Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Yesterday, after visiting the ship store to do my blogging, I asked the owner of the marina (Mike) if he sold bread here.  He told me that they used to sell bread, but it didn't sell very well.  I'm not surprised.  This is pretty much a fishing harbor.  We were the only ones who spent the night on their boat here.  So, anyway, Mike offered to drive us to this small deli / grocery store.  We got the essentials:  bread, milk, eggs, and lunch meat.  It was really nice of him to drive us there.  John and Mike hit it off and spent the time talking about being a small businessman.  They understood each other.

We grilled chicken for dinner and enjoyed a quiet evening sitting on the back deck until it got too cool for me.  Our current plan is to leave early tomorrow morning.  The rain should be done by then and the waves should be 1 to 2 feet.  We are looking forward to moving again. 

Monday, May 14, 2012

 We saw this bunny as we were walking the marina.

The name of this boat is "COOLBEANZ".  It reminded me of my Grandma (Focke) Jung.  She used to say, "Cool Beans".  This boat made me smile.

As some of you know, if we tried to talk to you on our cell phone yesterday, the cell service here is less than desirable.  Therefore, I was not able to blog last night.  Apparently, the only place to get the marina's WIFI is inside the ship store and they were closed by the time I realized this.  So, Happy Mother's Day to all Moms, a day late. 

There was a small craft advisory yesterday, so we opted to stay here.  Also, today there are 3 to 5 foot waves and rain.  It sounds like tomorrow will be like today.  Our best guess is that we will leave here on Wednesday.  Each morning John will come here to the ship store and go online to check the weather before we leave.  We are hoping that by the time we are cruising along again both of our backs will be in shape for the task. 

Yesterday we took a walk through the marina.  They have 250 slips with only a couple of sailboats.  Most of the boats are fishing boats.  I suppose there aren't many sailboats because the water is pretty shallow in here.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

 Point No Point Light

 A tug pulling a barge full of truck size containers.

This is how much room John had on both sides to pull our boat into the slip.  He is amazing!

Last night we thought our anchor dragged, because Norm had moved his boat because he thought he was too close to us.  John went outside to check things, and thought that we had dragged since Norm was farther away than before.  Norm had called to tell John he moved, but his phone was on the charger and he didn't hear it.  So, we got that message this morning.  Anyway, after messing with the anchor and trying to get it to grab again, my back is iffy again.  John took over at the anchor and he is complaining of his back bothering him as well.  We certainly are a pair. 

We left our anchorage at 6:10 this morning.  Norm and Sue left at 8:30 because they weren't going as far as we were.  They went partially up the Potomac for the month.  We ended up cruising 90 miles and ended up at Breezy Point Marina.  It's a $1 a foot and the marina was providing hamburgers and hot dogs because they had a fishing tournament today.  They invited us to eat with them.  John really likes this marina.  There is a campground next door on a beach, a deli in the ship store that makes sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, and a little bit of everything you might run out of while here.

Our Last Night Together

This morning we left Hampton Public Pier at 7:10 with "Runaround Sue" and stopped for fuel at Bluewater Marina just down from where we had been for better than a week.  We got away from that dock at 7:50 A.M. and headed out to the Chesapeake.  The waves were supposed to be 1 to 2 feet high.  We got out there and there were 3 to 4 feet high waves.  We had laid down everything that typically falls in rough water.  However, my shoebox size recipe box fell in the sink and some of them got wet.  All of them were in the wrong order, so they had to be refiled alphabetically and according to type of food.  Our AGLCA flag and flagpole came off, but it landed on the front deck and was saved.  Closet doors were clanging open and closed and John had to bungee cord them together.  It was rough enough that we didn't think we should eat anything until we were anchored for the night.  The spray reached all the way up to the flying bridge.

We went about 50 miles to an anchorage at Fishing Bay which is near Deltaville.  We were situated by 2:00 and Norm and Sue came over for Happy Hour at 4:00.  It was a sad Happy (oxymoron) Hour because this is our last night together. Tomorrow, Norm and Sue are going up the Potomac to a harbor for a month.  They plan on playing around on the Chesapeake all summer, heading to the Keys for the winter, and eventually going back to N. Fort Myers, FL.  We, on the other hand, are continuing the Loop.  We are heading for the C & D Canal and then going out in the ocean at Cape May to New York Harbor, about 150 miles.  We are going to miss our boat mates, but we will stay in touch and get together over Christmas at the very least. 

 The windshield with the spray on the flyin bridge.

 52  foot high Wolf Trap Light.

Norm and Sue anchored beside us.  The other boat came around and checked out all of the anchored boats.

We are anchored in front of this gorgeous house.

Tomorrow is supposed to be 1 foot high.  We hope the prediction is right. 

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The plan is to leave in the morning.   We plan on going to Bluewater Marina for fuel right when they open and get under way.  Today we got a few things caught up.  We had Happy Hour on Norm and Sue's boat and then went to Oyster Alley for 75 cent  ribs one more time before we leave.  We each even bought extra for lunch tomorrow.  I am anxious to get moving.  Sorry I don't have any pictures.  We didn't really do anything out of the ordinary today.  Tomorrow if the weather is good and we get to leave, I will take pictures.  As long as we can get Internet service, I will post some then.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Norm and John had another pow-wow early this morning and again decided to stay put.  It rained almost all day and the wind was predicted to be coming from the south.  The anchorage we had picked out is good in wind  from all directions, except from the south.  Tomorrow is supposed to be rough out on the Chesapeake, so our current plan is to leave Hampton on Friday morning.  Time will tell. 

We had lunch at the Crowne Plaza Hotel right next to the marina.  It was something to do on this gray, dismal day.  We had Happy Hour on the back of Norm and Sue's boat tonight.  We are thinking about taking a cab tomorrow and going to Fort Monroe.  I'm not sure John will go with us because his hamstring is still bothering him.  My back has been bothering me a bit as well, but I think that the walking is good for it.  I hope that's right.  The day we left and came back, I missed a step on the front of the boat while getting lines and fenders in place.  I am taking ibuprofen in hopes that it doesn't turn into the painful sciatica of old.  I am such a klutz. 

This all means two more days to spend with Norm and Sue.  It will be sad when we aren't cruising with them anymore.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Bright and early this morning, John and Norm consulted on the weather situation and decided the wind and waves were still not favorable for cruising.  So, we paid for another night here at Hampton Public Pier.  Tomorrow John and Norm will meet early and decide whether to go or stay.  Supposedly, the winds are to die down, but there is a 90% chance of rain.  They said the rain doesn't bother them, so, most likely we will leave tomorrow.  The plan is to go about 60 miles and anchor out.  When we leave the anchorage, that will be the last night we spend with Norm and Sue.  At that point, they will go on to Washington D.C. for a month.  We will go on toward the C & D Canal.  We have been cruising with the Mayers for so long, it will seem like part of us is missing.  I know I will miss them both, but we will see them in Cincinnati at Christmas, and we will call them and perhaps Skype with them when we both have good enough Internet service.

When we docked here the second time, we met a man who had a really nice boat.  The boat is a Dettling name Limelight.  The owner of the boat is Ed Dettling, president of the Dettling Company.  He and his wife were very friendly.  They left here this morning.  Ed is the second boat company owner we have met while doing the Great Loop.