Paul, Mary Beth, the Worm Famer, Oyster shooters

Paul and Mary Beth earned their stripes. As soon as we rounded Sandy Hook on Sat, 11/07, we started pounding into wind and seas right on the nose: NW 10 to 15 kts. Seas were only three feet or so, but steep and with a short period, so the ride was a little bumpy as we took long tacks during the day, bound for Sandy Hook on Sunday during the day. By sunset the wind was still on the nose at 15-20 kts, gusts over 25 kts, but the forecast predicted lower winds after midnight. In order to make for a more gentle ride and somewhat shorter trip, I elected to motor sail through the night under reefed main alone, taking the wind about 30 degrees apparent. The 10 PM forecast said no decrease in wind until sometime Sunday during the day. By the wee hours of Sunday, seas were making the ride pretty uncomfortable, so we put into Atlantic City a little before dawn. Atlantic City Harbor aids to navigation must have been planned by the folks who designed Vegas and its aids to navigation: toy buoys that are not lighted. The harbor is easy if you plan to sail under the 50 foot bridge to anchor: not an option for ACT III and her 62.5 foot mast. The channel to the marina has no lighted buoys, and runs close to jetties that have no lights. Lots of traffic lights and hotels on shore make it hard to see anything. Fortunately I had been there once before and had some memory of the situation. Another very experienced skipper who also came in before dawn asked the Coast Guard for an escort, and they gave him one. It is a disgraceful situation for a major harbor, and now that Paul S. has broken the bank, Atlantic City will never be able to improve its aids to navigation. (See Paul's comment to previous blog.)

After a day and a night of recuperation, we had a nice sail to Cape May, NJ. Stayed overnight and had an easy motor to Delaware City (around the cape because we are too tall for the short cut). Unfortunately Crabby Dick’s was closed on Tuesday so we couldn’t have crab balls with seaman sauce. I made reservations for four at Delaware City’s second best restaurant. It turned out to be a takeout pizza joint with three booths.

On Wed. Nov 11, we decided to go through the C and D Canal, into the Chesapeake, and to a very well protected anchorage in the Sassafras River. We didn’t feel the 35 kt overnight winds.

Thursday we decided to try the run down the bay to and maybe to cross to the Patapsco River and Baltimore even though the winds were predicted to 30 to 35 kts or more. We found three harbors along the route that we could duck into if the going got too rough. The NE breeze gave us a rip roaring run under jenny alone, averaging 8 to 9 kts over the ground. Paul steered most of the way; he did an excellent job. Since everyone was having fun and ACT III was very happy, we decided to commit to the hard turn to starboard in order to cross the bay to the Patapsco River. This put the seas and frequent gusts over 40 kts right on the beam, so we motor sailed under shortened jenny. By now Paul and Mary Beth were old hands, so they enjoyed the rockin and rollin. ACT III, of course, was a perfect lady.

We anchored in the lee of the World Center and the amazing Baltimore Aquarium where the top of our mast felt 5 kts of breeze.

Baltimore is a gas. The aquarium has to be one of the best; the anchorage and rest rooms are free. Paul introduced me to Oyster Shooters and my infamous worm famer alter ego appeared, possibly because of the ribbing capn Bill took about the reservation in Delaware City. If I ever feel left out because I was never in a 12 step program, Oyster Shooters could be my route to alcoholism. Thanks Lazette and the staff at McCormick and Schmidt. Paul’s lovely daughter, Lindsey joined us for Saturday night. Somehow the worm famer managed to stay up past his usual 8 PM curfew. Sunday morning was sad; everyone left.

Capn Bill

Let The Games Begin

I'm outta here! My friend, and former quartet lead, and deck babe extraordinaire, is driving me to Baltimore today, where Bill is happily anchored in the Inner Harbor.

There was never a question, but I'm ecstatic that I stayed for my chorus and quartet International (Canada) competition. Sounds of the Seacoast took 3rd place medals, and is officially among the "big girls" in Harmony, Inc. All thanks to "BOL".

It seems unreal to be leaving, but there's frost on the ground and I'm looking forward to sunshine.

Come visit soon! I'm already lonely for my girlfriends...

Heidi

Atlantic City and Chesapeake

Bill, Mary Beth Lambert and Paul Shumway, who Bill knows from tennis, ducked into Atlantic City after a long, cold night sailing into near gale winds. They stayed fairly cozy with the detachable cockpit sides installed, but it was an uncomfortable night. Several other sailboats also came into port that night because of the weather, and some were damaged. Act III didn't blink a spreader...it was the crew who wimped out. (I'm not there, so I can throw down the challenges.)

After a day's rest and just a little gambling for Paul--I heard he was only down $2.50--they had a nice sail to Cape May for a night, then onto Delaware City. Paul slowed the ride up Delaware Bay by catching a couple of nice bluefish, which he filleted live and grilled on the barbie when they got to port. The crew found the bottle of Meyers rum and the bottle of wine I had secreted aboard, and had a fine meal in mild-ish weather.

The plan is to leave Delaware City tomorrow (Weds. 11/11) and anchor in the Sassafras River near the top of Chesapeake Bay. Then an easy sail puts them in Baltimore the next day, where Paul and Mary Beth will head back to their car in NYC, and Bill will wait for me to arrive next week. (11/19). I'm grateful for my friend Susan (also the fabulous lead in our quartet, Sound Investment) whose sister lives in the Baltimore area, as she'll drive me there and visit her sib. It takes pressure off me to meet a plane deadline, and I can haul even more stuff aboard, like the nifty patchwork dinghy bag I'm making to protect the inflatable from UV.

After I hop aboard, we'll hustle to Hampton VA (across from Norfolk) where we'll meet Polly, Miles, Miles' parents Tammy and Robin, and his grandmother Donna Jean for Thanksgiving and a little cruising. No, I'm not going to do a turkey in the galley stove.

Long Island Sound

Bill and Act III are cozily anchored by Little Calf Island in Long Island Sound. Bill calculates the tides and daylight will be right for transiting the East River on Tuesday, so we hope the weather stays nice.

Ira Colby left Act III last Monday and made his way home by bus from New Bedford, leaving Bill to happily single-hand to Mystic CT, where he picked up a mooring and Russell Prescott on Thursday 10/29. They ate at the famous Mystic Pizza, visited Mystic Seaport, and on Friday they had a somewhat choppy sail to Bradford and Westbrook CT. Russell departed on Saturday afternoon, taking Amtrak back to his truck in Mystic.

Since I'm not aboard, I can't relate adventures of Act III. Bill is terrifically excited about the boat and pleased with his ability to handle her alone. I'm not surprised, but it's a big confidence boost to actually do it. He's had small issues...maybe the engine's running a little hot and the autopilot fuse blew one day, but he hove to and managed to fix it and make a snack. He'll delve into the engine tomorrow while he waits to do the East River. I recall from our cruise north last summer that Little Calf Island is a lovely spot off Greenwich CT, where Bill and Cousin Jim played on the water and invented the famous "off the roof" ball game.

She's Outta Here!

Bill and Ira left Friday afternoon, 10/23/09, and made it to Gloucester before deciding to wait out the frigid rain and gale winds. Today, Sunday (25) they are merrily flying along at 7.5 kts. to Provincetown, and they'll make the Cape Cod Canal transit tomorrow. Ira will de-board from New Bedford and bus home; Bill can continue through Long Island Sound with day hops (at least that's the current plan.) Bill promised me to not do any overnight passages alone. He's fully capable, but I can't afford the nail-biting with chorus and quartet contests coming up...I have to have long nails to paint brightly for the stage in 3 weeks.

So far the water pump pressure sensor has failed.

Back at the ranch, I'm organizing and finishing the leftover errands like banking and cell phone plans. It's still hard to imagine leaving. Scary and exciting!

Weather Delay

Act III was due to head south on 10/17, with Captain Bill and Crew-extraordinare Ira Colby, but a nasty Nor'easter with snow and gale winds keeps her at the mooring in Little Harbor for now. New date is likely next Thursday, 10/22, and the route is through the Cape Cod Canal into Long Island Sound, where Ira will step off and Chief Engineer Russell Prescott will come on to enjoy the trip toward NYC. After that...? I'll meet the boat and Captain in Oriental, NC on November 18, in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with Polly and Miles, and Miles' parents and grandmother, Tammy, Robin and Donna Jean coming aboard. It'll be grand!

Bill's nearly finished making deck boxes, there's plenty of food, tools and nylon net for scrubbies aboard, all the canvas is new or repaired and we're itchin' to leave. Keep your fingers crossed for some Indian summer weather to follow this weather front. (is it PC to say "Indian" summer? What does that mean, anyway?)

So, while you're waiting for news, feed the fish on the right!

Gloucester with Dane & Co.

Brother Dan and his mates, Steve and Rick, visited from California just after Labor Day and we enjoyed a picture-perfect sail to Gloucester on Tuesday. No sooner had we left Little Harbor than the USCG stopped us for a "courtesy inspection", which we learned we could not refuse. ("No thanks," tried our Captain) The good part was...well just look at how cute he was! Act III passed with flying colors, for those of you who worry about those sorts of things.

In sunshine and light breeze we made the sail around Cape Ann into Gloucester Harbor in a little over 5 hours. We picked up a public mooring for $25, launched (dinghy) Intermission, and roamed Main Street before an exquisite meal at Passports Restaurant. We tucked into our berths and slept soundly until the wind woke us in the morning. After a fine feast at Zeke's fisherman's breakfast place, we returned home through the Annisquam River for a change of scenery, where the houseboats made us smile. Bill slickly slipped us through the narrow RR bridge that didn't open 90 degrees, requiring us to stay close to the starboard side, then make a sharp left turn to stay in the shallow channel.

It had been blowing 25 kts out the the Northeast for 12 hours, creating 5-10' chop. Exiting the river with opposing tidal current and wind was a thrill. We crested one wave, then slammed the bottom just at the mouth of the river, but sturdy Act III is showed no sign of interior shifts upon later inspection. With a reef in the main, we made 7-7 1/2 kts. on a close reach home. The biggest surprise was even Bill got seasick, for the first time in 50 years. Steve was hit hardest, even wearing a scopolomine patch, but he reports that he'd do the trip again in a heartbeat, because the ride was such a thrill. Rick and Dane were only slightly uncomfortable, but the experience prompted Dane to kindly supply us with more potent seasickness meds for our boat medical kit.

After a day of recovery, the team enjoyed a lobsters, steamers and shrimp at Chauncey Creek. We took a little tour of Portsmouth, including the commercial fishing pier, where we learned not even the fishermen had gone out on the day we sailed home. Our crew deserves medals!