Ha! You can't get rid of us that easily. It has been so long since I have posted to the blog as we haven't had wifi, but let it be known that we are well, in tact and every day is a new adventure! We made the decision to leave Manesquam, NJ via the ICW. Big mistake. The winds in NJ never stop. 35 to 39 mph. We called the Coast Guard for advice to get into Barnegat Harbor. They said don't go. TowBoatUS picked up our call and monitored our entry. We bottomed out on the shoals, managed to get off where TowboatUS was rescueing another party. They guided us into anchorage. We stayed there for the big blow. There were no facilities, so we hired a taxi at $50.00 (never again) to get groceries and laundry done in Ship Bottom and Surf City. For real! The boat anchored next to us had its mast laid out on the hull, two men and two big dogs. Who knows what happened to them. I do not like New Jersey weather.
Anyway, we escaped there and headed for Atlantic City. Oh, I forgot. The anchor was caught on a cable. That was fun. Boat hook was handy, and those muscles Bill developed from lifting. We got into the harbor at Atlantic City and the anchoring location we expected to use was too shallow. The Coast Guard was called again and they have us great advice this round. Next day on the Cape May, NJ. We had to wait out the high winds here. Took the dinghy into shore and walked to town. Found a great restaurant for lunch and West Marine to replaced a grill part we lost in the high winds in Manesquam. Also a liquor store with scotch! Thank goodness we now have the grill operating again! Too many dishes without it!
October 14, 2009, Wednesday.
Hauled anchor at 8:30 a.m. and left Cape May, NJ through the Cape May Canal. Temperature was 40 degrees. At the end of the canal our fathometer read 2.9 ft. and we have 2.1 inch error - which gives us 4.10 inches, we draw 4.9 inches!!! Scary. Thank God we ran out of water that morning! So much for the chart's statement that the waters in the canal are maintained at 10 ft. Motor sailed with NE winds 18 to 22 mph up the Delaware Bay. We took 15 min shifts at the helm as it was so cold. Those NYC coats were appreciated today. In the afternoon the winds dropped off to N and the tide running with us gave us a little more umph to our progress. We came through the oyster flats cautiously. Saw a shark of some kind. I need to find a book store for a fish identifying book. Turned into the Cohansey River, Greenwich, DE, and are docked here at the Hanover Marina. We got the last slip available. $1.00 a ft. Such a deal! And they have power and water and fuel and SHOWERS! We did all that, buttoned up the boat for the approaching storm, had pan seared scallops, a game of cribbage and dropped into bed. This sailing stuff is hard work. They duck hunt in the marshes here and we saw many duck boats on the water and going down the highway to the water. Very fancy ones with grassed sides, lean and low.
Well that storm lasted 4 days. We did the laundry twice in that time to stay warm. Finally got a ride into the city from Munroe, a union carpenter who lives on his boat at the marina, and bought a heater. Yes, heat. But then, the bad part is the condensation. Drip, drip, drip. Not so good when you are asleep.
Finally, Monday, October 19th, the sun is shining and we st out for Salem, NJ and tied up at the Salem Boat Club. Wonderful people. It is a private club, but we are from Maine and nothing evers happens at their small club. Good for us, right. We walked into Salem and talked with a fellow yachtman we met in Cohensey. Next day left beautiful NJ to traverse through the C & D canal to the Chesepeake Canal. Oopps, wrong turn. Almost went to Philly. Canal and buoys poorly marked. Anyway, finally made it through the canal and so long New Jersey! Lots of really big ships in the canal, plus pleasure craft. Navigation nightmare! Once we'd had enough we ducked into the Sassafrass River and dropped anchor. The day was sunny and warm.
Again, the day was sunny and warm and we again motorsailed down the canal to Rock Hall. The marinas were a long way up the river and Rock Hall Marina was expensive. However, we needed provisions and the showers were wonderful!
Next day was cold, but partly sunny and finally some wind. We sailed under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge - huge and amazing structure. Lots of sailboats around this area - Annapolis influence. Destination was, changed our minds, and ended up in the Rhodes River. Dropped anchor. That !!! outboard would not start AGAIN. We rowed 1/2 mile to marina for diesel (too shallow for Snow Goose), and 1/2 mile back. No pushups needed tonight!
Friday 10/23/09 We are headed for the Solomon Islands; approx. one half point down the Chesapeake. All the traffic we have had in the past is gone. We did see a submarine though! It is fun to watch the sea birds and pick up the fish on the fish finder. I don't know why the birds just don't follow us. We know where the fish are!.
And so we continue on down the Chesapeake Bay. We are tanned and are at our fighting weight! No one has gone overboard yet - first week is long gone and that was the pivot point. We just want to get to warmer weather and sailing breezes. Thanks for keeping in touch. We read your comments whenever we can and really enjoy them. You are our home base.