holland Michigan.

All worth it as we have had many meals with Greg and last night with Ali as well whose apartment is overlooking our dock.

Tall Ships, St. Michaels and Annapolis

While in Easton we heard of the bicentennial celebration of the writing of the National Anthem and the War of 1812 with Tall Ships from around the world happening the next weekend in Baltimore.  HD anchored in a  prime viewing spot  & anxiously awaited the arrival of the Tall Ships envisioning the majestic scene of these beauties  under sail as seen in 1979 while in Boston. Unfortunately the wind direction didn't allow for sailing into the harbor so we viewed the bare poles as they marched past. Still a pretty but not the poetry of billowing sails one moment to be furled by the skillful deck hands on the yardarms the next.
The rest of Baltimore was much like the ships, not quite worth the effort, so off to St, Mike's.
Upon arrival we were treated to this husband and wife concert in the park while we waited to visit some old friends.

Here the town was in full swing for the wooden boat show which in addition to the Wooden boat museum made up for Baltimore's lacking.

On to our much anticipated return visit to Annapolis as this is along with Charleston is a possible future land base for the crew. After two nights at anchor HD was secured to the Annaplois City Marina for the next week. Good thing as the heat was oppressive and AC could be run with the aid of the electricity dockside.

While docked we were treated to daily learn to sail kids plying their new skills in the Harbor.
Each day it seemed a different class sailing dinghy would make their way past HD to compete using their new learned sailing skills. I guess this is one reason why Annapolis is such a sailing mecca.

It is nice to see the dedication to continuing the art of sailing in a new generation. It reminds the captain of two little Mathias girls in Wisconsin many years ago learning in their little sailing prams. The youngest of which, sailing with her long time friend, Catlain who now between them have three little bunking that I hope they also pass on this skill.

Many wonderful meals, great local coffee houses ( sorry Harold, Starbucks, while in two very convenient locations didn't get a visit) and catching up with friends met last fall made for a fast and fun week.
Cin was then off to West Palm to help Tara get organized in her new digs for Pharmacy school starting next month. On the way to BWI airport the crew took advantage of having a car and made a Costco run for  more Peligrino and supplies.
While the first mate is land based for the week, the captain will single hand HD up to NYC and meet Cin on her return from Florida.

Eastern Shore of Maryland

Sailed to the Eastern Shore of Maryland the home of Cambridge, Oxford, and Easton.

 Enjoyed Cambridge with its' free concrete town dock. Biked 7 miles to a meeting and the Hyatt Spa (guess who) and enjoyed several wonderful dinners.
The Bistro Cafe was totally French and when we mentioned this to the folks in London during a recent Skype session, Jaime wanted to know if the were rude to us as well! Finally got our fill of crab cakes supporting  the local crabbing industry.
After gathering parts at various ports as available, SS backing plates, polysulfide chalking, SS bolts of the right length so as not to scratch the companion way hatch, the crew installed our new life raft on the cabin top where it is safe and accessible if needed.

Our safety inventory is now complete with all the  originally secured USCG required stuff, i.e. life vests, fire extinguishers, flares, VHF radio and horn. The new additions of the  life raft, and the EPIRB added to recently acquired SSB radio (with much greater signal capabilities {we've spoken to NY from Florida})  and SPOT which you may be familiar with.
This  piece of technology, the EPIRB, (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) gives the most piece of mind while sailing far from land. When activated in case of  emergency it sends a signal thru satellites orbiting the earth to the local Rescue authority with coverage world wide. While in/near the USA that is our own USCG, and they receive our coordinates giving our exact position and because we have registered with the USCG they will know all about HD and her crew. Just like the commercial, Priceless!
Back to the Eastern Shore, Oxford was a bust, not much there other than the famous Robert Morris Inn and white picket fences so we sailed up the Tred River to Easton.

Easton is a very pleasant surprise. Enjoying the meetings, restaurants, coffee houses with live music and of course West Marine. A few local coffee houses one which roasts their own, colonial era downtown and extremely friendly people. A little over an hours drive to Annapolis and plenty of waterfront estates with deep water docks.

Very friendly folks. As we were walking out of the local coffee shop a woman asks "are you boaters", yes, "HD?", yes, "my husband wants to speak with you", OK.

Seems we were anchored in the creek with a huge empty barge at the dock to one side. A sister barge full of gravel shows up every couple of days for unloading and could come in the middle of the night. The creek was clearly not wide enough for us both. Since the marina couldn't handle HD due to length, Bob offered for us to raft up with him at his dock alongside the marina. Did I mention they are very friendly folks. Nice place with good food.
One of the locals mentioned the sailabration that Baltimore was putting on the coming week to celebrate the bicentennial of France Scott Key's writing of the National Anthem. There are to be a couple of dozen or so tall ships along with various navy ships from all over the world as arriving Wednesday.
Off to Baltimore where Mick Jagger said in the 1969 concert attended by the caption " Bal-ti-more shake your arises"

Jamestown & Williamsburg

Sailed up the James River from Norfolk to Jamestown for the Memorial Day Holiday. Great sail with wind power the whole way causing an arrival after dark. This we normally avoid, however HD only need to pull over to the side of the river to drop the hook and not negotiate the entrance to an unfamiliar harbor, so the crew was comfortable with the plan.

 So the real reason for the arrival after dark is the 60' James River bridge which got missed in the day's planning and needs a two hour notice to open.

We anchored off Jamestown just as the three ships of the Virginia Company of London did on May 14,1607 establishing the first English speaking permanent settlement in the new world.

We did the tourist thing at Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown and got a little smarter on our Country's history.

A real weaver

A brick maker

Used to hold sand for building ramparts for defense used at Yorktown by both the Brits and colonists

Visiting Williamsburg always conjures up a 55 year old disappointment of the captains'. Seems his parents sent he and his older brother, Pem, on a night tour of Williamsburg's special buildings to get ride of them one night in 1956. While in the bakery we watched the bakers pulling fresh bread out of the wood burning brick ovens and slabbing yellow butter on the steaming treasures . The guide must have said they were using  200 year old ovens and methods. So the 7 year old little captain pulls on his high brothers arm and said " don't eat it its 200 years old". I can still smell the bread we avoided due to inside information.

Back to Norfolk to gather parcels and then up the Bay to Irvington, home of the Tides Inn.
Unfortunately not a pleasant experience as we clipped off the controls to our gas grill on the way in to the dock. Its' Australian; the parts are on the way to Annapolis with the shipping costing as much as the pieces. Then during the night as the  tide was coming in, HD caught her stainless steel rub rail on a bolt on the piling and ripped off a 6' piece which the crew repaired with new SS screws to almost good as new.
Continued to explore the  west side of  the Bay with a stop at the Solomons, just north of where the Potomac River joins the Chesapeake. Liked the natural multi-bay harbor and the feel of a no frills boating community; both commercial and pleasure. Most memorial part being the car ride of 8 miles in the dark back to HD by a friendly local lady we met.
Onto the Eastern Shore...

Air Force Academy Graduation... Congratulations Trae! by Cindy

Wow, that's my nephew with the Pres!

Trae takes the Oath of Office as a 2nd Lieutenant

Very exciting side trip from Norfolk to Colorado Springs to attend my nephew, Trae Span's, graduation from the Air Force Academy.  What an event it was!  Everything from the commissioning ceremony the night before to  the graduation ceremony itself, complete with President Obama giving the commencement address, was full of pomp and circumstance, patriotism, and pride for a job well done!  Way to go, Trae!

 Trae with Mom, Dad & "little" sister, Madison

Proud Mama & Papa!

Proud cousins, Tara & Tyler with Aunt Cindy & Uncle Pete

Nearly 1100 graduates marched in perfect timing out onto the field, through the perfectly lined up rows of chairs as if they were one!

After Obama's speech, we were impressed with the fact that he shook each graduate's  hand and saluted them individually (2200 arm motions-I'll bet he had a masseuse aboard Airforce One when he left!) 

 Sorry, video won't work, but you can see the sky wasn't that great for the Thunderbirds Air Show after graduation.

We celebrated that night with my brother, Martin's famous surf, turf, & chicken barbeque, where aunts, uncles and cousins from both sides of the family enjoyed a fabulous meal together.

  A "combo" Grad cake was decorated with congratulations to both Trae AND Tara, since most of the family was together in Colorado.

Cake cutting with "Gee" supervising

And a good time was had by all!

While we were there, we took advantage of the scenery and visited the Garden of the Gods and Pike's Peak, where Trae drove us ALMOST to the top, but it was closed due to snowfall the night before-it was PLENTY cold at the 14th mile for us, without doing the last 5 miles anyway, thank you very much!

Tara and I met a new friend at Pike's Peak

 Trae took Tara shooting before I got there.  Good thing-I would not have liked seeing my daughter with a rifle in her hands!??

What a once in a lifetime experience the whole trip was!  We had a great time with the fam!  A proud moment for all of us.