Monday, September 19, 2011

At Home

Lombard, Illinois



Heading to get hauled out



Out of the water



This boating season has come to a close for Barb and me. The boat is sitting on the hard in Delaware City! Once we got her winterized and covered up we loaded our rental van and headed for home. The 1000 mile trip was broken up with three stops in Ohio to visit with family and friends before heading home on the last leg of our trip, Sunday morning. 



In the sling



Almost covered



We are back in our house now and busy restructuring our daily routine. I am not to sure about living on land after the last 16 months living our adventure on the boat!



Done and all covered



Loaded and ready to head home!

What I do know is, this will be the last blog until the adventure starts again most probably mid April to mid May 2012! Until such time stay well and safe ----- Skip & Barb!



Monday & Tuesday, September 12 & 13, 2011

75°35.417’ W

39°34.283’ N

Delaware City Marina

Delaware City, Delaware



Debris at the marina

The only thing exciting happening here is the amount of debris entering and leaving this canal when the tides change! Our boat has been thumped by telephone sized poles floating around due to the hurricane and the floods afterwards! The current on this canal are about 4 knots with the tide close to 6 feet!



Glad to have floating docks!





Today we rented a van to cart all of our gear home. With luck the marina will haul the boat tomorrow. As soon as were on the hard we will winterize the boat, load the van and head for home! The next and last blog on this leg of our adventure will be written from some motel on our trip home! Until then Barb and I have a lot of work to do ------------------!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

75°35,417’ W

39°34,283’ N

Delaware City Marina

Delaware City, Delaware



Downtown Delaware City



Barb and I are playing the waiting game. I don’t think we will see any activity here until Wednesday when a key person on the staff returns from moving a boat to this marina. We will set up a one way car rental and find a motel to move into when the boat is hauled. Until then not much is going to happen here!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

75°35,417’ W

39°34,283’ N

Delaware City Marina

Delaware City, Delaware



White Rocks



Looking back at MYC as we left

Today’s run was less than pleasant! I have never driven through so much debris for so long a time and distance! There were periods when we idled through floating tires, trees and other debris that was flushed from the east coast into the Chesapeake Bay due to flooding. We encountered clear areas where we could precede forward a mile or two then another debris field would greet us and force us to a crawl before moving forward. We never completely got out of floating debris for the entire 66 mile trip. 

Pooles Bar



 

Debris





I was told by another boater that arrived at this marina after  we arrived that the debris fields extends from New York City to here. The flooding from the hurricanes (Irene & Lee) has left its mark! Our decision to stay put and to winter over at this location is a wise decision.



Turkey Point



We will sit at the dock until the marina can haul Moor $tuff from the water and place her on land. At this 

Along the way

time not knowing the marinas schedule Barb and I don’t know when we will get home!
 





Entering the C&D Canal

C&D Canal

A little rain in the C&D Canal

Arriving at Delaware City Marina



Delaware City Marina



Friday, September 9, 2011

76°30.005’ W

39°09.253’ N

Maryland Yacht Club

Pasadena, Maryland

Barb and I are waiting for the weather to improve before moving on to Delaware City Marina. Tomorrow’s weather is looking good for us to move on!



View of the docks at MYC



We had dinner at the club with people we had met on our dock. The food was good and the atmosphere first class. This club has a lot to offer AGLCA members and could possibility be a location we stay at when returning to the Chesapeake Bay in the spring!

Stay tuned for tomorrows adventure!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

76°30.005’ W

39°09.253’ N

Maryland Yacht Club

Pasadena, Maryland

Leaving Baltimore



Oops!


We continue to have very rainy weather! Baltimore had more than 6 inches last night and every county around us is flooding or on alert. Barb and I took advantage of a break in the bad weather and moved the boat to the mouth of the Patapsco River where it meets the Chesapeake. The water in the Patapsco River was brown in color and filled with debris. Considering the number of ships we encountered going into Baltimore this trip was void of all shipping!

Cleaning up the river!



Lonely on the river



We have positioned ourselves to make the run to the Delaware City Marina in two days. Because of the continuing bad weather and the earliest the marina could haul us would be Monday we will stay here two nights hoping the weather will improve for our 70 mile run.





Francis Scott Key buoy



Maryland Yacht Club in sight!



The photo attached is of a small boat that sank last night during the down pour! I was told the boat had two new 250 HP Mercury engines installed the week before!

 

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, September 5, 6 & 7, 2011

76°36.087’ W

39°16.901’ N

Inner Harbor East Marina

Baltimore, Maryland

The weather here is less than perfect - rain and more rain! We will wait out the weather and depart Baltimore the first chance we get!



Greg - Leslie - Barb - Skip



One bright spot we experienced while waiting for the weather to break is our friends Greg and Leslie Marsh called us while they were visiting family in Maryland. They drove to the marina and treated Barb and I to lunch. Their boat is presently moored in the Florida Keys but will start moving north come spring. Maybe we will get a chance to cruise together next season!

The boat will be stored at Delaware City Marina a two day cruise from here. Once there, Barb and I will need two or three days to get the boat ready for storage, then rent a car to haul our “$tuff“ home!

VIDEO TAKEN AT THE FINAL RACE SEPT. 4, 2011

Sunday, September 4, 2011

76°36.087’ W

39°16.901’ N

Inner Harbor East Marina

Baltimore, Maryland



Dolphin Program

We spent the morning at the National Aquarium which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary. This is another must see attraction when visiting Baltimore. This institution is 

National Aquarium

a show stopper and well worth the admission!



One of many exhibits



Exhibit



As we were leaving a water front restaurant where we had lunch we saw the fly over that was a signal that the race was about to start. We went to our favorite viewing site and watched the race in the heat and noise before walking to the bar at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse that was quiet, air conditioned had a working washroom and wide screen TV that we watched the race on!



Related to the flamingo



View of Inner Harbor



Race Day - another lucky shot!

Race Day

Tomorrow we will search for a location to store our boat for the winter season. The location we were going to store the boat at would be difficult to reach due to the hurricane last week!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

76°36.087’ W

39°16.901’ N

Inner Harbor East Marina

Baltimore, Maryland



Federal Hill

Barb and I had another great day in Baltimore! We purchased a water taxi pass for the day 

Fort McHenry

and headed out. First stop was Fort McHenry National Monument which was the fort that stopped the British Fleet from entering Baltimore. Francis Scott Key watched the battle then composed "The Star Spangled Banner" our National Anthem. If you ever have a chance to visit the fort please do it - it’s a must see! 

Fort McHenry

 



Fells Point



We took another water taxi to Fells Point a waterfront neighborhood where we walked the streets, found a corner pub where I had a bucket of steamed mussels! From there, we went back to where the day started and watched a little of the race.



Lucky shot!



Dinner was in Little Italy a three block walk from the marina. With the race in town white linen tables lined the side walks filled with very happy patrons. To add to the ambiance of the Grand Prix and the festivities of Little Italy there were two Ferraris and a Lamborghini parked in front of the restaurant.

Wow!!

THE BALTIMORE GRAND PRIX - 9-3-2011

Friday, September 2, 2011

76°36.087’ W

39°16.901’ N

Inner Harbor East Marina

Baltimore, Maryland



Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse



USS Constellation

Barb and I haven’t been able to purchase tickets for the Grand Prix but I’m not sure we need too! There are plenty of locations that the race can be viewed from, and all are close to food and beverage! Today was a practice day and tomorrow a few short races will be run.



Tomorrow we plan to take a water taxi to visit Fort McHenry then to Baltimore’s world class National Aquarium.



Baltimore Grand Prix



Baltimore Grand Prix



I toured two ships in Baltimore’s Maritime museum collection. The first was the USS Constellation the last commissioned sailing ship in the US Navy. The other was a light ship, the Lightship Chesapeake (LS 116). Barb has seen all of the ships she needed to, so she waited patiently on a park bench while I looked around the old ships.

Lighthship 166 "Chesapeake"



USCGC Taney