Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 6:00 am
This morning was spent showering, packing and cleaning up the stateroom and head we'd been using all week. We were off the boat and on our way to the airport by 8 am and in the air before 9 am. We flew in a very small airplane - just big enough for three people and their gear or four people with very little baggage. The first part of the flight from Paducah, KY to Quincy, IL took a little over 1-1/2 hours and was very smooth with clear skies. The second half, from Quincy to Mason City, took a little less time but we ran into clouds in central Iowa giving us a bumpier ride. We arrived at Mason City at 12:36 pm. The flight wasn't terrible, but both Gale and Maureen were happy to be on the ground at home. We unpacked, drove to Mason City for groceries, brought the groceries back home and then took off for Hampton so we could pick up Lucy at the vet's kennel. She had been staying with Dennis, Gale's park manager, until Friday when he dropped her off at the vet's so he could go camping with his girlfriend. Lucy was very happy to see us!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008 - 6:45 am
Gale and Mark brought the dinghy on board, checked the systems and we pulled anchor at 7:30 am. It was another gorgeous morning and we were expecting temperatures in the 80's again. Diane and Maureen worked on completing the parts inventory for the boat. Mark made an excellent tuna salad for lunch while Diane captained. In fact, Diane drove most of the afternoon while Gale and Mark worked on the dinghy and other projects around the boat.
We approached Lock 52 on the Ohio River late in the afternoon. The lockmaster was good enough to let us lock through in one of the chambers ordinarily reserved for barges because it was so close to getting dark and he wanted to help us get through before sunset. This is a very busy lock and there were many barges waiting for their turn in the chamber. By the time the lock gates were opened to let us out, the sun was setting and it was getting dark quickly. Our plan was to find the city dock at the end of Main Street in Paducah which was just past the bridge and behind Owens Island. With Adventure's spotlight, descriptions we had from reference materials and the various GPS units on board, we were able to guess where the dock should be. The greatest help of all was having our airplane pilot, Mark Halvorson, waiting for us on shore in his rental car flashing the headlights at us. Without his assistance, it would have been even more stressful than it was trying to find the dock. We secured Adventure at the town dock and put an end to the fishing that had been going on. There were probably four or five people fishing, but they indicated they were getting ready to quit anyway. One gentleman said he'd been there all day and only caught three fish.
We welcomed Mark Halvorson aboard and enjoyed some wonderful filets, roasted potatoes and squash and cocktails, of course. It had been a long day and Gale and Maureen were planning to fly out early the next morning, so we were all headed for bed right after dinner. Our total trip on the rivers (Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee) was about 700 miles in 8 days.
Gale and Mark brought the dinghy on board, checked the systems and we pulled anchor at 7:30 am. It was another gorgeous morning and we were expecting temperatures in the 80's again. Diane and Maureen worked on completing the parts inventory for the boat. Mark made an excellent tuna salad for lunch while Diane captained. In fact, Diane drove most of the afternoon while Gale and Mark worked on the dinghy and other projects around the boat.
We approached Lock 52 on the Ohio River late in the afternoon. The lockmaster was good enough to let us lock through in one of the chambers ordinarily reserved for barges because it was so close to getting dark and he wanted to help us get through before sunset. This is a very busy lock and there were many barges waiting for their turn in the chamber. By the time the lock gates were opened to let us out, the sun was setting and it was getting dark quickly. Our plan was to find the city dock at the end of Main Street in Paducah which was just past the bridge and behind Owens Island. With Adventure's spotlight, descriptions we had from reference materials and the various GPS units on board, we were able to guess where the dock should be. The greatest help of all was having our airplane pilot, Mark Halvorson, waiting for us on shore in his rental car flashing the headlights at us. Without his assistance, it would have been even more stressful than it was trying to find the dock. We secured Adventure at the town dock and put an end to the fishing that had been going on. There were probably four or five people fishing, but they indicated they were getting ready to quit anyway. One gentleman said he'd been there all day and only caught three fish.
We welcomed Mark Halvorson aboard and enjoyed some wonderful filets, roasted potatoes and squash and cocktails, of course. It had been a long day and Gale and Maureen were planning to fly out early the next morning, so we were all headed for bed right after dinner. Our total trip on the rivers (Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee) was about 700 miles in 8 days.
Friday, October 10, 2008 - 6:45 am
It's going to be another sunny and warm day! Mark and Gale washed the bugs off the boat before casting off this morning. It was 8:30 am when we left the marina. When we got to Lock 27 above St. Louis we could see that the entrance was full of debris. There was no way around it so Mark headed in carefully and guided the boat around the bigger logs. There was actually a full grown deer floating with the trash! Yuk!! After the lock, we were headed through St. Louis and saw the Arch! This was a first for Maureen - whenever we have driven through St. Louis, Maureen has been driving and unable to do any sightseeing. Very cool!
Below St. Louis, the river became very wide, deep and fast. There was also a lot of barge traffic and big industrial operations along the river. Ordinarily Adventure travels at 10 kph, however, going down the river with the current, we were averaging 12 to 13 kph and made some very good time.
Diane made chicken stir fry for lunch. Late in the afternoon, Mark made hors d'oeuvres of lamb chops with a sweet sauce which were quite good. We covered over 100 miles today and then anchored behind a wing dam about 6 pm. After enjoying a nice steak dinner, we took the dinghy to the sandbar so Lucy (Holt's Morkie) could romp a bit. Mark and Diane brought a paper "wishing star" to the shore which they had picked up on a trip they made to Thailand three years ago. The four of us held on as Mark lit the "wick." Our wishes made, we let go of the star and watched it rise far up into the sky before its fire went out and we lost it to the night. What fun and what a perfect night to do this! To top off a perfect evening, we started a campfire on the beach and roasted marshmallows to make S'mores!
It's going to be another sunny and warm day! Mark and Gale washed the bugs off the boat before casting off this morning. It was 8:30 am when we left the marina. When we got to Lock 27 above St. Louis we could see that the entrance was full of debris. There was no way around it so Mark headed in carefully and guided the boat around the bigger logs. There was actually a full grown deer floating with the trash! Yuk!! After the lock, we were headed through St. Louis and saw the Arch! This was a first for Maureen - whenever we have driven through St. Louis, Maureen has been driving and unable to do any sightseeing. Very cool!
Below St. Louis, the river became very wide, deep and fast. There was also a lot of barge traffic and big industrial operations along the river. Ordinarily Adventure travels at 10 kph, however, going down the river with the current, we were averaging 12 to 13 kph and made some very good time.
Diane made chicken stir fry for lunch. Late in the afternoon, Mark made hors d'oeuvres of lamb chops with a sweet sauce which were quite good. We covered over 100 miles today and then anchored behind a wing dam about 6 pm. After enjoying a nice steak dinner, we took the dinghy to the sandbar so Lucy (Holt's Morkie) could romp a bit. Mark and Diane brought a paper "wishing star" to the shore which they had picked up on a trip they made to Thailand three years ago. The four of us held on as Mark lit the "wick." Our wishes made, we let go of the star and watched it rise far up into the sky before its fire went out and we lost it to the night. What fun and what a perfect night to do this! To top off a perfect evening, we started a campfire on the beach and roasted marshmallows to make S'mores!
Thursday, October 9, 2008 - 6:45 am
Mark and Gale were up early taking care of some chores in the engine room this morning. After completing their tasks, they took the dinghy out to do some fishing. The skies were bright and sunny and it felt like it was going to be a warm day. They didn't catch any fish, but they enjoyed their time on the water. We pulled anchor about 11 am and continued our southbound journey towing the dinghy behind the boat. While waiting to lock through one of the locks, Gale, who was piloting at the time, had to put the boat in reverse. We heard an unusual noise and realized the dinghy line had been cut. Fortunately, we were able to catch the bowline on the dinghy before it floated too far away and secure her to Adventure once again.
The afternoon warmed up into the 80's and we spent as much of our time outside as possible. We came into the marina at Alton, Illinois, just above Lock 26 and a short jaunt north of St. Louis, before 5 pm. After pumping out, we took an outside slip and had a great view of the highway bridge. Diane made margaritas and we enjoyed our drinks on the upper aft deck of the boat. After freshening our drinks, we walked the docks. Gale had spotted some "Loopers" when we came in and was interested in talking to them to hear where they've been and where they're headed. One couple was from McHenry, Illinois, and the other was from North Carolina.
After happy hour, we called the local grocery store and asked them to send their courtesy car to pick us up so we could gather a few provisions. Ian, a high school senior, was our man and he was good enough to run us back and forth, help carry the groceries into the boat and then deliver us to "Fast Eddie's Bon Air," a fun bar & grill, with a large open area and a live band. After consuming some chicken wings, beef kabobs and a few cocktails, Mark called Ian who was more than happy to pick us up and take us back to the boat. Ian was feeling pretty lucky that he had been working at the grocery store that night as Mark is a very generous tipper!
Mark and Gale were up early taking care of some chores in the engine room this morning. After completing their tasks, they took the dinghy out to do some fishing. The skies were bright and sunny and it felt like it was going to be a warm day. They didn't catch any fish, but they enjoyed their time on the water. We pulled anchor about 11 am and continued our southbound journey towing the dinghy behind the boat. While waiting to lock through one of the locks, Gale, who was piloting at the time, had to put the boat in reverse. We heard an unusual noise and realized the dinghy line had been cut. Fortunately, we were able to catch the bowline on the dinghy before it floated too far away and secure her to Adventure once again.
The afternoon warmed up into the 80's and we spent as much of our time outside as possible. We came into the marina at Alton, Illinois, just above Lock 26 and a short jaunt north of St. Louis, before 5 pm. After pumping out, we took an outside slip and had a great view of the highway bridge. Diane made margaritas and we enjoyed our drinks on the upper aft deck of the boat. After freshening our drinks, we walked the docks. Gale had spotted some "Loopers" when we came in and was interested in talking to them to hear where they've been and where they're headed. One couple was from McHenry, Illinois, and the other was from North Carolina.
After happy hour, we called the local grocery store and asked them to send their courtesy car to pick us up so we could gather a few provisions. Ian, a high school senior, was our man and he was good enough to run us back and forth, help carry the groceries into the boat and then deliver us to "Fast Eddie's Bon Air," a fun bar & grill, with a large open area and a live band. After consuming some chicken wings, beef kabobs and a few cocktails, Mark called Ian who was more than happy to pick us up and take us back to the boat. Ian was feeling pretty lucky that he had been working at the grocery store that night as Mark is a very generous tipper!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 6:30 am
Everyone is up early again and we are going to have clear sunny skies today! There is a pretty good breeze making it feel like the temperature is about 45 degrees. The afternoon brought warmer temperatures and the wind calmed down so it was actually very nice sitting on the bow of the boat as we steamed down the river. We anchored the boat at 5 pm about 50 miles north of St. Louis in a beautiful cove near Sterling Island, MM 252. By 5:30 pm we were all in the dinghy and headed out to see the thousands of pelicans that were gathered on a few small patches in the middle of the river. On our way there, we explored some "cuts" back into what was called a hurricane hole - very quiet and protected waters. From there we headed up river at about 20 knots and suddenly there were fish flying in front of us, beside us and, most of all, in our wake. They were flying carp and hilarious to watch! One nearly landed in Diane's lap! It was an interesting ride. We really enjoyed this spot and hope to find it again someday.
Everyone is up early again and we are going to have clear sunny skies today! There is a pretty good breeze making it feel like the temperature is about 45 degrees. The afternoon brought warmer temperatures and the wind calmed down so it was actually very nice sitting on the bow of the boat as we steamed down the river. We anchored the boat at 5 pm about 50 miles north of St. Louis in a beautiful cove near Sterling Island, MM 252. By 5:30 pm we were all in the dinghy and headed out to see the thousands of pelicans that were gathered on a few small patches in the middle of the river. On our way there, we explored some "cuts" back into what was called a hurricane hole - very quiet and protected waters. From there we headed up river at about 20 knots and suddenly there were fish flying in front of us, beside us and, most of all, in our wake. They were flying carp and hilarious to watch! One nearly landed in Diane's lap! It was an interesting ride. We really enjoyed this spot and hope to find it again someday.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 6:30 am
Everybody's up early again. The sky is overcast but the temperature isn't bad - maybe in the 50's. One instrument that Adventure does not have is an outside thermometer! The rain we thought we might get last night did not materialize. We had a little trouble pulling the anchor this morning as it ended up twisted around making it difficult to get into the cradle. After allowing the anchor to drop again, it came up just fine and we were on our way before 7 am. It rained much of the day - our first lockthrough was especially wet! The rain let up mid-afternoon and by the time we quit, the weather wasn't too bad. The last lock we passed through was at Keokuk where the water level was lowered over 35 feet. It was Maureen's first experience with floating bollards that you had to tie a line to rather than holding onto a line from the top of the lock. Just a couple miles south of the lock, we found an anchoring spot off the main channel and watched the fog roll in. Looking around us we could see house boats as well as other boats up on the shore, mangled docks, trees and utility poles with water lines about 20 feet up the trunk or pole, and a very muddy shore. The worker at the last lock had told us the river had risen 28 feet during the flood in late June.
We had been smelling the roast Diane put in the crockpot this morning and we were all more than ready to enjoy it for dinner. We watched the second presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain while we drank wine and ate popcorn with candy corn! Does life get any better than that??
Everybody's up early again. The sky is overcast but the temperature isn't bad - maybe in the 50's. One instrument that Adventure does not have is an outside thermometer! The rain we thought we might get last night did not materialize. We had a little trouble pulling the anchor this morning as it ended up twisted around making it difficult to get into the cradle. After allowing the anchor to drop again, it came up just fine and we were on our way before 7 am. It rained much of the day - our first lockthrough was especially wet! The rain let up mid-afternoon and by the time we quit, the weather wasn't too bad. The last lock we passed through was at Keokuk where the water level was lowered over 35 feet. It was Maureen's first experience with floating bollards that you had to tie a line to rather than holding onto a line from the top of the lock. Just a couple miles south of the lock, we found an anchoring spot off the main channel and watched the fog roll in. Looking around us we could see house boats as well as other boats up on the shore, mangled docks, trees and utility poles with water lines about 20 feet up the trunk or pole, and a very muddy shore. The worker at the last lock had told us the river had risen 28 feet during the flood in late June.
We had been smelling the roast Diane put in the crockpot this morning and we were all more than ready to enjoy it for dinner. We watched the second presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain while we drank wine and ate popcorn with candy corn! Does life get any better than that??
Monday, October 6, 2008 - 6:30 am
It seems warmer today - maybe 50 degrees this morning with partly cloudy skies. Gale and Mark were up early checking all the systems and making preparations for today's journey. We left Sabula about 7:30 am. It turned out to be a beautiful day with sunshine and temperatures in the 70's. Diane and Maureen did some cleaning inside the cabin. Diane tried out her new mini stair stepper and we even got in a little yoga session. We stopped earlier than usual tonight as it looked like there might be some weather coming in and anchored in a little cut by the Muscatine Power and Light plant. Mark and Diane had anchored here on their way up the river and knew there would be enough depth and some protection. Mark made pomegranate martinis and the guys did a little fishing off the stern. Gale caught several small fish and Mark caught a couple, too. We learned from Gale that sheepshead fish had "rocks" in their heads. He cut two "rocks" (these appeared to be calcium deposits) out of two fish and said we should each keep a pair in our pocket for good luck. Dinner was beef shish kabob, rice and salad. Maureen was ready to go to bed right after dinner and wasn't much help with the dishes and cleanup - must have been that martini!
It seems warmer today - maybe 50 degrees this morning with partly cloudy skies. Gale and Mark were up early checking all the systems and making preparations for today's journey. We left Sabula about 7:30 am. It turned out to be a beautiful day with sunshine and temperatures in the 70's. Diane and Maureen did some cleaning inside the cabin. Diane tried out her new mini stair stepper and we even got in a little yoga session. We stopped earlier than usual tonight as it looked like there might be some weather coming in and anchored in a little cut by the Muscatine Power and Light plant. Mark and Diane had anchored here on their way up the river and knew there would be enough depth and some protection. Mark made pomegranate martinis and the guys did a little fishing off the stern. Gale caught several small fish and Mark caught a couple, too. We learned from Gale that sheepshead fish had "rocks" in their heads. He cut two "rocks" (these appeared to be calcium deposits) out of two fish and said we should each keep a pair in our pocket for good luck. Dinner was beef shish kabob, rice and salad. Maureen was ready to go to bed right after dinner and wasn't much help with the dishes and cleanup - must have been that martini!
Sunday, October 5, 2008 - 6:30 am
We're up before sunrise today. There was some rain last night and it is raining this morning. The temperature is probably in the low to mid 40's. We pulled anchor and were on our way before 8 am. Around 10 am we actually had snow in the air! Good thing we're going south!! There was rain off and on but the weather did improve throughout the day.
We pulled up to the city dock at Sabula, Iowa, before 6:00 pm. The boat was longer than the dock! Anyway, a couple of guys came running down to help us from the "Driftwood Lounge" up the street and we drew quite a crowd by the time we tied off. After securing the boat, we had a couple of cocktails and a nice dinner on the boat of chicken breast, sweet potatoes and asparagus before heading up to the bar for a beer. The Holts challenged the Goransons to a game of pool. Maureen learned that Gale was a pretty talented pool player - we might have had a chance if she'd been able to sink anything! It was back to the boat and to bed at 10:30 pm.
We're up before sunrise today. There was some rain last night and it is raining this morning. The temperature is probably in the low to mid 40's. We pulled anchor and were on our way before 8 am. Around 10 am we actually had snow in the air! Good thing we're going south!! There was rain off and on but the weather did improve throughout the day.
We pulled up to the city dock at Sabula, Iowa, before 6:00 pm. The boat was longer than the dock! Anyway, a couple of guys came running down to help us from the "Driftwood Lounge" up the street and we drew quite a crowd by the time we tied off. After securing the boat, we had a couple of cocktails and a nice dinner on the boat of chicken breast, sweet potatoes and asparagus before heading up to the bar for a beer. The Holts challenged the Goransons to a game of pool. Maureen learned that Gale was a pretty talented pool player - we might have had a chance if she'd been able to sink anything! It was back to the boat and to bed at 10:30 pm.
Saturday, October 4, 2008 - 7:30 am
This portion of our adventure will be aboard Adventure, the 62-foot Nordhavn trawler owned by Mark and Diane Holt of Mason City. Gale and Maureen spent a week with the Holt's on their new boat last May as they moved Adventure across the Gulf of Mexico from Sarasota, Florida to Mobile, Alabama. After we left them, they continued up the inland waterways and kept the boat in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, for the summer. It is now time to move her back down to Florida.
We met Mark and Diane at the Mason City airport this morning shortly before 8 am. It was a bright and sunny morning; the temperature was probably around 50 degrees and we hoped to see mid 60's today. We flew with them in a 7-seater airplane to LaCrosse. Our pilot was Todd Kyle and also flying with us was Mark Halvorson who will be picking Gale and Maureen up in Paducah, Kentucky, next weekend to fly us back to Mason City. It's nice to have friends with airplanes! When we approached LaCrosse, the fog rolled in and we thought we were going to have to land in Hudson, Minnesota and drive to LaCrosse, however, the fog parted enough to allow us to land. We all piled into a van at the airport and were driven to the marina.
At 11 am we pulled away from the dock and headed south down the Mississippi River. Shortly after noon, Diane made Bloody Marys and we enjoyed an afternoon of cruising and visiting in Adventure's wheelhouse. We anchored at Schmidt Island, McGregor, Iowa, just north of where the Wisconsin River enters the Mississippi. After a wonderful dinner of salmon, broccoli, potatoes, salad and wine, we were in bed around 10:30 pm.
This portion of our adventure will be aboard Adventure, the 62-foot Nordhavn trawler owned by Mark and Diane Holt of Mason City. Gale and Maureen spent a week with the Holt's on their new boat last May as they moved Adventure across the Gulf of Mexico from Sarasota, Florida to Mobile, Alabama. After we left them, they continued up the inland waterways and kept the boat in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, for the summer. It is now time to move her back down to Florida.
We met Mark and Diane at the Mason City airport this morning shortly before 8 am. It was a bright and sunny morning; the temperature was probably around 50 degrees and we hoped to see mid 60's today. We flew with them in a 7-seater airplane to LaCrosse. Our pilot was Todd Kyle and also flying with us was Mark Halvorson who will be picking Gale and Maureen up in Paducah, Kentucky, next weekend to fly us back to Mason City. It's nice to have friends with airplanes! When we approached LaCrosse, the fog rolled in and we thought we were going to have to land in Hudson, Minnesota and drive to LaCrosse, however, the fog parted enough to allow us to land. We all piled into a van at the airport and were driven to the marina.
At 11 am we pulled away from the dock and headed south down the Mississippi River. Shortly after noon, Diane made Bloody Marys and we enjoyed an afternoon of cruising and visiting in Adventure's wheelhouse. We anchored at Schmidt Island, McGregor, Iowa, just north of where the Wisconsin River enters the Mississippi. After a wonderful dinner of salmon, broccoli, potatoes, salad and wine, we were in bed around 10:30 pm.
Monday, September 22, 2008 - 7:00 am
We drove all day and arrived at the home of Maureen's son and daughter-in-law, Dan & Julie, in Aurora, Illinois, just before 6 pm. The route we took through Chicago turned out to be a good one as far as rush hour traffic goes. (Thank you, Grace - our GPS!) Gale and Dan picked up some Chinese food which everyone really enjoyed. Dan and Julie had invited us to stay the night so we had a little wine, visited for awhile and then all went up to bed.
We drove all day and arrived at the home of Maureen's son and daughter-in-law, Dan & Julie, in Aurora, Illinois, just before 6 pm. The route we took through Chicago turned out to be a good one as far as rush hour traffic goes. (Thank you, Grace - our GPS!) Gale and Dan picked up some Chinese food which everyone really enjoyed. Dan and Julie had invited us to stay the night so we had a little wine, visited for awhile and then all went up to bed.
Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 9:00 am
Gale and I stopped for some breakfast at When Pigs Fly restaurant in Waterford, CT. It was a beautiful morning so we had a terrific breakfast out on the front deck in the sunshine. We picked Casey up a little after 10 am and decided to go for a drive and find a place to relax. Casey took us to Rocky Neck State Park and we found a place near the beach, put out some blankets and took naps, read or studied. It was difficult to leave because we were having such a great time, but we needed to get on the road and Casey had homework to do. We left for home about 4:00 pm and drove as far as Danville, PA in eastern Pennsylvania where we found accommodations at the Red Roof Inn.
Gale and I stopped for some breakfast at When Pigs Fly restaurant in Waterford, CT. It was a beautiful morning so we had a terrific breakfast out on the front deck in the sunshine. We picked Casey up a little after 10 am and decided to go for a drive and find a place to relax. Casey took us to Rocky Neck State Park and we found a place near the beach, put out some blankets and took naps, read or studied. It was difficult to leave because we were having such a great time, but we needed to get on the road and Casey had homework to do. We left for home about 4:00 pm and drove as far as Danville, PA in eastern Pennsylvania where we found accommodations at the Red Roof Inn.
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 9:00 am
We arrived at the USCGA by 9:00 am so that we could watch the cadets march on the field at 9:30 am for the Parents' Weekend review. This was a very impressive display with the band, the lower classmen carrying their rifles, the senior cadets with their swords and the color guard. This event lasted until about 10:45 am. At 11:00 am we attended a meeting for the parents of seniors and any interested cadets to learn about graduation week and what is planned. After the meeting, Casey took us to his room where he enjoys an expansive view of the Thames River. We had some lunch and then watched the cadets march onto the football field before the game at 1:30 pm. During the football game, Casey gave us a tour of the Academy grounds which included the chapel, the sailing school, his classrooms and a small, quiet area outside with a fountain. After the football game, we decided to leave the grounds and visit a vineyard. It was after 4:00 pm when we arrived and the vineyard was closing at 5:00 pm. They were preparing for an outdoor wedding and they could not have had a nicer day or more beautiful setting. After leaving the vineyard, we continued to drive north and checked out a beach in Rhode Island where Gale talked to a guy who recommended we have dinner at Spain Restaurant in Narragansett, RI, and since they were going that way anyway, we could follow them. It was a good thing they led us to the restaurant as we probably would have given up before we found it! It was, indeed, an excellent dinner. Afterwards, we drove back to the Academy to drop Casey off for the evening and headed for the Clinton Motel.
We arrived at the USCGA by 9:00 am so that we could watch the cadets march on the field at 9:30 am for the Parents' Weekend review. This was a very impressive display with the band, the lower classmen carrying their rifles, the senior cadets with their swords and the color guard. This event lasted until about 10:45 am. At 11:00 am we attended a meeting for the parents of seniors and any interested cadets to learn about graduation week and what is planned. After the meeting, Casey took us to his room where he enjoys an expansive view of the Thames River. We had some lunch and then watched the cadets march onto the football field before the game at 1:30 pm. During the football game, Casey gave us a tour of the Academy grounds which included the chapel, the sailing school, his classrooms and a small, quiet area outside with a fountain. After the football game, we decided to leave the grounds and visit a vineyard. It was after 4:00 pm when we arrived and the vineyard was closing at 5:00 pm. They were preparing for an outdoor wedding and they could not have had a nicer day or more beautiful setting. After leaving the vineyard, we continued to drive north and checked out a beach in Rhode Island where Gale talked to a guy who recommended we have dinner at Spain Restaurant in Narragansett, RI, and since they were going that way anyway, we could follow them. It was a good thing they led us to the restaurant as we probably would have given up before we found it! It was, indeed, an excellent dinner. Afterwards, we drove back to the Academy to drop Casey off for the evening and headed for the Clinton Motel.
Friday, September 19, 2008 - 5:30 am
Gale was up early this morning in order to finish covering the boat before we drove to New London to see Casey. Maureen stayed back at the motel and enjoyed some time to read and relax. It was just before 10:00 am when we headed out and we arrived in New London around 5:00 pm. We met Casey at the Academy and he drove us to Noah's Restaurant in Stonington. We had a very nice dinner and an enjoyable time visiting. We stayed at the Clinton Motel in Clinton, Connecticut, both Friday and Saturday nights. (Note for future: nice room, inexpensive, internet available)
Gale was up early this morning in order to finish covering the boat before we drove to New London to see Casey. Maureen stayed back at the motel and enjoyed some time to read and relax. It was just before 10:00 am when we headed out and we arrived in New London around 5:00 pm. We met Casey at the Academy and he drove us to Noah's Restaurant in Stonington. We had a very nice dinner and an enjoyable time visiting. We stayed at the Clinton Motel in Clinton, Connecticut, both Friday and Saturday nights. (Note for future: nice room, inexpensive, internet available)
Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 7:00 am
Our first stop this morning was at West Marine in Newark, Delaware, to pick up two small solar panels to power the batteries over the winter. We also stopped at a Pathmark grocery store to pick up a few personal items and then at Home Depot for some tarps and supplies we needed to cover the boat a little better. Upon arrival at the marina we decided to walk downtown hoping to take the ferry across to one of the state parks before we got all sweaty and dirty. It turned out the ferries run only on the weekends after Labor Day so we did our chores and took some measurements inside the boat. We had a light dinner at Crabby Dicks and returned to the motel room.
Our first stop this morning was at West Marine in Newark, Delaware, to pick up two small solar panels to power the batteries over the winter. We also stopped at a Pathmark grocery store to pick up a few personal items and then at Home Depot for some tarps and supplies we needed to cover the boat a little better. Upon arrival at the marina we decided to walk downtown hoping to take the ferry across to one of the state parks before we got all sweaty and dirty. It turned out the ferries run only on the weekends after Labor Day so we did our chores and took some measurements inside the boat. We had a light dinner at Crabby Dicks and returned to the motel room.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 6:00 am
We pulled into the Delaware City Marina around 6:00 pm. The owner, Tim, was relaxing on the deck patio and was quite surprised to see us! He said that if he'd known we were coming he would have put Blue Heron in the water! We told him we appreciated that but we wouldn't be here long enough to enjoy anytime sailing.
The first thing we did upon entering the cabin was to find the paddle Mark and Marge gave us last June and read the inscription Mark had written on the back: "Maureen and Gale: Congratulations on your new home on the water. May the Blue Heron take you safely to all ports on your travels. Mark & Marge 6/2008." What a wonderful and welcome sentiment!! Thank you, Mark and Marge!
After spending a little time checking things out and deciding what chores we hoped to accomplish tomorrow, we found ourselves at Crabby Dick's for cocktails and some dinner. We shared the tuna entree and it was excellent! We are staying two nights at the Days Inn in Newark, DE.
We pulled into the Delaware City Marina around 6:00 pm. The owner, Tim, was relaxing on the deck patio and was quite surprised to see us! He said that if he'd known we were coming he would have put Blue Heron in the water! We told him we appreciated that but we wouldn't be here long enough to enjoy anytime sailing.
The first thing we did upon entering the cabin was to find the paddle Mark and Marge gave us last June and read the inscription Mark had written on the back: "Maureen and Gale: Congratulations on your new home on the water. May the Blue Heron take you safely to all ports on your travels. Mark & Marge 6/2008." What a wonderful and welcome sentiment!! Thank you, Mark and Marge!
After spending a little time checking things out and deciding what chores we hoped to accomplish tomorrow, we found ourselves at Crabby Dick's for cocktails and some dinner. We shared the tuna entree and it was excellent! We are staying two nights at the Days Inn in Newark, DE.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 3:30 pm
This week we are heading to New London, Connecticut, to spend some time with Casey during Parents' Weekend at the Coast Guard Academy. Before going to New London, however, our plan is to stop in Delaware City to check on the boat and do any additional winter storage preparations we feel are needed. Gale had to work today, so it was 3:30 pm before we hit the road. We slept about four or five hours in a rest stop somewhere in Ohio.
This week we are heading to New London, Connecticut, to spend some time with Casey during Parents' Weekend at the Coast Guard Academy. Before going to New London, however, our plan is to stop in Delaware City to check on the boat and do any additional winter storage preparations we feel are needed. Gale had to work today, so it was 3:30 pm before we hit the road. We slept about four or five hours in a rest stop somewhere in Ohio.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 6:00 am
It is a beautiful, sunny day and time to get in the car and head west. We made several phone calls along the way and learned about the record flooding that had been happening back in Iowa. The reports called it a "500-year flood." At a rest stop in Illinois, we ran into Bill Cavanaugh, a classmate of ours living in Charles City, who described the last week and said that he and his wife lost all of the contents of their home on the Cedar River and will have to do some extensive repairs. We got home around 10:45 pm after taking a detour through Parkersburg so Gale could show me the devastation from the Memorial Day weekend F5 tornado. The rain started just as we pulled into our garage, but we had enough time to get the car unloaded before the thunderstorm really hit. Mileage from Delaware City to Clear Lake was 1150 miles.
It is a beautiful, sunny day and time to get in the car and head west. We made several phone calls along the way and learned about the record flooding that had been happening back in Iowa. The reports called it a "500-year flood." At a rest stop in Illinois, we ran into Bill Cavanaugh, a classmate of ours living in Charles City, who described the last week and said that he and his wife lost all of the contents of their home on the Cedar River and will have to do some extensive repairs. We got home around 10:45 pm after taking a detour through Parkersburg so Gale could show me the devastation from the Memorial Day weekend F5 tornado. The rain started just as we pulled into our garage, but we had enough time to get the car unloaded before the thunderstorm really hit. Mileage from Delaware City to Clear Lake was 1150 miles.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - 6:00 am
We're up early today to get Blue Heron ready for the haul out. Gale began winterizing boat chores while Maureen covered the windows with aluminum foil to try to block out the sun. At 9:30 am, Charlie and Keith were in charge of getting the boat on the lift and then setting it on the blocks for storage. Everything went well. Blue Heron was put up on blocks and we spent the rest of the day on the hard preparing her for the extended storage period.
It was extremely hot again today and the humidity was even higher than it had been. Gale purged and winterized all the systems. We took the sails down, removed the solar panel and secured everything down. We worked in temperatures over 100 degrees and had a hard time staying hydrated.
Note for future: Regina and Steve, Serendipity, an old sailboat with purple strip. They were tied to the dock near us at the Delaware City Marina and will be anchored off Christmas Tree Island in Key West in case we run into them someday.
At 5:30 pm we took showers and left the marina. We drove until 10:00 pm and found a room at a Motel 6 on the very western edge of Maryland.
We're up early today to get Blue Heron ready for the haul out. Gale began winterizing boat chores while Maureen covered the windows with aluminum foil to try to block out the sun. At 9:30 am, Charlie and Keith were in charge of getting the boat on the lift and then setting it on the blocks for storage. Everything went well. Blue Heron was put up on blocks and we spent the rest of the day on the hard preparing her for the extended storage period.
It was extremely hot again today and the humidity was even higher than it had been. Gale purged and winterized all the systems. We took the sails down, removed the solar panel and secured everything down. We worked in temperatures over 100 degrees and had a hard time staying hydrated.
Note for future: Regina and Steve, Serendipity, an old sailboat with purple strip. They were tied to the dock near us at the Delaware City Marina and will be anchored off Christmas Tree Island in Key West in case we run into them someday.
At 5:30 pm we took showers and left the marina. We drove until 10:00 pm and found a room at a Motel 6 on the very western edge of Maryland.
Monday, June 9, 2008 - 6:30 am
We pulled out of our slip at 7:45 am. We had less than 20 miles to go today so our plan was to get to the Delaware City Marina by noon. As we headed out of the mouth of the Bohemia River, we heard a loud blast from a boat and then began to see the boat steaming south coming out of the Elk River. It was a huge white boat and looked new. The sun was shining on the boat and making it sparkle! It wasn't long before we were headed up the Elk River ourselves and into the C & D Canal. Delaware City is located on the "old" original canal and we found the marina with a little help from Captain Charlie, the guy working at the time. We docked the boat and started the air conditioner as the temperature was approaching 100 degrees again!
This afternoon, Gale changed the engine oil and performed some other chores on the boat while Maureen drew and cut patterns for cabin rugs. Masters Floors has indicated they can make the rugs for us. About 5:30 pm, a large sailboat came in to dock beside us. Gale was out on the dock with the marina owner, Tim, and another boater. Maureen was inside and saw the boat coming at her looking like it was going to run right into Blue Heron! She got up and went outside and grabbed onto this other boat's handrail to try to guide it away from our boat. We heard slight crunching sounds; fortunately, we had three bumpers along the dock, the sailboat ran into our rub rail on the port side stern at an angle and pushed us up against the floating dock. The captain of the sailboat was by himself and not very apologetic after the accident. Tim helped us look over the boat for damage and also listened to Gale's comments about what happened. Gale was particularly upset that the guy did not seem to care or take responsibility for his maneuvering. Tim indicated that he was not surprised since the guy was from New York. In fact, he asked us where we were from and when we said Iowa, he understood why we were so surprised that the sailboat captain wasn't more apologetic.
After wrapping up on the chores we had been working on, we decided to shower and drive downtown to find something to eat. We were told to try Crabby Dick's at the Delaware City Hotel and, also, to be sure to order a margarita as they make a very good one. Maureen ordered a margarita (rated a 7 on a scale of 10), Gale had beer, and we ate salads, soup and bread for supper. It was a very enjoyable evening. We headed back to the boat for another glass of wine and went to bed at 10:30 pm.
We pulled out of our slip at 7:45 am. We had less than 20 miles to go today so our plan was to get to the Delaware City Marina by noon. As we headed out of the mouth of the Bohemia River, we heard a loud blast from a boat and then began to see the boat steaming south coming out of the Elk River. It was a huge white boat and looked new. The sun was shining on the boat and making it sparkle! It wasn't long before we were headed up the Elk River ourselves and into the C & D Canal. Delaware City is located on the "old" original canal and we found the marina with a little help from Captain Charlie, the guy working at the time. We docked the boat and started the air conditioner as the temperature was approaching 100 degrees again!
This afternoon, Gale changed the engine oil and performed some other chores on the boat while Maureen drew and cut patterns for cabin rugs. Masters Floors has indicated they can make the rugs for us. About 5:30 pm, a large sailboat came in to dock beside us. Gale was out on the dock with the marina owner, Tim, and another boater. Maureen was inside and saw the boat coming at her looking like it was going to run right into Blue Heron! She got up and went outside and grabbed onto this other boat's handrail to try to guide it away from our boat. We heard slight crunching sounds; fortunately, we had three bumpers along the dock, the sailboat ran into our rub rail on the port side stern at an angle and pushed us up against the floating dock. The captain of the sailboat was by himself and not very apologetic after the accident. Tim helped us look over the boat for damage and also listened to Gale's comments about what happened. Gale was particularly upset that the guy did not seem to care or take responsibility for his maneuvering. Tim indicated that he was not surprised since the guy was from New York. In fact, he asked us where we were from and when we said Iowa, he understood why we were so surprised that the sailboat captain wasn't more apologetic.
After wrapping up on the chores we had been working on, we decided to shower and drive downtown to find something to eat. We were told to try Crabby Dick's at the Delaware City Hotel and, also, to be sure to order a margarita as they make a very good one. Maureen ordered a margarita (rated a 7 on a scale of 10), Gale had beer, and we ate salads, soup and bread for supper. It was a very enjoyable evening. We headed back to the boat for another glass of wine and went to bed at 10:30 pm.
Sunday, June 8, 2008 - 7:15 am
Today is Gale's 54th birthday! At this time next year he will be officially retired!
We enjoyed relaxing at the marina this morning. It was probably in the mid to upper 70's when we got up; there was a bit of a breeze blowing and it was clear. We had a very nice breakfast and took our time leaving the slip. It is likely that we will stop here again someday. Gale's sandals went missing this morning. We think Carol, our dock neighbor, might have picked them up assuming they belonged to her husband, Ian.
It was 12:30 pm when we left the marina and it must have been close to 100 degrees already! There was minimal wind with clear skies. We tried to sail with the headsail, but the wind was behind us and very light. Maureen wanted to get to the next marina before it got too late in the day - the heat was pretty bad. We motored about 29 miles today.
At 6:30 pm we arrived at Bohemia Anchorage Marina which is located up the Bohemia River right next to the highway bridge - a bridge that Blue Heron cannot clear. They had shore power but not much else in the way of amenities. The owner stopped by around 7:30 pm and said that they don't usually have transient cruisers - maybe one or two all year. He told us that there were showers but he hadn't had time to clean them yet this year because of the late spring and because he had been so busy. We opted out of checking out the showers but were grateful to have electricity to run the air conditioner!! The owner offered to drive Gale up to the little store so he could pick up some water and whatever else he might find interesting. When he returned, we had a little birthday party on the boat with champagne, turkey & cheese sandwiches and birthday cake. Gale opened his gifts and he was very happy with the Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship book and Bodylastics workout bands!
Today is Gale's 54th birthday! At this time next year he will be officially retired!
We enjoyed relaxing at the marina this morning. It was probably in the mid to upper 70's when we got up; there was a bit of a breeze blowing and it was clear. We had a very nice breakfast and took our time leaving the slip. It is likely that we will stop here again someday. Gale's sandals went missing this morning. We think Carol, our dock neighbor, might have picked them up assuming they belonged to her husband, Ian.
It was 12:30 pm when we left the marina and it must have been close to 100 degrees already! There was minimal wind with clear skies. We tried to sail with the headsail, but the wind was behind us and very light. Maureen wanted to get to the next marina before it got too late in the day - the heat was pretty bad. We motored about 29 miles today.
At 6:30 pm we arrived at Bohemia Anchorage Marina which is located up the Bohemia River right next to the highway bridge - a bridge that Blue Heron cannot clear. They had shore power but not much else in the way of amenities. The owner stopped by around 7:30 pm and said that they don't usually have transient cruisers - maybe one or two all year. He told us that there were showers but he hadn't had time to clean them yet this year because of the late spring and because he had been so busy. We opted out of checking out the showers but were grateful to have electricity to run the air conditioner!! The owner offered to drive Gale up to the little store so he could pick up some water and whatever else he might find interesting. When he returned, we had a little birthday party on the boat with champagne, turkey & cheese sandwiches and birthday cake. Gale opened his gifts and he was very happy with the Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship book and Bodylastics workout bands!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008 - 6:30 am
Today is the day we begin our trip up the Chesapeake Bay to Delaware City Marina. The temperature is expected to reach 100 degrees today, tomorrow and Monday, the three days we have before we haul out Blue Heron. The temperature this morning is moderate, 70 degrees perhaps, and it is foggy. We were hoping to get an early start out on the water, but decide to wait for the fog to lift -- especially since we are unfamiliar with the area. We took a walk up the road to the 7-11 store for some coffee and sundries. When we returned to the boat, the fog was beginning to lift. At 10:00 am we threw off the dock lines and backed out of the slip! As we approached the bay, we could see that the fog was much thicker there. Other boats were sort of "hanging out" waiting for better visibility. It really was too dangerous for us to head out -- especially without radar -- so we chose to stay where we were and wait. We motored in place for 3-1/2 hours!! The fog just did not want to burn off. The good side of all of this was that the fog kept the heat back. Finally, at 1:30 pm we decided to go for it. Visibility was getting better and we knew it couldn't be much longer before it was clear.
We hoped to get to Tolchester Marina today which is located just north of Rock Hall, Maryland. The marina is 20 miles north of the Bay Bridge where we began our journey and 30 miles south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Gale experienced some frustration with the instruments and making a proper heading: the handheld compass and the compass on the binoculars matched, but the compass on the boat, the digital compass and the GPS compass all read differently. We were told that the digital compass and the boat compass will need to be calibrated with a GPS. This is something we will do next spring.
The afternoon temperature did reach 100 degrees but we were comfortable on the boat with a breeze and the cover of the hard bimini. There was no sailing done today since what little wind we could find was coming from directly behind us. At 5:02 pm, we tried to call the Tolchester Marina, but there was no answer. We were afraid that we might not be able to find a slip there so started checking with some of the other marinas. There was a marina in Rock Hall that had some slips available, but when we looked at the map, we determined that we were already past their harbor and decided to continue to Tolchester. We were pretty sure that we would be able to get at least an anchorage at Fairlee Creek which was even further north if there was nothing in Tolchester, although it would probably be 8:00 pm before we would get that far. At 7:00 pm, and after motoring about 25 miles, we pulled into the Tolchester Marina and they were able to accommodate us for the night. There was a small bar on the Bay a few yards from our slip where we got a sandwich, a beer and a spectacular view of the lightning show. Our slip neighbors, Ian and Carol, helped us to prepare for the storm. A big gust of wind blew through, but no rain and no further storms for the night. We learned in the morning that Rock Hall was hit pretty hard! Again, good fortune smiled on us.
Today is the day we begin our trip up the Chesapeake Bay to Delaware City Marina. The temperature is expected to reach 100 degrees today, tomorrow and Monday, the three days we have before we haul out Blue Heron. The temperature this morning is moderate, 70 degrees perhaps, and it is foggy. We were hoping to get an early start out on the water, but decide to wait for the fog to lift -- especially since we are unfamiliar with the area. We took a walk up the road to the 7-11 store for some coffee and sundries. When we returned to the boat, the fog was beginning to lift. At 10:00 am we threw off the dock lines and backed out of the slip! As we approached the bay, we could see that the fog was much thicker there. Other boats were sort of "hanging out" waiting for better visibility. It really was too dangerous for us to head out -- especially without radar -- so we chose to stay where we were and wait. We motored in place for 3-1/2 hours!! The fog just did not want to burn off. The good side of all of this was that the fog kept the heat back. Finally, at 1:30 pm we decided to go for it. Visibility was getting better and we knew it couldn't be much longer before it was clear.
We hoped to get to Tolchester Marina today which is located just north of Rock Hall, Maryland. The marina is 20 miles north of the Bay Bridge where we began our journey and 30 miles south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Gale experienced some frustration with the instruments and making a proper heading: the handheld compass and the compass on the binoculars matched, but the compass on the boat, the digital compass and the GPS compass all read differently. We were told that the digital compass and the boat compass will need to be calibrated with a GPS. This is something we will do next spring.
The afternoon temperature did reach 100 degrees but we were comfortable on the boat with a breeze and the cover of the hard bimini. There was no sailing done today since what little wind we could find was coming from directly behind us. At 5:02 pm, we tried to call the Tolchester Marina, but there was no answer. We were afraid that we might not be able to find a slip there so started checking with some of the other marinas. There was a marina in Rock Hall that had some slips available, but when we looked at the map, we determined that we were already past their harbor and decided to continue to Tolchester. We were pretty sure that we would be able to get at least an anchorage at Fairlee Creek which was even further north if there was nothing in Tolchester, although it would probably be 8:00 pm before we would get that far. At 7:00 pm, and after motoring about 25 miles, we pulled into the Tolchester Marina and they were able to accommodate us for the night. There was a small bar on the Bay a few yards from our slip where we got a sandwich, a beer and a spectacular view of the lightning show. Our slip neighbors, Ian and Carol, helped us to prepare for the storm. A big gust of wind blew through, but no rain and no further storms for the night. We learned in the morning that Rock Hall was hit pretty hard! Again, good fortune smiled on us.
June 6, 2008 - Christening Ceremony - 7:00 pm
Maureen memorized the little ceremony and it went like this:
"Let it be recorded that on this date, June 6, 2008, and forevermore, this fine vessel will be named Blue Heron. I christen this ship, Blue Heron. May she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her."
Using a bottle of champagne enclosed in two ladies knee high hosiery, Maureen tries to break the bottle on the anchor at the bow giving it two really hard whacks. She was unable to break the bottle, so Gale tried, but not before wrapping an old rag around the bottle neck. It took him a couple of tries, but, at last, it did break into many pieces. The boat was showered with champagne. The toasts were next.
Two glasses of almond champagne were poured.
Maureen: "First, a toast to the Captain, my Captain. May he guide Blue Heron easily and expertly over the water and bring all who sail on her safely back to port."
Gale: "A toast to my wife, and lovely First Mate."
Gale and Maureen: "Now a toast to Blue Heron."
Maureen: "And, finally, we will place this silver dollar aboard Blue Heron and keep it in a safe place as a good luck charm and as a symbol of generosity to her to show her that we will care for her and attend to her every need and desire."
After the ceremony, we had some cheese and crackers along with our champagne. Gale called his mom and dad to share the experience and let them know we were safe. He also called Bob Schaut.
Maureen was in bed before the sun went down (a little champagne and a busy few days will do that) and Gale stayed up until midnight plotting our course to Delaware City.
Maureen memorized the little ceremony and it went like this:
"Let it be recorded that on this date, June 6, 2008, and forevermore, this fine vessel will be named Blue Heron. I christen this ship, Blue Heron. May she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her."
Using a bottle of champagne enclosed in two ladies knee high hosiery, Maureen tries to break the bottle on the anchor at the bow giving it two really hard whacks. She was unable to break the bottle, so Gale tried, but not before wrapping an old rag around the bottle neck. It took him a couple of tries, but, at last, it did break into many pieces. The boat was showered with champagne. The toasts were next.
Two glasses of almond champagne were poured.
Maureen: "First, a toast to the Captain, my Captain. May he guide Blue Heron easily and expertly over the water and bring all who sail on her safely back to port."
Gale: "A toast to my wife, and lovely First Mate."
Gale and Maureen: "Now a toast to Blue Heron."
Maureen: "And, finally, we will place this silver dollar aboard Blue Heron and keep it in a safe place as a good luck charm and as a symbol of generosity to her to show her that we will care for her and attend to her every need and desire."
After the ceremony, we had some cheese and crackers along with our champagne. Gale called his mom and dad to share the experience and let them know we were safe. He also called Bob Schaut.
Maureen was in bed before the sun went down (a little champagne and a busy few days will do that) and Gale stayed up until midnight plotting our course to Delaware City.
Friday, June 6, 2008 - 5:00 am
We're up early today so that we can make the trip to Delaware to register the boat, drop off our Toyota at the marina in Delaware City and still have time left to run errands and provision the boat for our trip north on the Chesapeake Bay. Maureen is leading the way in the Toyota using "Grace" (the name we have given our Magellan GPS unit) while Gale follows in the rental car. Since we did get such an early start, Gale suggested that our first stop be the Delaware City Marina where we will leave our car. No one was around at 8:00 am, but we checked out what we could and found the facilities to be just fine. Delaware City is a very small town, but the marina is full service and looks like a nice place to spend some time. From here we headed 30 miles south to Dover, the state capitol, to find the DNR Fish and Wildlife Division where we registered the boat. We got a little nervous when the clerk didn't seem very comfortable with us registering the boat in her state, but she got past that and all of the necessary paperwork was completed.
We returned to Blue Heron at the Performance Cruising dock at 11:30 am. Gale stayed to start working on our "To Do" list while Maureen headed to the grocery store to pick up a few items for the weekend. At 3:00 pm, we were back in the car and headed for Fawcett's to do some shopping. Wayne was very helpful here -- he and his wife are cruisers now, but he actually managed this store for five years and had a lot of knowledge about cruising needs. Because we only had a very short time to shop and we intend to buy quite a few more things (many large items) when we return next May, Wayne gave us the special buying break for this shopping trip and told us to save the coupon we received from Performance Cruising until next year since it is only good for 30 days from the date you make your first purchase. Wonderful!
A few more errands to do: find some pattern paper to make patterns for boat rugs, stop at a hardware store for a few items, find an automotive store to pick up a battery tender to keep the batteries charged over the winter and return the rental car. Wiith all of that done, the Enterprise people gave us a ride back to the boat where we arrived a little after 5:00 pm. We worked on putting our provisions away and then it was time for the "Christening Ceremony."
We're up early today so that we can make the trip to Delaware to register the boat, drop off our Toyota at the marina in Delaware City and still have time left to run errands and provision the boat for our trip north on the Chesapeake Bay. Maureen is leading the way in the Toyota using "Grace" (the name we have given our Magellan GPS unit) while Gale follows in the rental car. Since we did get such an early start, Gale suggested that our first stop be the Delaware City Marina where we will leave our car. No one was around at 8:00 am, but we checked out what we could and found the facilities to be just fine. Delaware City is a very small town, but the marina is full service and looks like a nice place to spend some time. From here we headed 30 miles south to Dover, the state capitol, to find the DNR Fish and Wildlife Division where we registered the boat. We got a little nervous when the clerk didn't seem very comfortable with us registering the boat in her state, but she got past that and all of the necessary paperwork was completed.
We returned to Blue Heron at the Performance Cruising dock at 11:30 am. Gale stayed to start working on our "To Do" list while Maureen headed to the grocery store to pick up a few items for the weekend. At 3:00 pm, we were back in the car and headed for Fawcett's to do some shopping. Wayne was very helpful here -- he and his wife are cruisers now, but he actually managed this store for five years and had a lot of knowledge about cruising needs. Because we only had a very short time to shop and we intend to buy quite a few more things (many large items) when we return next May, Wayne gave us the special buying break for this shopping trip and told us to save the coupon we received from Performance Cruising until next year since it is only good for 30 days from the date you make your first purchase. Wonderful!
A few more errands to do: find some pattern paper to make patterns for boat rugs, stop at a hardware store for a few items, find an automotive store to pick up a battery tender to keep the batteries charged over the winter and return the rental car. Wiith all of that done, the Enterprise people gave us a ride back to the boat where we arrived a little after 5:00 pm. We worked on putting our provisions away and then it was time for the "Christening Ceremony."
Thursday, June 5, 2008 - 8:30 am
We met Will, Tony and Sue Smith's son-in-law, at Performance Cruising for the handover orientation at 8:30 am. This was our first glimpse of Blue Heron - and she is beautiful!! Her logo and name are very striking! It was certainly worth the extra effort (and cost) to have the artwork and lettering done. Our hailing port on the transom is Delaware City, DE. We did have to have Brendon, the sign guy, come back and change the spelling, however. He had put "DELEWARE CITY" so the second "E" had to be changed to "A". Sue Smith shared a little note about Brendon with us -- he is dyslexic! When we entered the cabin, there were two Performance Cruising t-shirts, two red caps from "Sail" and a small blue paddle that said "Welcome Aboard." We thought all of these items were from Performance Cruising. It turns out that Maureen's brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Marge, had the paddle sent to Performance Cruising and asked them to place it on board for our arrival. Mark told us that he had written something on the back but we never turned it over! We'll be sure to check it out the next time we are aboard Blue Heron.
The morning orientation went very well. Gale had many questions while Maureen tried to absorb all of the information. After lunch, Will took us out on Chesapeake Bay for a short "shake down" cruise. There was a little bit of wind -- 6 knots or so. Blue Heron handled easily and Gale brought her back into the slip like an expererienced Captain.
We finished our handover at 4:30 pm and decided to find Enterprise Car Rental to pick up the vehicle we had reserved for our trip to Delaware tomorrow. After dropping the rental car back at Performance Cruising, we headed downtown again hoping to do a bit of shopping at Fawcett's, a marine supply store. The shop was already closed by the time we arrived, so we stopped at a pub for some cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Then it was back to the boat to spend our first night aboard Blue Heron.
We met Will, Tony and Sue Smith's son-in-law, at Performance Cruising for the handover orientation at 8:30 am. This was our first glimpse of Blue Heron - and she is beautiful!! Her logo and name are very striking! It was certainly worth the extra effort (and cost) to have the artwork and lettering done. Our hailing port on the transom is Delaware City, DE. We did have to have Brendon, the sign guy, come back and change the spelling, however. He had put "DELEWARE CITY" so the second "E" had to be changed to "A". Sue Smith shared a little note about Brendon with us -- he is dyslexic! When we entered the cabin, there were two Performance Cruising t-shirts, two red caps from "Sail" and a small blue paddle that said "Welcome Aboard." We thought all of these items were from Performance Cruising. It turns out that Maureen's brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Marge, had the paddle sent to Performance Cruising and asked them to place it on board for our arrival. Mark told us that he had written something on the back but we never turned it over! We'll be sure to check it out the next time we are aboard Blue Heron.
The morning orientation went very well. Gale had many questions while Maureen tried to absorb all of the information. After lunch, Will took us out on Chesapeake Bay for a short "shake down" cruise. There was a little bit of wind -- 6 knots or so. Blue Heron handled easily and Gale brought her back into the slip like an expererienced Captain.
We finished our handover at 4:30 pm and decided to find Enterprise Car Rental to pick up the vehicle we had reserved for our trip to Delaware tomorrow. After dropping the rental car back at Performance Cruising, we headed downtown again hoping to do a bit of shopping at Fawcett's, a marine supply store. The shop was already closed by the time we arrived, so we stopped at a pub for some cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Then it was back to the boat to spend our first night aboard Blue Heron.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - 5:45 am
After a four-hour nap, we grabbed some coffee, washed our faces and continued down the road. It was 4:00 pm when we checked into the Comfort Inn in Annapolis. At 4:15 pm, a strong thunderstorm hit. Two tornados touched down in the Chesapeake area that evening. Fortunately, there were only strong winds and hail at our location. After the storm, we headed to downtown Annapolis to find some food and have a cocktail. Two more quick thunderstorms came through as we sat and watched from the comfort of the tavern.
After a four-hour nap, we grabbed some coffee, washed our faces and continued down the road. It was 4:00 pm when we checked into the Comfort Inn in Annapolis. At 4:15 pm, a strong thunderstorm hit. Two tornados touched down in the Chesapeake area that evening. Fortunately, there were only strong winds and hail at our location. After the storm, we headed to downtown Annapolis to find some food and have a cocktail. Two more quick thunderstorms came through as we sat and watched from the comfort of the tavern.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - 1:00 pm
We're off! The GPS is set to take us to Performance Cruising and we have 1,100 miles to go to get there. We are headed for Annapolis, Maryland, to take possession of our new catamaran, Blue Heron - a 34 foot sailboat, Gemini 105MC, Hull #1034.
The morning began with a downpour around 5:30 am and then the rain moved out. It is still a cool day, around 65 degrees. After stopping for some coffee, our first destination is Iowa City. Kelle is in the third week of a three-week summer class (Matrix Algebra) and is leaving for Houston on Saturday to spend the summer with Mark and Eric. He has an internship at a law firm in downtown Houston which Mark was able to arrange for him.
We met Kelle around 4:00 pm and enjoyed a sandwich on the steps of the old Capitol building. We were back in the car at 5:00 pm and took turns driving. We pulled into a rest stop along the turnpike in Pennsylvania at 1:30 am (Eastern time).
We're off! The GPS is set to take us to Performance Cruising and we have 1,100 miles to go to get there. We are headed for Annapolis, Maryland, to take possession of our new catamaran, Blue Heron - a 34 foot sailboat, Gemini 105MC, Hull #1034.
The morning began with a downpour around 5:30 am and then the rain moved out. It is still a cool day, around 65 degrees. After stopping for some coffee, our first destination is Iowa City. Kelle is in the third week of a three-week summer class (Matrix Algebra) and is leaving for Houston on Saturday to spend the summer with Mark and Eric. He has an internship at a law firm in downtown Houston which Mark was able to arrange for him.
We met Kelle around 4:00 pm and enjoyed a sandwich on the steps of the old Capitol building. We were back in the car at 5:00 pm and took turns driving. We pulled into a rest stop along the turnpike in Pennsylvania at 1:30 am (Eastern time).
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