The Month of Maine

Wow. Here we are in Bath, Maine and already leaving this afternoon for Boothbay Harbor. It's almost our sixth day into our glorious month of August in Maine. My last blog was shortly after we arrived in Salem and consisted of all the stats generated by our trip up from Florida. So here's a quick catchup!

We had a great two months, docked in our usual spot in the center of things in Salem, just a quick trip to Marblehead. We did a lot of catching up on doctors and dental appointments, and knowing that we'll not be doing the trip down to Florida this fall,  enjoying the feeling of settling in and beginning to test our land legs. So far, no luck finding a suitable house in a tight real estate market, but as I tell myself, one of these days, the right thing will come along. So until then, we're going to enjoy ourselves aboard Carry On in Maine. There are three families of ducks who will be missing us and our swim platform!

We've had a wonderful time catching up with old friends, enjoying our local individual activities. A favorite for both of us is the Marblehead Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. I have become a tomato addict, starting with the early season ones grown in the shelter of water filled plastic cages. And the golden beets are a visual treat, as well as a healthy and delicious addition to dinner! We're continuing our Saturday morning market tradition here in Maine, beginning with last weekend's dockside market in Bath, Maine.

On an early morning walk through Salem, I became intrigued with Ziggy's Donuts, which has been there for 48 years, a tiny place with a half dozen stools and a lot of Salem character. It didn't take much to convince Paul to take a walk with a promise of donuts along the way. Now I'm afraid I'm responsible for a another addiction, although I tell myself that even if it takes a donut to get him out for a walk, the walk is still a good thing! And yes, the cheeseburger and the hotdog in the pic are donuts. We've had a lot of fun with these goodies, baiting unsuspecting children and friends to eat a cheeseburger for breakfast.

Soon enough we'll be back in Salem, enjoying the local color again, but meanwhile__ here's to Maine!

By the Numbers, Fort Lauderdale to Salem

Dep Ft Lauderdale   April 2

World Trade Center with New Spire and Crane

Arrive Salem           May 19

Nautical Miles     1679 nm

Statute Miles       1847 mi    

Engine Hours      247.7 total 

Mean Speed         6.8 knots

Fuel Est      1150 gal total *

                 =   .68 gal/ nm       

                 =  1.46 nm/ gal

                 =  4.64 gal/ hr 

Total Time        48 days

Lady Liberty on a Dreary Morning

Lay Days          22 days

Passage Days    26 days

Avg day     64.6 nm/ day

                   9.53 hrs/ day

* Inc generator use

Waiting

It's been a long, and seemingly continually growing period of waiting since we left Annapolis__ after a delightful week there, for me at least, while Paul was away in Cincinnati__ we headed across and up the Chesapeake Bay to Tolchester Marine to have a few service items completed before we resumed our trip north.

As luck would have it, the beautiful weather we enjoyed in Annapolis, which would also have been great traveling conditions, turned into a stretch of rainy days. While rain seldom stops us, the sea conditions along the NJ coast were definitely show stoppers. We began looking for places to hang out for a few days, with a little more excitement than Tolchester provided, deciding on Delaware City, which put us further north on our path and would be a new place for us.

We spent a quiet Thursday and Friday in Delaware City, docked in the narrow canal that runs
diagonally through the small grid of streets that make up the town. I will say this about Delaware City: while there's not much there, I can hardly think of another place that seems to be trying so hard to stay alive. Crab shacks of various degrees of elegance are the main attraction. Whoever owns Wiso's has a sense of humor and a commitment to recycling!

Our original plan called for only two nights in Delaware City, but our three trusted weather forecasts all showed wave heights growing to 8 or 9 ft.  We usually think it's reasonable to travel when forecasts  are 3 ft or below, maybe a bit higher depending on the direction. This obviously called for more waiting, as we just didn't/ don't really feel like getting beat up again on this trip!

So despite the scenic attractions of Delaware City, we decided to continue our wait up the river in Philadelphia.

That was a week ago tomorrow, when we hope to leave and resume our trek, but Philadelphia was a very good idea. We've enjoyed the city from Penn's Landing, in the same small marina as Admiral Dewey's* flagship, USS Olympia, which Paul finds quite thrilling! Although the weather still doesn't look quite as favorable as we'd like, we're ready and anxious to go.

Next stop on land, Salem.

* From Wikipedia, a little info on Admiral Dewey. He is famous for his victory at Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. For those of you with a Boston bent, during his long and illustrious career,  he also commanded the USS Constitution (1867-1870).

A Difficult Passage

It's always tricky to find a good weather window for a trip that will last more than 24 hours and cover a lot of mileage, as when traveling off shore from Ft Lauderdale to the north Florida border. We, Paul mostly, had done his homework, using several marine weather websites, including NOAA, and a paid weather router. And so we finally decided to cast off from our dock in Ft Lauderdale on the monday after Easter-- uh, that would be April 1, otherwise known as, well, you guessed it already.

We knew it would be rough getting out to the Gulf Stream from Port Everglades and it was, but once in the stream, we were moving well and it was comfortable enough, and we were into a period which the forecasts all agreed would be seas of 1-2 ft. So we figured we had paid our dues and set our course for Port Canaveral. Needless to say, conditions were not as forecast and we were treated to disorganized and high waves, at short intervals. Nasty stuff, with heavy spray and much discomfort for the crew. All this was compounded by fuel transfer issues, which finally caused us to head for St Augustine with only one engine. We would spend some period of each day the rest of the week, as this problem cascaded from one thing to another. After a big cleanup and a fuel polishing in Charleston, we have put that issue to bed.

A day or two later, when travel became normal again, to keep things in perspective, Paul read out loud to me the following passage from Blackett's War by Stephen Budiansky, ppg 151-152, describing the hastily built corvettes, used as escort vessels by the British in WWII.

"A scant 200 ft long, they carried a single 4-inch gun on the bow and racks of depth charges in the open stern. The bridge was open to the elements, too, save for a small enclosed wheelhouse and another boxlike cabin holding the asdic set. The Royal Navy's theory was that fresh air kept the watch awake and on their toes and that an enclosed bridge hindered visibility. In fact, in any bad weather standing watch was 'sheer unmitigated hell,' said one young Canadian officer. The ships were originally planned for a complement of 29 officers and men but that was increased to 47 and then 67, with the result that 55 enlisted men shared two 20-by-14 foot compartments, two toilets, one urinal, and three wash basins. There was no forced ventilation system and the first fifty ships that were built had no insulation either, which caused the walls to sweat with heavy condensation, causing epidemics of pneumonia and TB among their crews. In rough weather water simply slammed down through the standing ventilator pipes, flooding the mess decks and wardroom and washing up a tide of spilled food, sodden clothes, and loose gear in chaotic piles.

"The food was abominable. The only passage from the small galley, at the rear of the superstructure, to the bridge and the forward crew quarters was across an open well deck which was frequently swept by heavy seas, which meant meals arrived cold, if they arrived at all. The galley's small refrigerator could hold only five days' worth of fresh meat and vegetables, after which the menu settled into an invariable and dreary procession of canned sausages, canned corned beef, canned stew, hard biscuits, and tea.

"To add insult to injury, the corvettes had all been given the names of flowers: HMS Gladiolus, HMS Periwinkle, HMS Buttercup... It almost seemed seemed like a bad joke."

Despite another uncomfortable overnight outrunning weather  as we traveled up the Chesapeake Bay, we feel pampered by contrast aboard Carry On, with all her comforts, plus the luxuries of fleece and Gortex, GPS and  AIS. We're safely on the dock in Annapolis for a few days, where our broker is seeing to our needs and we're enjoying a beautiful, if chilly spring  here in this lovely town.

Last Day Here

Strangler Fig

It's Easter Sunday, our last day here in Fort Lauderdale, where we've been for the last three and a half months, the longest time we've spent anywhere. It took us a while to settle in here, but we have, and very pleasantly. There will be much that we will miss, not the least of which is the glorious weather we've enjoyed almost all winter. We've become accustomed to the warm days, the touch of coolness in the mornings and evenings and the afternoon breezes. It's been a long time since I wore real shoes and something that worries me about my ability to readjust to winters in New England.

For my part, I will miss my four favorite "walks" in the neighborhood and along the ocean. I continue to be fascinated by the strangler figs, which like the one above, can grow to impressive size along the residential streets. I will miss the yoga studio where I've been going to classes for the last six weeks. It's been a great introduction to yoga, a challenge physically with immediate benefits in reducing my stress level. I'll miss the office secretary and the assistant dock master, always ready to help, find our mail and chat when things are slow. I'll miss the variety of mega yachts, whose bow and stern thrusters signal their comings and goings, and the other passing sights on the ICW, like the fuel barge that hangs in the waterway near our marina, waiting to service the big boats.

Neighborhood Gas Station

Paul has his own list, but on it would be MacDonald's Hardware, our breakfasts out around town, our favorite bakery on Las Olas and his surreptitious lunches at Skyline Chili, the Cincinnati chain which has two outposts in the Fort Lauderdale area. When he heads out to do errands around 11 am, I know now to expect a call, announcing he has too much more to do to get home for lunch. I don't ask questions anymore! Actually I did take the picture below, and I have been known to indulge in the very occasional smaller five-way of my own.

The Pleasure of Skyline Chili

Now we're pretty much ready to leave tomorrow morning for an overnight off shore trip up to Port Canaveral, further if conditions are good and the crew feeling rested enough. We expect to be in Charleston in a week or so, and we'll spend a week there before continuing our journey north.

As Carry On is not sold yet, and we're very happy and comfortable living aboard, we'll continue to do so while we spend the summer in Salem again looking for a place to live on land__  the best of all worlds solution for us right now.

Remember you can watch our progress on the SPOT link at the top of the page, right hand side.

The Locals

We're still here in Fort Lauderdale, enjoying the gorgeous weather while we keep the boat spic and span for potential showings. Today we're enjoying a rainy day, really our first since we arrived here before Christmas, with cups of tea and hot chocolate, a nice alternative to our usual iced drinks. While we were watching the coverage of the recent blizzard in the Northeast, we were feeling a bit nostalgic for a good old fashioned snow day. Mostly, though, we wonder if we'll be able to adapt again to a New England winter!

Morning Shower, Iguana Style

We've settled in here at our marina, which is mostly very quiet, despite its proximity to a large aquatic complex, where swim teams work out from the wee hours of the morning until 8 pm. There are a couple of other live aboards down the dock from us, and then there is the real wild life.

A few years ago, the South Florida iguana population was decimated by severe cold. I remember arriving here shortly after that episode and hearing people tell stories about frozen iquanas falling out of trees and crashing through windshields. The population was slow to recover due to drought conditions, but it's pretty clear to me that they're back! Some days they seem to pop up everywhere__in the parking lot, in the middle of the road, on top of a tile roof, or sunning by a residential swimming pool. They are urban creatures. I'm not a big fan of reptiles in general, but checked them out in my National Aububon Society Field Guide to Florida anyway. Here's what it says, "5'.... "Can run upright on hindlegs. Looks frightening but is a docile vegetarian." I caught this small fellow enjoying the runoff of a drain one sunny morning, actually looking kind of cute.

Green Heron Intent on Fishing

I happened to look out the portlight in our stateroom late one afternoon as I was about to jump in the shower. I saw a furry looking clump on the dock line and couldn't figure out what it was, so I got dressed again, grabbed my camera and captured this charming bird. He ever so slowly crept up the dock line, slowly moved himself to a perch on the cleat and sat on the boat without moving for a couple of hours. We haven't seem him again on our lines, but he fishes on the rocks frequently when the tide is low. His attention to his fishing is complete, and it seems he can sit without moving for minutes at a time.

What's the Fuss?

And then there's my favorite local critter, who was very patient with the attendees at the Trawler Fest boat show a couple of weeks ago. Happily for Bubba, our broker is a cat person, who never fails to give him a little ear scratch and a few kind words. Life is good!

A Southern Christmas

It's still a little strange to me that Christmas here comes with 80 degree temps, shorts and tee shirts, and possibly a run up the river in the dinghy tomorrow. In a perverse way, I miss the snow and the cold this time of year. But only a little. It's easier to adopt what my niece's husband (and frequent boat visitor) calls the Florida attitude. 

To me that means paint the toenails, put on my flip flops, walk on the beach and try to remember to wear a sun hat! Another big part of the Florida scene are the boat parades all along the waterways at Christmas time. I've always wanted to see one, but we never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. 

This year we saw two-- the first quite by accident in Fort Pierce where these photos were taken and the second here in Fort Lauderdale was a bit more planned. We were fortunate to have the company of our niece and two of her friends join us for the last day of our southern trek, from North Palm Beach to our marina here in FTL. They were lots of fun and are old hands at parades, Mardi Gras or otherwise, and were smart and considerate enough to buy folding canvas chairs and stake out a place on the dock for us. We watched the parade in comfort, with a glass of wine perched in the arms of our chairs.

Since the parade last Saturday, we've begun to settle in here, as we expect to be here for a few months. A kind friend has loaned us a car, which we've been enjoying. We had given up on rentals, which are barely available here during the holidays and ridiculously expensive.

Paul has been working hard to get both of our computers back up and running properly, and I think mine is finally healthy, not to mention a great deal faster! 

Now we're ready to kick back and enjoy the holidays-- the red velvet cupcakes just came out of the oven, next I'll start the sauce for the pasta. We'll put on one of our Christmas CD's, pour a glass of wine and put aside our projects. 

And to all our you, we send our very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2013!

Warm At Last

Finally we are warm. It's been such a chilly, gray and damp fall, or maybe just that's the way it's felt to me, with the extra blast of weather from Sandy and the two week northeaster that followed on her heels. Finally we are out of our fleece jackets and layers of blankets at night and reveling in 80° temperatures in Fort Pierce. Out to dinner without a sweater or jacket, to the farmers market nearby in shorts-- it does feel good.

Finally, too, I'm back on line. My computer has been plagued by frozen screens and spinning balls. We think Paul has corrected at least the major problems and he's on standby to check out any quirky happenings before they become bigger problems. 

We've had an uneventful trip down since I last wrote three weeks ago from Wilmington, NC. North Carolina seems like a distant memory probably because while we've had so much gray and damp weather, the inland sounds and large rivers that can be so nasty were flat and pleasant to cross. We stopped in Charleston for Thanksgiving week and celebrated our anniversary there, remembering our honeymoon there 36 years ago. We also stopped in Hilton Head to visit an old friend and enjoy our favorite breakfast place on the entire east coast (that's the Sunrise Grill, if you're ever that way)!

Looks like Trouble

The Real Thing

As we were going up Broad Creek to our HH marina, we were rather alarmed by the AIS target in our path. That's the big blue ship shaped mark on the chart at right. We love our AIS (automatic satellite identification) which tells us the name, size, course and closest point and time of encounter with our boat. It is also sized on our chart in proportion to the size of the vessel. We trust it almost without question. And we still do, but it took a moment or two for Paul to realize that the captain of the vessel in question had clearly entered the wrong data for the size of his vessel! Still we looked for the biggest boat we could on the docks that we passed. 

Of course, when we located the vessel by the name on it's stern, it was this small blue cruiser, laying quietly at it's dock. We can only guess that the owner does not have the proportional size feature on his AIS! 

After a nice visit with our friend in HH, we left on a calm Sunday afternoon to travel outside overnight to Fernandina Inlet and Cumberland Island National Seashore anchorage. We had lots of company during the night, mostly sailboats taking advantage of the same quiet, moonlit conditions that enticed us. There have been few weather windows for going outside this fall, and this trip outside was a great opportunity to miss a couple of days of shoaling and bridges on the inside route.

Marineland Beach

We spent several nights between the National Seashore, Fernandina Beach and St Augustine, doing some errands and provisioning and enjoying a rendezvous with friends that we met last year in Jacksonville. The last stopover was Marineland, at a little marina that we almost passed over as it's so close to St Augustine. We're so glad we didn't. The marina operators who double as ecology tour leaders could not have been more delightful (the dockmaster reminded us of our nephew, never a bad thing to us!), the setting was so  not touristy (a great contrast to St Augustine) and there was one of the most spectacular (and deserted) beaches I've ever seen. It's unusual rock formations are coquina clams and other tiny shells that have combined over the centuries with the soft silica based rock there. Just beautiful!

Only two more days underway, interspersed by a few days in North Palm Beach, and we'll be in Fort Lauderdale. We'll spend at least three months there and I have to say that we're both looking forward to settling in for a while.

Sunrise, Sunset

Watching the Sun Rise

Good morning from rainy Wrightsville Beach. We're altering our routine this morning, which is a welcome change for all three crew members. Breakfast at the table for us and a game of fetch for Bubba. We have a short day planned today, largely so that we can ride the strong currents down the Cape Fear River rather than fight them. Today was to have been a lay day, a chance to walk on the beach, one of my favorites, but it's raining and very chilly, not yet 48°. Not so appealing.

Daybreak, Great Bridge, VA

After our enjoyable 6 weeks in Baltimore, we're anxious to keep moving. With the exception of three beautiful sunny days over the long Veterans Day weekend, it's been gray and chilly. Very chilly. My three turtlenecks, which were meant for foggy days in June in Maine, are in constant circulation. Fleece is the fabric of the day and of the night. We've moved the extra blankets from the guest stateroom onto our berths and I encourage Bubba to snuggle closer. The first move of the morning is a run to the generator, to start it and get some heat going.

We've seen a lot of early mornings. We're usually underway at 6 am, hauling anchor in the dark and tucking in at our anchorage for the night by sunset. Once we're in the routine, it's not a bad one. Despite the chill, we've had many days of almost glassy water. The shallow sounds, open bays and large rivers of North Carolina can be unpleasant when there's a lot of wind moving against the current, but our two long days traversing them were easy ones. Lots of open space, little traffic and easy piloting for the most part.

Black Bear Fording the Canal

As we cruised through the 21.2 mile land cut, the Alligator River- Pungo River Canal, on a quiet, sunny morning, Paul noticed something large swimming across the canal. When the creature was halfway, we realized that it was a young black bear. I think he was as surprised as we were, judging how quickly he hauled himself up the bank and disappeared into the woods! You can see him in the photo if you look for the little ears on the dark spot closest to shore, OK, it's not a great shot, but it's proof, right? Spotting him was definitely a thrill and a first for us and I can't remember other cruisers talking about such sightings.

Washing Chain, Gale Creek

All these early mornings, while not always so pleasant while washing down muddy chain and foredeck, have provided some beautiful sunrises. There's nothing quite like watching the sun rise, sipping coffee and thinking about the day ahead. I noticed most of my photos come from this part of the day, although we've seen some beautiful sunsets. I think we're always too busy anchoring and settling the boat before it's seriously dark to take the time to snap a photo. Maybe it's the time of day, but maybe the roses just smell sweeter in the morning.

Southbound__Almost!

our last morning in Baltimore and while it's still windy and chilly here in the aftermath of Sandy, we were spared the brunt of the hurricane that caused so much damage in so many areas. There are many things I've come to appreciate about Baltimore, but one at the top of my list right now is the protection the inner harbor offers in storms such as Sandy.

We did see lots of wind, with gusts of perhaps 50- 60 miles per hour, and lots of rain which came with a big chill down. While friends reported balmy temps in Boston much of the week, we haven't been much above 55 degrees here since Sunday. But we were safe throughout the storm, for which I was especially thankful as I was here on the boat without Paul who was away in Florida (what's wrong with this picture) at a long planned business meeting. My intrepid friend, who had scheduled a visit long before seeing a weather forecast, did not cancel and we rode out the storm together with lots of catching up, laughter and good meals. There were so many things here that I wanted to share with her, but we felt lucky that we could doll up in foul weather gear and hurry over to the hotel health club a block away!

Inner Harbor Marina from Federal Hill Park

I've been collecting some photos of things we've seen and done here and I'll start with the shot of our marina from the park across the road. We're near the center of the picture and if you can find the green hull, you've found Carry On!

Another thing we love about our urban experience is how easy it is to get around. The free hybrid buses run in a half dozen routes all over the downtown area every 15 minutes and they are a delight: clean, no graffiti and very quiet. In fact the whole city downtown is immaculate, a fact of pride for the city __Salem could learn a lesson or two.

Fort McHenry

If you remember your history better than I do, you'll know that Baltimore is home to Fort McHenry. The overnight onslaught of the British which was successfully held off by the local militia was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key's Oh Say Can You See. It actually had a few revisions along the way to produce what we all so immediately identify as our National Anthem. 

Baltimore is also the home of Edgar Allen Poe, which you probably would easily guess from all the purple jersey- wearing Ravens fans seen on game days.

At Ease on the Mess Deck

There are five historical ships
here in the inner harbor open for visiting. We toured the submarine Torsk and the Coast Guard Cutter Taney which was in Pearl Harbor and served for over 40 years after that. There's also the Constellation, a sister ship to the Constitution, our Boston institution.

Washington Monument in Mt Vernon

Our favorite neighborhood is Mount Vernon, home of the    Walters Art Museum, the Peabody Institute (a well respected music conservatory), the symphony and theatre venues. It's a lovely place to walk, even on a drizzly day, with beautiful newer, elegant row houses and condos, restaurants and a few small shops

The "Bus" at American Visionary Art Museum

And last, but not least, the American Visionary Art Museum, a jewel of a museum showcasing the work of self taught artists, sometimes called outsider art. The wonderful bus at right is just one feature of the outdoor works, a wonderfully whimsical mirrored mosaic with reflector lights, bits of ceramic and the odd plaster bunny and swan!

There are still things here that we didn't quite get around to doing, but it's time to move. It's getting cold and there's a reason people who live on boats go south for the winter. But before we get seriously on the move, we'll go to Solomons, MD, to see our boat guru Scotty for those few things we'd like him to do. Tonight we'll be on an anchor near Annapolis and I'll be encouraging Bubba to cuddle closer in my berth__Brrrr.

Trawler Fest Baltimore

It's a beautiful, clear and sunny day here in Baltimore, although it's more than a little crisp at just 44 degrees. We opted to stay here after the Trawler Fest show, thinking it would be a good base for a couple of business trips Paul needed to make and an enjoyable place to hang out for a while as well. After three weeks here, as an old friend would say, "we are not disappointed"! 

Elk River Anchorage at Sunrise

Getting here from Newport was less than fun, despite the company of our great nephew as we transited the East River through New York City. He's a sophomore at NYU and seems to know every tall building that we pass, and even without his local knowledge, it's always a special treat to have him on board. His visit was the highlight of an otherwise rough and exhausting trip down the Jersey shore, with 4-7 ft seas kicked up by Hurricane Nadine, who simply refused to move on. 

After regrouping in Cape May for an afternoon and evening, we crossed Delaware Bay and entered the C & D (Chesapeake and Delaware) Canal, breathing a sigh of relief to be in sheltered waters again. I always particularly enjoy the rural areas that we pass through before entering Chesapeake Bay__ even at sunrise hauling a muddy chain and anchor! And then a short day down the bay to Baltimore and again the now familiar rhythm of getting the boat ready for show. 

Trawlers on Display

The show ran from Thursday through Sunday, although the Trawler Fest seminars and events ended on Saturday. As our presence was not required on the dock until Sunday, Paul and I took the opportunity to begin our exploration of Baltimore and find the best marina option for our month long stay. We finally settled on the BMC Inner Harbor, for its location near the free Circulator buses, the water taxi, in slip pump out (always a practical consideration when you're living on board!) and the great October pricing special that made the our stay very reasonable, especially since we won't need a car most of the time.

Underwater Basket Weaving

Paul kept himself busy working on real estate business, as well as the presentation which he'll make at the end of the month in Florida (I'm staying here with Bubba and a friend from home to keep me company). For my part, I kept myself entertained by attending a few seminars, including an "underwater basket weaving" class__ underwater because all of the reeds must be soaked in order to be bent into shape. In less than an hour and a half, our unskilled class each turned out a reasonable looking basket. It was a fun group and the time went quickly, although I don't see any more basket weaving in my future! 

The show was busy, and attracted an audience who should be most interested in a boat such as Carry On. There were lots of boats on two docks and a surprising number of very large and expensive boats. We felt the show went well for us, but we're still waiting for that phone call with an offer.

Soon enough the show was over and we anchored out in Baltimore Harbor to enjoy the sunset. We were well settled in when we had a visit by the Harbor Police who told us we needed to move, as the area we were in was illegal, despite charts to the contrary. So we moved as directed just as it began to rain and with limited swinging room, reset our anchor a couple of times before it held. I had just put our dinner on the table and we were all set to toast the end of the boat shows, when the State Police boat signaled us and told us we needed to move yet again. ARGHH. He kindly agreed that we could eat dinner first, and as it was now pouring rain, we were thankful for that. Then after dinner, we moved again and finally settled in for the night. Not exactly relaxing!

Sunrise and Moonset, Baltimore Harbor

The next morning we were treated to the view shown on the right and then saw Carry On laying at anchor in a shot of the harbor on the local CBS station. We haven't quite figured out where the web cam is, but we see shots of our current marina and the alternate harbor view every morning before Charlie Rose, our current morning show favorite.

We're enjoying our stay here and have even had guests from Marblehead on board for a few days. Despite rainy and chilly days, we had a great time exploring museums and some of the neighborhoods, walking the beautifully laid out waterfront and enjoying some of the local restaurants. But more on all that later!

Boats, Boats and More Boats

I'm writing this morning from the Harbor View Marina in Baltimore, a huge marina and condo development offering a panoramic view of the harbor. It's quiet here this morning, but the docks are gradually filling with boats for the TrawlerFest show and tomorrow morning we hope it will be crawling with people shopping for their next boat. But first, back a couple of weeks to Newport and the brokerage show there.  

In retrospect, the two day trip from Salem down to Newport was not a bad one, despite forecasts of seas that seemed a little higher than normal. Entering Newport harbor to anchor out the night before moving into our show slip, we saw an AIS label (automatic identification satellite) pop up on our computer screen. Yes, it was our friends from last winter's dock in Jacksonville__ what a nice surprise, although I had thought and hoped they perhaps might be around for a day or two. Emails exchanged, then phone calls and by the end of the week, there was lunch and a couple of nice dinners together, including one on board their boat overlooking Newport's shoreline. Other friends from NH also visited the show and we had another nice meal out with them and their RI friends on Saturday night. There were a couple of receptions for exhibitors as well, so it we had a busy social schedule and a lot of fun. 

We waited most of the day scheduled for the show move- in until our time slot came and went. It was clear things were running behind schedule, despite the best efforts of the organizers. We had an interesting hour or so, moving slowly around the harbor, looking at the beautiful boats that fill Newport Harbor. And finally it was our turn to move into our slot in the raft.

The Raft

Imagine about 55 boats, tied stern to the dock, beam to beam and almost bow to bow__ that's the raft. It doesn't sound unusual to you boat show regulars, but let me tell you, it was something else to be part of the scene. By 5:30 pm, Carry On was finally situated, but as we left for dinner out at 7 pm, the big sailboats were still being wrestled into place in the twilight. 

HIgh Tea

We were surrounded by lovely boats. Off our bow were two unusual and beautiful offerings. High Tea, built in the 30's and presented in Bristol condition, and WanderBird, which we saw last year in Ft Lauderdale at TrawlerFest and most recently while on a boat ride around Marblehead Harbor with friends one evening when the New York Yacht Club was in town.

Master Stateroom, WanderBird

WanderBird was finished in just 2004, a custom boat built in the US at an enormous cost.  The estimates I heard ranged from $8-12 million. Tragically the owner for whom the boat was built died in a crash of his private plane shortly after the boat was completed. She is now in an estate and has been available for charter and up for sale for some time. What's interesting to us is the philosophies embodied in her design__ she has dry stack exhaust, paravanes for stabilization and even two ample twin berths in the master stateroom. No center island queen here! The list of specs is intimately familiar to us, as that's exactly what we have on Carry On, albeit in a far less luxurious embodiment.

The Newport shows were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather this year. From the set up days through the end on Sunday, it was clear, cool and crisp with sunshine sparkling off the water. We felt there was a lot of traffic from not just brokers as we had expected, but also from individuals, some of whom seemed to be in buying mode. 

The raft began to break up Sunday after 5 pm when the show closed. As we were planning a 6 am departure Monday morning, we were watching carefully as it became clear that most of the boats were not leaving as previously advertised. We finally decided it was all going to work out whatever, however and began looking at the scene with interest as docks were moved, boats pushed out and redocked with the aid of work boats. Of course all of this was more fun due to the graciousness of a gentleman who served wonderful heavy hors d'oeuvres in a tent on the dock with a great view of all the proceedings!

Paul's Next Boat

One of our amusements was looking at the fabulous boats in Newport Shipyard as we came in and out of the dock area. The boat on the right particularly captured our fancies. Her name is Scheherazade and we really don't know how long she is, but that's me standing in the middle by the jackstands, so you get the idea!

We did make our 6 am departure for a long day to Port Jefferson at the eastern end of Long Island, thanks in part to the help of a delivery captain who stayed on board with us during the show. He was a great help in putting Carry On in position to go the night the raft broke up, and we enjoyed swapping stories with him and sharing laughs __ a great diversion for Paul and me.

Now we're focusing on getting ready for the show which begins here tomorrow, but more coming soon on the rough trip down and TrawlerFest in Baltimore!

September Already

It seems as if I start almost every post by declaring, "it's hard to believe, but..." , but that's what I'm going to say again in regards to how fast the summer here has flown by. We're leaving Salem in just a few days, heading for the Newport Brokerage Boat Show which starts a week from today. Boat interest, not just for Carry On, but boats in general, seems to have been at a low last spring and over the summer, but we're hearing reports that boats may be beginning to sell. We hope so and even as I'm writing, a crew of three is detailing the exterior of the boat__ cleaning, polishing and buffing__ to make us "stand tall" for the show in Newport. Needless to say, Paul and I are working on the inside, clearing and cleaning, so much so that I'm afraid we may be so empty that we'll rattle underway!

It's been really nice to spend an extended period here in our home territory, watching the New England summer develop and lately begin it's wane into fall, seeing friends and getting back to some of our old favorite routines, even if it's just temporary. We know the resident "fishermen"__ the blue heron, the night heron we see occasionally, even the green heron I saw catching a crab on a piling one early morning. Mostly though, I have enjoyed the ducks and through them, marked the passage of time. 

Swimming Practice

In June, we first noticed the mother duck and her eight little ducklings. A friend warned me not to get too attached because certainly some of the small creatures would disappear due to predators. Although I'm still not sure what species those might be, he was right. In a few weeks, half the ducklings were gone. 

Often I would see them swimming in formation off the dock, sometimes the mother frantically trying to keep her children close by. It seemed there was always one who was under the dock or striking out on his own. The ducklings grew quickly, and one morning I came home from a walk to find the mother and four babies  resting on our swim platform. 

Adopted by Ducks

Over time it became clear that Carry On was the haul out of choice for the mom and her brood, and it has been a delight to see them roosting off our stern. 

For us, the summer has been a busy one, and although we have looked a lot of real estate and even thought we had found something suitable, we are still without a land home. We are at peace with the idea of renting for a while if Carry On sells before we find the perfect place, and  we, our friends and our realtor here will keep our eyes and ears open as we head south and do the things we need to do. Those things include the Newport Show and then the show at TrawlerFest in Baltimore, Paul's talk at a Business Process meeting in Florida at the end of October and then a move to Fort Lauderdale if the boat is not sold. So it may be yet one more trip down the waterway for us, another winter in Florida? Who knows? Stay tuned!

Almost Grown Up

Settling in for the Summer

Breakfast with the Birds

Hard to believe it — at least for us — that we've been in Salem for almost two weeks. Since my last post almost a month ago, we've spent 15  days traveling up from the River Dunes Marina in Pamlico, NC with only one layover day in Portsmouth, VA. We used up our planned lay days waiting for our engine repairs there, and faced with a deteriorating forecast for winds and waves, we struck out with intentions of doing some long days in order to arrive in Salem a few days before an old friend arrived from Tokyo to stay with us through the MIT Sloan School Reunion weekend. On the morning we left North Carolina, we were treated to these small and lovely birds sitting on our lifelines as we opened the salon curtains and began our preparations to get underway.

Massive Crane Delivery

Our first two days out were through several very large and shallow bodies of water: the Alligator River, the Pamlico, Currituck and Albemarle Sounds, all prone to choppy, nasty conditions when high winds and currents are in opposing directions. Our tactic was to get underway at first light and make as much progress as possible before the winds built up during the day, and for the most part, we were comfortable and able to read and knit underway. We heaved a sigh of relief when we reached the locks at Great Bridge, VA, but realized that we still had about 750 miles to go.

One of our favorite days is transiting Norfolk Harbor, which brings back memories as both of us lived in that area long ago, and always has lots of interesting things to see-- particularly for the captain, who really gets a kick out of seeing all the naval vessels docked there. On this particularly gray morning, we watched an immense crane being delivered by a team of three tugs. If you look at the blue cranes on shore, which are very tall and can be seen from far away, you get an idea of just how big this piece of equipment is — huge!

Carry On at Portsmouth Free Dock

As the next good stopping place was farther than we felt like going, we decided to check out the two free docks in Portsmouth, just across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, which we had read were great places for a layover-- and we were ready for a break. We found space at the second dock just as it began to rain and were helped with our lines by one of two  small Canadian power cats on either side of us. We were also ready for some company and invited both couples, one from Vancouver, the other from Ontario, over for drinks, planning to go out for dinner after they left. But as these things go, we all were having fun, wine was flowing and by the time they left, we were no longer very hungry or very excited about venturing out on such a drizzly night. So we stayed in, which turned out to be a very good decision. As we settled down for the night, we looked outside and discovered that at high tide, our free dock was 6 inches under water! 

We had a sunny morning the next day, good for an exploration of the historic homes near our dock, had lunch out and a catchup afternoon with good internet service, not always a given in the areas we had just covered. Then the next two days, back on plan, up through Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay to Solomons, MD, our usual stopover to rendezvous with Scotty, our boat guru. No Scotty, who was still in Florida this season, but a whirlwind afternoon to pick up the mail and packages waiting for us and a power grocery shopping trip in the ancient Mercedes courtesy car provided by the marina. In the hour limit for usage, we managed to reprovision for the next 11 days, including travel time!

Back on track the next day, up the Chesapeake to Still Pond. Up early again, through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, with an early stop so as not to fight adverse currents through the Delaware Bay. Then up very early, through the Bay, through the Delaware- Cape May Canal, through Cape May and all the way to Atlantic City. A long day, ending with a truly nasty stretch of seas before turning in to the relative calm of the anchorage off the bright casino lights. 

Freedom Tower and Lower Manhattan

By this point, the choice we faced was waiting for a week in Atlantic City for seas to calm down, or continuing to move despite a forecast of 3-5 ft seas. We opted for the later and were rewarded with a reasonable day of no more than 1 ft seas, arriving at our anchorage in the shelter of Coney Island on a hot summery feeling evening. The next day through New York harbor is always exhilarating, and our Memorial Day transit coincided with the end of Fleet Week and a visit by the tall ships. We've enjoyed watching the progress of the construction of the Freedom Tower, which now looks, at least from the outside, near completion.

Tall Ships at Fleet Week

We had planned to spend two nights in Port Washington on Long Island Sound, but opted to stay only one and continue up the Sound the next day to Duck Island Roads, a Connecticut anchorage. With an early start from Duck Island, we stopped early the next day, taking a mooring at a boatyard in Jamestown found for us by our old and dear friends, who took us out for a tour of their recently purchased Grand Banks and then for dinner. A welcome respite!

Almost home, just two long days to go, but motivated by the increasingly dire forecasts for high seas even near the coast. We felt fortunate to travel through Narraganset Bay and Buzzards Bay in calm conditions and opted to lengthen our day to make it all the way to Plymouth, by which time we were feeling gentle swells. Plymouth Harbor is a very long way in and we consciously decided not to seek better shelter than behind a small stretch of land extending out from the harbor. We still don't regret the decision, but it became increasingly obvious toward early morning that the sea conditions were not getting better. At 4:45 am, neither of us sleeping, we roused ourselves and were underway, even hauling 125 ft of chain, in less than 20 minutes-- a record for us, although we are very adept at a half hour departure straight out of bed!

It was not a pleasant morning. The seas were easily five feet, on our starboard quarter. Nasty, but all three of us, including Bubba, endured, realizing that we would be on the dock in Salem by noon. The nastiness lasted until an hour out from the dock when we reached some sheltering from Cape Ann and we were able to regroup, get dock lines ready and pull in the paravanes in relative calm. It was a beautiful sunny day here, and despite being exhausted, we were very happy to finally make our destination. We'll be here for the summer, where we can catch up with friends, look for a place to live on land, and make the boat more available for showing. We will miss Maine, but it's also really good to just settle in here for a while.