It's all Chuck's Fault

Last fall on our way home to Indiana, Captain Mark and I had dinner with my old double dating buddy, Chuck. When he found out that the Lolligag was currently in the Chesapeake, he spoke very highly of the eastern seaboard crab dishes. So of course when I returned this year, I had to try them all and YEP, Chuck was correct! They are the very best. Now the trick is to eat these dishes while in the company of good friends with plenty of laughter because then there are no calories whatsoever...



Crab Imperial

1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. fresh crabmeat (drained and flaked)
White sauce (see below)
Paprika and chopped parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Combine ingredients; gently fold in bread crumbs and crabmeat. Spoon into four 6 oz. baking dishes (or casserole) and top with white sauce.

WHITE SAUCE:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add cream cook until thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place drained lumps of crab meat in ceramic dishes and spoon sauce over crab. Sprinkle tops with dry bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15minutes.





She Crab Soup

2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups half & half cream
4 teaspoons finely grated onion
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest (rind)
1 1/2 pounds flaked blue crab meat*
1/4 cup crab roe**
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

* If you live in parts of the country where blue crab is not available, other types of crabmeat, such as Dungeness, snow, king, or rock crab, may be substituted.

** Two crumbled hard-cooked egg yolks may be substituted for the crab roe.

In a large, heavy pot over low heat, melt butter; add flour and blend until smooth. Slowly add milk and half & half cream, stirring constantly with a whisk; cook until thickened. Add onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, white pepper, mace, cayenne pepper, and lemon zest. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, add crabmeat and crab roe or crumbled hard-cooked egg yolks; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes (if the soup appears about to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a minute or so, then return). Remove from heat and add sherry, stirring to mix. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.

To serve, pour the soup into individual heated soup bowls, dividing the crabmeat and roe equally into each bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Down the James & Chickahominy Rivers

We arrived at River’s Rest Marina located on the Chickahominy River mid-afternoon. We settled in and then set out to explore the area. I am not exaggerating in the least when I say that the marina compound is set in the middle of absolutely nowhere with nothing but nature at its best as the surroundings. Truly the marina compound is situated in the midst of a huge tree farm with trees and water being all that are seen for miles around. When I took my morning walk (building up for my attempt to start running again), I walked over four miles and saw only one home along the road. The sounds of the birds were so loud and inviting that I took off my I Pod earphones so that I could listen to the sounds of nature as I wound my way through the tree farm roadway.

As we will be coming back the same route as we took to get to River’s Rest, I thought I will tell the story in two different blog entries. The Chickahominy River is named after the Native American people who still inhabit the region. Chickahominy means "coarse pounded corn people". At the time of the earliest English settlement, the Chickahominy people existed surrounded by the powerful Powhatan confederacy of which they were not a part. It was members of the Chickahominy tribe who captured Captain John Smith of Jamestown when he was exploring the Chickahominy River. They turned Smith over to Chief Powhatan, whose daughter Pocahontas is said to have begged her father to spare Smith's life thus beginning a friendship that enabled the survival of the English on this continent. Today, although they do not have a reservation, the Chickahominy tribe is the largest Native American tribe in Virginia with over a thousand members and private land holdings along the Chickahominy.



During the Civil War, the Chickahominy River played a vital role in the operation of both armies. The swamps and marshland of the Chickahominy watershed frustrated attempts by Federal troops to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. With Lee's and Grant's troops positioned just north of the river, concern and worry about becoming mired in the Chickahominy's swamps greatly influenced troop placement for the Battle of Cold Harbor. It is amazing how much the shores and wetlands of the Chickahominy are like the waterways in Georgia and even Alabama.



Having seen Jamestown from land last fall, I wanted to see the area from the water’s view. I have always been curious to see if I could tell why the English choose this particular area to settle. The area is infested by mosquitoes the size of Pterodactyls and the land immediately surrounding Jamestown is a tar pit. Of all the area along the Chesapeake to settle, Jamestown truly had to be the worst possible place. Just the same, it was fun and interesting to see Jamestown from the water. Captain Mark also did a great job of dodging the ferry
boats.



Once again we passed Newport News which is home to one of the largest shipyards in the US. Northrop Grumman of Newport News is the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines.



Our destination today will be the Tidewater Yacht Marina which is actually located in Portsmouth, Virginia immediately west of Norfolk, across the Elizabeth River.

PS In my copious free time onboard the Lolligag I am taking an online digital photography class. I am showing off by adding the green arrow to indicate the location of our slip at the Tidewater Yacht Marina.


Hours on the water: 7.0
Nautical miles traveled: 56
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Uncertain at this time
What we are listening to: Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Lesson for the day: We are having the most wonderful time possible!!
Obligatory knitting report: Blue/black/gray striped socks for Captain Mark

Up the James & Chickahominy Rivers

As author David Baldacci so wonderfully states in the opening pharagraph of Divine Justice:

“The Chesapeake Bay is America’s largest estuary. Nearly two hundred miles long, its watershed covers an area of sixty-five thousand utopian square miles with more than a hundred and fifty rivers and streams barreling into it. It’s also home of myriad bird and aquatic life…”

There is just so much to see, visit and experience in the Chesapeake and its tributaries that it is very difficult for us to pick and choose what we want to see, do and experience before we have to head north to continue our wanderings back to the Midwest.


At the rendezvous we learned that we could see “The Mothball Fleet” or as it is also known “The Ghost Fleet” by travelling up the James River. There is something inherently romantic about a “ghost fleet” of ships and I really wanted to see them. The term “Mothball Fleet” even plays into my knitter’s vocabulary leaving me to conclude that it must be woolly intervention that I see these ships. Captain Mark kindly agreed to indulge my fantasy so we headed out bright and early from Smithfield for our destination of River’s Rest Marina which is located on the Chickahominy River, an off chute of the James River.

This photo was taken while we were still several miles away and was not retouched or enhanced in Photoshop. From this distance, one gets the full effect of the ghost-like feeling of these ships.


Known officially as National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF), these ships are managed by the US Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration and are a different entity from the US Navy reserve fleet which is mostly warships. The NDRF consists of mostly merchant vessels that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to assist the US during national emergencies either military or non-military. The vessels with military utility or logistic value are held in retention status and are in a preservation program that is designed to keep them in the same condition as when they originally entered the fleet. Controlling the corrosion of metal and the growth of mold or mildew is done by a dehumidification of the internal spaces of each vessel. External painting and other cosmetic-appearance work is generally deferred since it is not critical to the ability to activate and operate the vessel. This lack of exterior painting is what gives the illusion and feeling of a “ghost ship”.



Protecting the fleet are several helicopters from Fort Eustis that continuously hover and roam the nearby skies. Once again, I was able to capture a photo of “them” taking a picture of ‘us”.



Hours on the water: 6.25
Nautical miles traveled: 44.2
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Norfolk
What we are listening to: Finished Columbine by Dave Cullen & started Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Lesson for the day: You can see some ghosts during daylight
Obligatory knitting report: Blue/black/gray striped socks for Captain Mark

This is really sad...

Captain Bob of Mare Soleil will be happy to note that even pontoon boats go faster than the Lolligag.

Chesapeake Bay Nordic Tug Owners Rendezvous

The rendezvous was co-sponsored by Nordic Tugs and the Annapolis Sailyard. Smithfield Station was the perfect location for our gathering. The food was absolutely the best that I have ever had at a “group function”. I think you all know what I mean…mystery meat and last night’s leftover pasta today as a salad…well, that was certainly not the case at Smithfield Station. Fresh seafood was abundant in just about every possible menu category. The She Crab soup, crab legs, shrimp/lobster dishes was simply wonderful - that seems like such a lame and inadequate adjective to describe the consistently fabulous food.

It continued to rain (rather hard) all day Sunday. Late Sunday evening and into early Monday morning, the winds picked up so much that the six Nordics that were stranded at Deltaville, VA were further delayed. While we missed them, we continued on with the rendezvous agenda as planned. An extremely knowledgeable local historian gave us an entertaining and comprehensive history lesson of the Hampton Roads area from colonial to modern times. This area played (and even today still plays) such a significant role in the workings of the US Naval fleet and maritime economy that the history and stories are fascinating. As both Captain Mark and I have observed, it is incredible for us to realize that we are traveling in and on the same waterways that were vital to the creation and unity of our country. In colonial times and then again in each of the major wars of our country, the Civil War and both World Wars, the Hampton Roads area with its multiple rivers was critical to our survival as a nation. If only these waters could talk…





By Monday afternoon, the remaining six Nordics made their way to Smithfield Station. We were all there to meet, greet and welcome them after their LONG journey from Annapolis. Monday evening’s dinner gave us the opportunity to get to know the most recent arrivals. Tuesday morning Captain Jeremy Hopkins presented a “classroom” boat handling session which was followed by a hands-on real life docking lesson with a brand new Nordic 37

Jeremy requested that the “first mate” (meaning female) participants have a session that DID NOT include the respective captains – just us girls and Jeremy. Along with George and Peggy, I quickly volunteered. However, I requested that I not dock/drive the boat but instead use George and Peggy’s docking lesson to improve and enhance my Deck Monkey skills. My reasons were three-fold: 1) A Nordic 37 is very different in size and height from the pilot house to the water than is a Nordic 32. I want to improve my skills on a 32 and thought I would just confuse myself if I handled a 37. 2) I needed all the guidance/practice in perfecting my skill of lassoing and capturing the pilings upon entering fixed dock slips here on the East Coast. 3) Most of all, I was afraid that I would find out how easy it is to handle a 37 and then I would be wanting one….

Following the docking lessons, it was time to Tug Crawl. Each Nordic is different and it is always so much fun to see the other tugs. It is amazing to see how creative some of the owners are with their custom designs and modifications. I think this is one of the best parts of a rendezvous as we share ideas and suggestions that make us all better tug owners.


Kudos to Terri, Scott and Jay for a well planned and fun event!

Ham I Am

I have always known that there is nothing quite like a Smithfield Ham, but I must admit that I did not know exactly why or how Smithfield Hams were different from other pork products on the market. Let me share the secrets that I discovered this week in Smithfield…

Neither did I know that peanuts were grown in Virginia. But they are and they play a critical role in making the Smithfield pork products unique with both quality and taste. In fact so much so that in 1926 a statue was passed by the Virginia General Assembly that regulates the usage of the term “Smithfield Ham” by stating:

Genuine Smithfield hams [are those] cut from the carcasses of peanut-fed hogs, raised in the peanut-belt of the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of North Carolina, and which are cured, treated, smoked, and processed in the town of Smithfield, in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(Fine print: The peanut feed stipulation was removed in 1966)

Smithfield Station

We arrived here at Smithfield Station, Virginia yesterday (Saturday) afternoon for the Chesapeake Bay Nordic Tug Owners Association Rendezvous. So far there are five Nordics here with the remaining 15+ to arrive this afternoon. It is raining quite heavily right now and it is supposed to rain all day so it will be interesting to see who arrives. Also one must plan very carefully when coming into Smithfield as the water level is extremely low - one must come in at high tide or on a rising high tide.



What a cute and charming town. We walked around just a little bit last evening after we arrived but we were too late for the shops to still be open. The collection of Colonial and Victorian homes are some the nicest and most plentiful that we have ever seen. Smithfield is the home of Smithfield Hams & Bacon and rumor has it that the “company store” is a must see. We can not wait for the rain to stop so that we can explore.



Hours on the water: 5.75
Nautical miles traveled: 42
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Uncertain at this time
What we are listening to: Columbine by Dave Cullen
What we watched: Our depth sounder
Lesson for the day: We continue to be enthralled by the state of Virginia
Obligatory knitting report: Blue/black/gray striped socks for Captain Mark and Seafarer's Scarf

Two Days in Cape Charles

After getting secure and finally settled in our slip, we decided to seek out a local place for dinner. The harbor master recommended Kelly’s Gingernut Pub which just happened to be the first place we saw when arriving on Mason Street, which is the main drag of Cape Charles. Housed in a restored bank building, this is a fantastic place for dinner. We were seated in the vault room which was cozy and fun. Captain Mark looked appalled when I decided to be adventurous and ordered Cream of Crab soup and a Goat Cheese Salad as my entrée. Both items were fantastic but the crab chowder was the best that I have ever had. Cape Charles is a working fishing community and I am sure that the crabs were fresh that day.


When deciding where to stay in Cape Charles we opted for the town marina over the fancier Bay Creek Marina. We knew that the town marina was home to many of the working fishing boats and we wanted to see firsthand the daily workings of the local fisherman. It was extremely interesting to watch as the men (and a few women) worked fixing the lines/nets, unload the daily catch and then ready their boats for the next day. One “crabber” allowed me to look inside his bushel basket of crabs before he loaded it into his refrigerated truck for delivery to area restaurants.



We also learned that the best spot for breakfast was the local drugstore that had a genuine lunch counter. We missed breakfast but we did get there just in time for lunch. True to its reputation, we had lunch counter food as good as it gets - tuna salad for me.

We especially enjoyed the glitter ball – it added just the right touch!



Cape Charles was founded on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in 1884 as a planned community by railroad and ferry interests. It was formed by dredging a new harbor out of a large fresh-water lagoon (which was formed by a meteor) between King’s and Old Plantation creeks in lower Northampton County. The community thrived as a railroad, ferry and fishing community through World War II with its mission of ferrying troops and supplies. At the Town’s peak period of development in the early 1900s, as many as 300 rail cars per day were transported through the Town’s harbor. In 1958, the last passenger train left Cape Charles. The railroad is still in operation for commercial and industrial purposes, as it has been continuously since 1884.



With the decline of the railroad industry following World War II and the increase of local truck shipping resulting from the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in 1964, the town experienced an economic downturn.





The town has in recent years changed its economic focus to become one of the best kept secrets in Virginia. It is a charming community that has become a destination and would be a delightful place for retirement along the Chesapeake shore. Captain Mark and I spent two afternoons exploring the streets which are lined with old homes that are in various stages of renovation.




Friday evening Mark attended a piano concert performed by Stephen Dulce at The Palace Theater. He found it to be a nice concert sponsored and supported by an active local community theater group.

Mare Soleil Humor

The following conversation was overheard aboard the motor vessel Mare Soleil while departing Kenosha, Wisconsin in route to P Dock at Burnham Harbor, Chicago:

Captain Bob: As we depart the dock how about if we pretend that we are the Lolligag and only travel at 8kts?

Crew Lee: Sure that sounds like fun!

Captain Bob: Now that we are out of the harbor and in open waters, how about if we actually turn on the engines?!

YRYH to Cape Charles

We left York River Yacht Haven today with the most wonderfully calm seas ever…it was like glass crossing the Bay to Cape Charles resulting in a delightful four hour cruise.

Neither Captain Mark nor I realized how much each of us missed cruising and it felt so good to be back on the water. That is until we reached the channel for the town harbor in Cape Charles. Instantly the wind picked up like crazy. We made it into the slip just fine but then the wind pushed us diagonally in the slip before I was able to get us secure…we looked rather stupid and it was certainly not a pretty docking but no one was hurt and no boats were struck which is all that counts at the end of the day. Also, Mark and I each forgot to put on our headset which is a total no-no resulting in neither of us being able to hear the other. I was finally able to get us pulled forward and secured, then backward to be tied onto the piling at the stern.

All things considered I guess it is not bad for our first time back on the water after six months of land. We will be here until Saturday when we will head to back to the western shore for a Nordic Tug rendezvous in Smithfield, Virginia.




Hours on the water: 4.0
Nautical miles traveled: 26.7
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Smithfield, VA
What we are listening to: Columbine by Dave Cullen
What we watched: Season Finale of Lost
Lesson for the day: It feels so good to be back on the water
Obligatory knitting report: Finished Socks from Hell for Mark

Shopping and Plantation Hopping

After fully assessing what was taken from the boat by the nasty people, we realized that we would be doing lots of running around to several different stores to replace the items. YRYH has a loaner vehicle that I am sure they would allow us to use as much as we needed however we decided to rent a car so that we could come and go as necessary and not inconvenience our fellow boaters who may need a car as well.

The two major items that were stolen were the 9.9 Mercury outboard motor for the dinghy and our stabilizing binoculars. These two items alone were/are valued at over $3000. In addition, approximately another $1500-2000 worth of handheld electronics, a cooler and Longaberger baskets were taken. Captain Mark decided to replace the outboard motor with a smaller version.

The thing that upset me the most was that BOTH sets of our Marriage Saver headsets were taken. I am so dependent on these that I made sure to have an extra pair and dog-gone-it, they stole both pairs. Luckily, Cruising Solutions was able to expedite shipping so we can continue to save our marriage.

Taking a break from dropping money all over the western shore of Virginia on boating supplies, we decided to do the tourist thing and go spend a day at Monticello and Berkeley plantations respectively.

Monticello

Having watched the HBO series John Adams last year we learned more about Thomas Jefferson than either of us had in school. Therefore, we were very anxious to visit Monticello and see the house and grounds first hand.


As one drives up the mountain, Mitchie Tavern and Mill are located half way up the scenic drive. This eatery was recommended to us by the Gloucester Sheriff Lieutenant who took our police report so we knew it came from a reputable source. True to the recommendation the food was plentiful and Captain Mark loved the homemade fried chicken (which is a real treat for him since I refuse to cook it for him). I found something more to my liking.

After lunch we continued on our way to the top of the mountain where Monticello sits. This was only one of the several “farms” owned by the Jefferson’s and was the main residence of Thomas Jefferson and his family. As a child, Thomas played and rode on this mountain and knew from early on that this is where he wanted to build his home. During 90% of Jefferson’s adult life, Monticello was a continuous work in progress. As an inventor, his ideas and creations along with his love of architecture are evident everywhere one looks both inside the house as well as on the grounds. For all of Jefferson’s accomplishments, he had one major flaw…he was constantly in debt for the extravagant purchases he made. Despite being land rich, he was cash poor. He loved fine wines, furnishings, artwork, and silver and he did not hesitate to purchase these things without regard to cost or his funds. Following Jefferson’s death, it took his grandson many years to pay all of the creditors.

Like his friend George Washington, Jefferson first and foremost thought of himself as a farmer. He too liked to experiment with plantings and worked hard to see that his plantations were self sufficient. Jefferson was a meticulous record keeper so it is easy for the gardens at Monticello today to be kept true to what was grown originally. When asked at the end of his life what he thought was his greatest achievement, he said that he most wanted to be remembered for founding the University of Virginia.










Berkeley Plantation



First settled by a company of British male colonists in December 1619, Berkeley Plantation claims to be the site of the first American Thanksgiving.

Given a sealed manifest, the colonists were instructed to open the document only upon landing in the new world. Reading their instructions, they learned that they were to immediately “give thanks” in prayer and meal for a safe journey from England. Additionally, it is interesting to note that these early colonists were the first to distill Bourbon Whiskey in America starting in 1621.

Situated along the James River, Berkeley Plantation was built in 1726 by Benjamin Harrison and his wife Anne. They were the grandparents of William Henry Harrison, who later became the 9th US president. In turn, another Benjamin Harrison, William Henry’s grandson, would become the 23rd US president.

The original Georgian mansion was constructed of brick fired on the plantation grounds by enslaved workers, both African and indentured. It is amazing that the original building is still standing and totally intact considering the violent episodes that have occurred on the grounds of Berkeley through the years. The first attack took place in 1622 (before the mansion was built) when a raid led by Pocahontas’ cousin forced the surviving original British settlers to flee to Jamestown, twenty miles down the James River. It was several years later that Benjamin Harrison IV claimed the property and had the house built.


During the Civil War the main house, the two small houses and grounds were occupied by General McClellan and 140,000 Union soldiers. The small buildings and the lower floor of the main house were used as field hospitals while the upper floor of the mansion was headquarters for General McClellan and his officers. President Lincoln visited Berkeley in 1862 to visit with McClellan and to review the Union troops. Also during 1862, “Taps” was composed by Brigadier General Butterfield and his bugler Private Oliver Norton. From that day forward, this soulful tune would signify day’s end.