MUTUAL FUN - A SAILING ODYSSEY

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Tuesday, October 26, 1999
Just had to share with you all the fact that it was WARM here today. This is the first time I have actually been warm (except when we stayed at the hotel and in stores and restaurants) in about 6 weeks. I had on shorts and a T-shirt and was barefoot. My feet haven't been bare in a really long time; not even to sleep. Both Bob and I discussed today how the cold was affecting our moods. We have both been blue about it but haven't really talked too much about it because there's nothing we could do about it. I have had to wear 4 layers on the bottom and as many as 6 on top and that is inside the boat. I would also have to wear gloves and a headband and boots. The sheets and covers were so cold when I got into bed that I just kicked off my boots and got into bed with all of those clothes on. I would read for awhile and maybe shed one layer but would go to sleep with all of those clothes on. Sometime during the night I would finally get warm and shed a few more layers but I never woke up with less than 2 layers and socks. This has been extremely hard on me because I absolutely hate the cold. Bob hasn't even worn socks until I shoved a pair on his feet yesterday. I can't believe that 2 people can have such different inner thermometers. We are at the service dock (what else is new?) and I am being spoiled by typing this on the computer, which is actually plugged into shore power. For some strange reason, the electricity that is converted by the generator through the inverter is not the same electricity as regular shore power and the computer freezes so I must always use battery power and then recharge the battery by the inverter. Also, I just finished watching Ali McBeal, which was kinda fun. We did laundry today at this yucky Laundromat. A lady I struck up a conversation with (as I was cursing when I dropped a washcloth unto a completely filthy floor) told me the place had been really cleaned up and she hasn't seen any roaches there in about 6 months. Yuk! Bob couldn't help himself and meandered across the street to the barbershop, and got rid of the last 2 haircuts I gave him. He left the back long and sure looks cute. I got a haircut by a 70+-year old Italian guy that I could barely understand but I think he was flirting. Being that I could barely understand him, it's good for my ego to believe he was flirting. He gave me quite a cut and I accused him of having grey paint on his scissors because I just don't know where all of that color could have come from. Maybe that last gale?
We are both a bit anxious about the "big" trip ahead I finally was able to articulate some of my fears. The first and obvious was the last gale we were in and how tired and depleted we became. Talking over what we could have and should have done has helped. Second, the windvane will act as a third person, like an autopilot that actually worked 24 hours a day would act. Third, I was uncomfortable not having a storm anchor or any other anchor aboard that could act as a weight in a storm, gale or hurricane. And lastly, we have a SSB (single side band) radio but we couldn't get it to work. There is a weather program by a guy named Herb that is "must" for making passages like we are going to make. Herb gives weather conditions throughout the world and especially from the East Coast to Bermuda and the Virgin Islands. Also, you can send Herb a "donation" and you can call him on the radio and tell him your coordinates and he will give you weather conditions for the next 24 hours for you, personally. Well, we have read and Bob has explained to me the method of heaving-to that I wrote about before. We will have the windvane soon. Bob has ordered a storm anchor. And last, I got a determined look on my face and said I was going to figure out that nasty old SSB radio. Bob just looked at me and said, "there are two books in the nav station for your reading pleasure. Big books." I think he knew that would make it a challenge. I got out those thick yellow books and dug right in. The first one was about the antennae and coupler. Being that those were already installed (I hoped), I moved ahead to book 2. Today at 4:00 PM, Bob was having a nap when he almost jumped off the couch as Herb's voice came over the speaker. We listened to almost 3 hours of Herb and the sailors calling in. They gave their lat/lon and Bob and I followed where they were on a weather chart. Many sailors called in from somewhere between Norfolk and Bermuda and Bermuda and the Islands. And we heard sailors near Africa and the Azores and all over. Herb has been doing this for 25 years. We're looking forward to hearing many more reports from Herb. Bob was thrilled to have the SSB functioning. I was busy programming channels and figuring things out but believe me; you could write a book much thicker than that book on all I don't know about SSB radios. In fact, I am finding that I am learning something new everyday about sailing and everyday I find at least 2 more things I don't know. Maybe I will write a book on what I don't' know. Okay, I'm just babbling now because Bob went to watch the World Series and only PBS is coming in. Later.
Top of Page Saturday, October 23, 1999
Well, OK, maybe these guys do know a cold front. So, OK it's a bit chilly here, too. We bought a pretty brass lamp specifically to heat the place. It actually works for about +5 degrees or so. In fact, I am sitting here writing you with my back to the "heat." Saw an electric heater in the hardware that claimed we would be warm for only 12.5 amps per hour. I was so excited that I bought the thing and then wanted to call off our trip into town just so we could go home and get warm. We brought it home and plugged it in and watched the amps move. About one amp per minute. Way too much so now I have to take my little heater back. We were really warm for about 10 minutes, though.
Eric and Susan are from Dayton but docked their boat in Port Clinton next to my old neighbor, Sue Herber, who also went cruising. We met Eric and Susan a couple of weeks ago at the boat show for the second time. In any case, they were docked in Baltimore when we pulled in to Annapolis but they happened into this harbour a couple of days after we arrived. We have had nice evenings with them and a daytime shopping excursion. They are a real nice couple. They are heading south also and are having the same dilemma: Bermuda or straight to the Virgin Islands? Bermuda is a nice way to break up the trip a little but the weather is pretty iffy. We all plan to leave from Norfolk or Beaufort. From there it's about 5 days to Bermuda and another 4 or 5 to the islands. Being that we are short-crewed (just us and the new steering vane), I thought the break in Bermuda would be a must but the captain is thinking it might be smarter to go straight down. In any case, we will be purchasing a storm anchor and I hope we don't have to try it out. In reading Lin and Larry Pardey's book, "Storm Tactics", I was astounded that they have run into only about 16 storms in the quarter+ decade they have been cruising. Those are pretty low odds. And why, I wonder, have we already run into 2 storms and 1 gale and only been cruising for 3 months? Go figure!
Our steering vane is due in early next week. We will have it installed and have some misc. other work done and then be on our way south. The souther, the better. That's my motto!
Top of Page Friday, October 15, 1999
I haven't been able to find a cyber café to e-mail my floppies to Erin so we are way out of touch. Last week we leased a car and made the drive to Annapolis for the boat show. We had many booths we wanted to visit but the most important was the Monitor wind vane booth. We talked with the president of the company at length and after talking to many cruising people, we have made a deposit and are going forward with this purchase. The steering wind vane is a very uncomplicated mechanism that steers the boat for you when there is ample wind. It works by pulleys instead of electricity and steers by the wind instead of the compass. If the wind shifts, you must readjust your sails and reset the wind vane. This method of self-steering is excellent for off-shore passages. We still have our back-up autopilot, which is great for little or no wind or when utilizing electricity is not a problem. Bob bought new foul weather clothes after I patched both of his waterproof pants with duct tape. We both bought new deck shoes, as we always seem to have one pair drying out. It's not a problem in the heat but when it's freezing out, wet shoes are not fun.
We spent from Thursday night until Saturday in Annapolis. I think I took 50 scalding showers in the 3 nights we were in a hotel. We stayed at a Comfort Inn that was great. I even had a desk with a computer hooked up to the Internet. Couldn't send the floppies, although I tried. I shaved and plucked and pampered and even put on mascara once. It was wonderful to be warm and clean again. Saturday we started heading back as it took us 8 hours from New Bedford to Annapolis and we wanted to get a little jump-start. We decided that driving through the Bronx at night wasn't the most fun. We arrived back at New Bedford on Sunday about 4:00 PM. We took advantage of having a car and did some major grocery shopping. We called a cab to meet us at the airport, dropped off the car and off we went back to out floating home. Boy it felt good to be back. It wasn't as cold as it had been and even with all of the inconveniences, we love our home. Bob checked out the windlass repairs and paid the bill. At this juncture, (I used to have a teacher that always said "at this juncture." I thought he was a real dork) let me just mention that all rumors about boat owning being a bottomless money pit are completely accurate. If we run out of money, I am going to write a book and sell it to two people and then I can afford another 15 minutes of boat-ownership.
Monday morning, bright and early, we left New Bedford on the first warm, sunny day we had seen there. We were planning to sail 3 days straight to the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal. I was apprehensive as we have had a rash of poor weather and bad luck but actually, we had a wonderful, fairly uneventful, three, nice, fair-weather days. The sailing was good and we were actually able to sail instead of motor for much of the way. The night watches were cold but I had enough clothes to feel fairly comfortable. Bob got to try out his new foul-weather gear and really liked it. In the past, on our overnight passages, I think I may have mentioned that I was having trouble with sleep. I am not the best sleeper and underway I don't do well. In the 2 hours that I have off, I maybe sleep for ½ hour and was ending up with 3 or 3-½ hour's sleep per night. Sleep deprivation was a real problem for me and I became depleted quickly. Knowing this, Bob kindly suggested that on the night watches, I have 2 hours on and 3 hours off. I gladly accepted; not just for me but also for fulfilling the job as first mate. This seemed to work a little better although of the 3 hours, I maybe slept an hour and a half so I was still totaling: not enough sleep. I took many catnaps during the day, as did Bob and that helped. From New Bedford, we sailed past Block Island and across from Long Island in the Atlantic and approached land again near Atlantic City. Atlantic City, from afar at night, is a huge mass of light over the horizon. You can see it for 12 hours; sailing. Past Atlantic City to Cape May and up the Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. About 12 miles down the canal, we pulled into Chesapeake City at about 10:00pm, Wednesday night. Let the fun begin. As we were going by the dock, the dock master called out and asked if we wanted a dock for the night. We said we did. He asked our size, we told him and he said we would have to dock around the corner. He said to take the corner real wide because the current is so strong there. Captain Bob did as instructed but when he turned the corner, he was shocked to find posts on the left. He wanted us to dock on the right and the lines and fenders were all set up on the starboard side. The current was so strong that Bob yelled out to him that he couldn't get the boat in. The dockmaster said not to panic and that he would run around and we should dock on the left side. That meant that I had about 30 seconds to change the dock lines and fenders. One or two curse words might have slipped out of my mouth as I made a mad dash to get at least one line over to the dockmaster as he ran up to the boat just as we pull up (or are shoved against) to the dock. All was well. We got all the lines secured and were relatively safe and sound. I was so exhausted that I slept 11 hours. The next day was tough. We were wedged into this narrow space, barely big enough to turn the boat around and it was blowing about 25 knots. The current was an amazing 5 knots. That meant if you were motoring 5 knots and going against the current, you would be in the same spot until the tide turned. We were toying with whether we would try to maneuver the boat or wait another day. Bob decided that if we could get some help, when the tide turned, we could let go of all the dock lines but the stern line and let the tide turn the boat around. We rounded up 4 people and that gave us 6. We tied a bow line to the dock across from us and Joan held fast to that line while we untied all of the 3 other lines and let go. Joan's husband, Ron, held fast to the stern line from the dock; Bob and I were on the boat. Tom and Katrina ran around to the opposite dock and I threw them another bow line. Ron wrapped the stern line around a post and handed it back to me, on-board. Ron and the other 3 then walked the boat around and forward while I let go of the stern line and Bob gave it some gas. Oh no, the stern line was caught on the post and we were stuck! I ran below and got a knife and Bob cut that line quick. That line was a pain to me anyhow, as it didn't fit around the cleat. We made it to the opposite side, tied up and drinks were on us. Sailors are the nicest and most helpful people. And, they'll always let you buy them a beer when they have been so.
We left Chesapeake City on a frightfully cold Friday morning. As the day progressed, it became sunny and beautiful. The wind was barely over 5 knots and mostly on our nose so we had to motor most of the way but to tell you the truth, both of us were happy as clams. We baked in the sun and even got sunburned, in the middle of October. It took us 10 hours to get to Annapolis and we came in while there was still sunlight and anchored without incident. This may not seem like a big deal but lately, we haven't been able to do much, without incident. We got the dinghy blown up, the motor put on the dinghy and Bob set off into town while I happily stayed behind for some quiet time. I cleaned up the boat, ate some of my mommy's chocolate chip cookies and danced to Bonnie Rait. I had a wonderful evening while Bob was in a pub with some beer, a TV and a bunch of screaming kids. Am I getting old, or what? As it happened, Bob sat next to a captain of a large boat for owners from elsewhere. As the two were watching baseball and chatting, they found themselves with quite a few similarities. The guy's name is Chris Miller and when Chris asked where Bob was from and Bob said, "Toledo", Chris said, "I'm from Toledo." Actually, Perrysburg. He asked where Bob had sailed and when Bob said we had been at Mt. Desert in Maine, Chris said, "I live in Mt. Desert." And on and on the conversation went like that. We are always amazed at what a small world this is. Bob and I met a family when we were in Camden that is friends of friends of mine in Hawaii.
Hurricane Irene is headed up the coast toward us. Well why not? I have been somewhat carefree for the last 12 hours or so. The weather was for heavy rain and cold weather last night and this morning. I was just out in the cockpit. These guys wouldn't know a cold front if it hit them naked. It's maybe in the low 60's. Now cold….try Maine during a cold front! Bob and I are going into town now to find a TV and watch the hurricane news. We are anchored in a fairly exposed area and may have to move. Just when I was getting all of the dust bunnies out of here.
Top of Page Tuesday, October 5, 1999
IT IS COLD IN HERE!!!! A huge cold front is moving through this area and you can't believe how cold it is in this boat. I am wearing 3 layers on the bottom and 4 on top. I have so many socks on that my own boots won't fit over them so I am wearing Bob's. I asked him to stay in a motel but he just laughed. Instead, I made a hot stew for lunch and made brownies in the oven just to warm up the cabin. The doors are slatted and we have a towel over them to keep out the cold. It was in the 30's last night and is 45 today with cold winds. We're down below killing time. Tomorrow, Wednesday, we move the boat to a dock where they will look at it to assess whether they can fix the windlass. The anchor is tied to the boat so we're really stuck here. A boat without an anchor is a little like a car without brakes. Thursday we leave for Annapolis by car and I'm looking forward to the 6-hour drive just to be in heat. I've already got dibs on the shower in Annapolis. It's been a couple of days since I had one and will be a couple more since it's way too cold to take any clothes off. Somebody rescue me!!!!
Top of Page Sunday, October 3, 1999
On the road again! Someone up there must have thought I needed a good day. We left Rockport, Mass. at a little past 8:00am. The sun was shining; temperatures mild and I didn't feel so apprehensive. Must have had a good night's rest. Bob is spunky and ready to roll. Even with his two fingers up in the air. The day was mild with 11-12 knot winds coming over the starboard side on the beam. Translation: over the right side in the middle of the boat. This is my favorite as the output for the diesel fumes is on that side and with the wind blowing on it, the fumes dissipate and you can't smell a thing. This usually tends to be a problem as they can get pretty nasty. It can make a grown person turn green. I was on watch when the treat of my lifetime occurred. First, I saw a fin, then I saw a body. A BIG body and then I saw the fluke. The whole process repeated itself as another WHALE behind the first did the same thing. I shouted for Bob and he came up just in time to see the fluke but nothing more. They were black and about 30 feet or so. Bob told me to get the camera to share it with you folks but I just couldn't move. I have never seen a whale before and have waited my whole life. A little later on, Bob spotted 2 more and these were grey. About the same size. Water spewed from their blowholes and they dove and were just as beautiful as can be. My day is made and I think I like to sail again. The water is perfectly flat right now and winds have diminished so that I can be below writing you on the computer. Darkness is about ½ hour away and so is my watch. We are a few hours away from the Cape Cod Canal. Our timing isn't the greatest for the tide but if it's too bad and we're not making progress, we'll just come back out and take turns getting some sleep. We are on our way to meeting the captain and first mate of our sailing trip that we took a few years ago from St. Maartin to Bermuda to Newport, RI. Carolyn and Gerry are moored on an island called Pope's Island between New Bedford and Fairhaven, Mass. The delivery of a 46' Swan sailboat that we helped crew 3 years ago with Gerry and Carolyn was the pivotal point in us deciding that we wanted to cruise. There is a possibility that we will get our windlass repaired there and possibly drive to the Annapolis boat show. We'll have to see.

Top of Page Saturday, October 2, 1999
Almost all hope is gone for us being able to attend the boat show in Annapolis as planned. We were supposed to meet Dale and Bernie Overly from Toledo and another couple from Port Clinton and make a swap with my brother; Gary's associate from Magellan for a new GSC 100 as ours went on the blink. Our windlass is damaged, as is the wood planking underneath. We have the anchor tied to the Samson post and to the bowsprit. My spirits are not good. After each passage, Bob and I have been in the habit of going out to eat and jabbering about out trip. We usually compliment each other and also talk about ways to make things easier or safer. After this adventure, I found myself not very talkative. I was scared not so much that I thought we wouldn't make it but so many what-ifs entered my mind. Bob's injury really threw me. I thought I would be the one to get hurt and I am scared now that something worse could happen to him. Also, I couldn't believe how fast by stamina left me. Finally, Bob and I did talk about some of what happened and we have planned new strategies. First, in a gale or storm situation that lasts hours like this did, we need to hove-to, go down below and take turns sleeping and popping up once in awhile to make sure nothing hits us or we them. Second, I need more sleep than Bob and Bob is a better sleeper than I am so we need to adjust our watch schedule. On my 2 hours off, I might get 20 minutes sleep. Third, we can't try to do things that aren't absolutely necessary when we are exhausted. And fourth, if we think a weather pattern will be long behind us or way ahead of us, we could be totally wrong if our speed is way off the average speed for our boat. These are just a few lessons that we have learned and I am sure we will be learning many more on the way. In the meantime, we sail tomorrow morning for the Cape Cod Canal. We are leaving early but will probably sail overnight again. Weather conditions are not ideal but no storms are forecast. I am not ready to do this yet. I would like to wait for Bob's fingers to heal but he wants to go now. I think this puts too much workload on me but he must think it won't. I hope he's right because we have been in port resting for 3 days and I'm exhausted.