Looking back at Fred on Caprice as we depart
November 7, 2009
Good evening! Well, we didn't get as far as we wanted to on the first day of our great adventure, Annapolis being our goal. Winds of 10 to 15 knots, with gusts up to 20 kept the waves sloshing over the cabin top, creating poor visibility and generally wearing us out after five hours. So we ducked into Deep Creek in the Magothy River and tied up at a marina with a restaurant. That first gin/vodka tonic tasted great at 4:30. It will be early to bed and early to rise as we leave at daybreak headed toward the Solomon Islands.
November 8, 2009
Nine-hour push today to the Solomons. Found a slip at Zahniser's Yachting Center, washed the boat to let her kinow we still appreciate her, and walked into town for dinner. Quiet area, but so beautiful that we hope the people who live here know how lucky they are. Wonderfully calm day on the bay, as we skirted dozens of fishermen. What a contrast to the rock and roll yesterday! Onward southbound tomorrow.
Sunrise as we depart Solomons Island
November 9, 2009
Well, we’re tucked in at Deltaville, Virginia, having motored ten hours through an unusually dense fog bank with an eighth of a mile visibility. Thank heavens for a GPS and a functioning compass. Whoever coined the phrase, “trust your compass,” wasn’t just whistling Dixie! After a well deserved gin/vodka tonic celebratory drink and dinner on the boat, we asked each other, “Is it too early to go to bed at 8:00 o’clock?
We intend to leave early tomorrow morning, travel at least five hours to get to Salt Ponds, Virginia before the predicted storms or remains of Hurricane Ida arrive. Our intention is to stay until the storm threat is gone, also allowing Fred to put in an honest day's work on the computer so he can justify the rest of the trip. We’re having a great time!
Joyce Driving to Norfolk (Note the Kindle at the compass)
November 10, 2009
We got to Mile Marker 0 about 2:30 today, after seven hours underway, which is at Norfolk, VA. We’re again in a marina, against our better judgment, but thought it safer here to ride out the impending storm than on the hook in an open bay. As soon as it looks safe, we’re headed into North Carolina. The bay was absolutely flat today, but that was a welcome relief. We’re here alongside huge cruisers, which leads us to wonder, where in the world does all this money come from? But we’re happy in our cozy Cape Dory and not envying all the cleaning and grooming these megayachts require. We also have an odd thing happening in typing this, in that apostrophes come out as squares. Oh, well!
November 11, 2009
We're still tied up securely in Tidewater Marina in Portsmouth, VA, riding out this nor'easter. The winds have been 20 MPH all day with torrential rains, and the prediction is for gusts up to 50 MPH tonight and tomorrow. Fred spent the day reducing his list of boat projects, while I made my way about a quarter of a mile to the laundry facilities. It's a good thing I had a big bag of laundry to keep me grounded! It looks like we'll be here until Friday morning. If the storm subsides. we'll head out in the ICW either through the Dismal Swamp or stay in the Elizabeth River. In the meantime, we're warm, way too well fed, dry, and happy.
The water is over the pier in back of the cruiser across the fairway.
November 12, 2009
OK. Enough, already, with the wind! We have listened to hurricane force winds gusting up to 74 MPH in the Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA area. The sturdy little Cape Dory has been bouncing up and down, side to side, as we fight to maintain our balance inside the cabin. A little difficult for Fred to fix the jib sail , adjust the lines, for us to shower, cook on a stove, wash dishes, and clean up the cabin when we’re in constant motion.
We've watched flashes across the Elizabeth River as transformers arced. We've also watched the tides go over the nonfloating docks and seawall. Thank heavens we are at a floating dock, where we tie down and rise, dock and all, with the tide. It has been two and a half days of listening to the pounding rain and roaring wind. A little quiet would be welcome right now! Right now, at 8:00 o'clock at night, as I'm writing this, we're experiencing repeated gusts of 60 MPH.
Another day here in the marina, and we hope weather
conditions are good enough to move out on Saturday morning
– anywhere! We're definitely ready for calm
seas, calm winds, and some relaxation.
November 13, 2009
Same scene, different day! Late night last night as we watched tides rise and listened to the wind-driven rain. It's hard to sleep when you're bobbing and weaving. Better this morning. When the tide receded and we could get off the dock, we walked into Portsmouth, even though it was raining lightly. Getting a little stir-crazy. No businesses, restaurants, banks or post office open, so we walked along almost vacant streets. The water levels were up to and into the front doors of the downtown businesses, branches and leaves were everywhere, and pumps were removing water. Had to get back to the boat by 3:00, when the tide began rising again. Residents have said they almost prefer a hurricane, where the storm hits and is gone; whereas a nor'easter just hangs around tormenting everyone!
We'll have a better idea tomorrow morning whether we can leave or not. We'll keep you posted!