Thursday, May 24, 2012

74°54.348’ W

38°57.066’ N

Utsch’s Marina

Cape May, New Jersey

Today was a good time for all. Carl and Ricki’s boat has been repaired and is ready to move north.

The four of us took a cab into town. Lunch at the Ugly Mug was very good before taking a historical tour of the town on the red trolley. Much of the original town was destroyed by fire before being rebuilt during the Victorian era. The buildings are works of art with their ginger bread trim painted many colors.

Barb and I visited the local ACE Hardware store for some general supplies before returning to the boat.

Cape May claims to be the oldest vacation location in the US! This fact was told to me by our taxi driver ---- I’ll take his word considering the age of this town!

View of the beach in Cape May on Atlantic Ocean

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

74°54.348’ W

38°57.066’ N

Utsch’s Marina

Cape May, New Jersey

Today was a day spent watching the fog roll in and out of the harbor. The boat next to us waited for the fog to lift before departing the marina, only to return 45 minutes later when visibility went to zero! A few of the larger boats did leave the marina to anchor out.



Lobster House



Carl is having his shift cables replaced after one of them broke while he was entering his slip. The marina had the cables and the mechanic should be done with the repair Thursday.

We had an excellent dinner at the Lobster House restaurant. The restaurant is one of the best in Cape May and the food, service and ambiance was five stars! We hope to return one more time before leaving.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

74°54.348’ W

38°57.066’ N

Utsch’s Marina

Cape May, New Jersey



Leaving Delaware City



Heading down Delaware Bay

Tim our weather guru at the Delaware City Marina said there was going to be a weather window so five boats departed for Cape May. Carl led the way down the Delaware Bay for 58 miles. The day was over cast with visible rain showers ten miles to either side of us but nothing overhead! The wind was quiet and the water flat, a perfect cruising day for the Delaware Bay. As we arrived at the entrance of the Cape May Canal into Cape May the sun came out welcoming us to New Jersey! An hour later after arriving at the marina, the fog rolled in for a short time preparing us for weather on the New Jersey Coast!

With the holiday close and rain predicted for the next few days we are not sure when we will get out of here. Tomorrow we’ll see the town then take it one day at a time.

 

Elbow of Cross Ledge Lighthouse

  

Miah Maull Shoal Lighthouse

Entering the Cape May Canal

Homes along the Canal

View in Cape May

Entrance into marina

Monday, May 21, 2012

75°35.417’ W

39°34.283’ N

Delaware City Marina

Delaware City, Delaware

We're sitting at the dock at the Delaware City Marina enjoying the company of Carl and Ricki Guthrie on their boat “QUEST”. They arrived late in the afternoon yesterday after a long run to catch up with us. Stan and Colleen departed Saturday and plan to move north at a quick pace before heading home to a short visit. With a little luck we all may meet again somewhere on the Erie Canal and cruise north together!

We are now waiting for a weather window to open up for we can cruise down Delaware Bay to Cape May, NJ before heading north up the East Coast of New Jersey. Tomorrow is our chance for good weather is looking good! Our short term goal is to leave the Atlantic Ocean and enter the Hudson River in the next few weeks.

Barb and I will cross our wake and complete The Great Loop as we pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at the entrance to the Hudson River in New York. One more item to cross off our personal bucket list!

Friday, May 18, 2012

75°35.417’ W

39°34.283’ N

Delaware City Marina

Delaware City, Delaware



Moor $tuff



Barb and I are back on our boat MOOR $TUFF. She was launched the morning of May 15^th after a seven month storage period.

 



Delaware City Canal House

Our arrival back in Delaware City was April 12^th. We were able to rent a small one bedroom apartment in the Delaware City Canal House just a few blocks from the marina. Living close made it very convenient and allowed us to complete all scheduled maintenance on our list. With lots of assistance from Charlie and Greg, the two mechanics on staff, the shaft seals were removed and replaced after encountering a lot of problems which the three of us resolved ------ leaving the boat in great shape.

In addition to working on the boat we made a quick trip back to Illinois (April 24) then returned to Delaware (April 30). A few days later (May 4) we drove to Williamsburg, Virginia and stayed with Barb and John Flint for two nights before driving to Norfolk, Virginia for the AGLCA spring rendezvous. We had the good fortune to stay on Colleen and Stan’s boat “Next Endeavor” for three nights (May 6, 7 & 8) before returning to the marina to continue working on the boat. While at the rendezvous, Barb and John Flint, Carl and Ricki Guthrie, Colleen and Stan Anderson all great boating friends that we traveled with during the past three years were there………which made it very special!

The morning of the May 16^th (also our 14^th wedding anniversary) was spent moving back onto our boat. Later in the day we checked all the systems before taking her out into the bay for a sea trial. With the props tuned and the pitch changed the boat has never preformed better! The generator was running rough so after the sea trial it became our next task! It felt good sleeping on the boat again.



Fort Delaware



Yesterday, May 17^th was spent trouble shooting the generator then chasing around town for parts. At this time all systems are 100% and the boat is ready for another season!

 

Barb and I are still putting finishing touches on our living quarters while enjoying Delaware and friends at the marina. Colleen and Stan have been here for a few days and plan to depart tomorrow weather permitting.



Today was a day of leisure spent visiting Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware Bay……….lunch at Crabby Dick’s………then happy hour on Next Endeavor.



Prison at Fort Delaware



Crabby Dick"s



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!