York River: The Final Frontier

Today we head to the York River Yacht Haven where we will stay for at least two weeks. YRYH is located on the eastern shore of the York River on what is known as Gloucester Point. This marina has been recommended to us by several fellow mariners and if after talking with the YRYH Service Department, Captain Mark is satisfied with the answers they provide, this will be the location where the Lolligag is placed “on the hard”. Since I am hard of hearing, when I first heard this nautical term, I thought I was misunderstanding what was being said as the words were an odd sequence for me to process – kind of like Yoda-speak…However, the term means exactly what it says: the boat will be placed upon hard ground for an extended period of time.

The today started off bright, sunny and primarily uneventful but definitely a wonderful day upon the water. The temperature was comfortable and seas calm. Since it was a Tuesday and later in the season for most Chesapeake boaters, we had the waters pretty much to ourselves.

As we rounded the Virginia shore to enter the York River, we were amazed by the beauty of this river. First, by how wide the York River is as it joins the Chesapeake Bay. At this point which is the river’s mouth on the west side of Bay, the river is over 2.5 miles wide. We can only imagine that the awe and wonder we experienced seeing this sight for the first time was the same feeling as shared by the early explorers of this area. Modern development has been kept to a minimum in this area of Virginia so the shoreline looks very much like it has since the first written records were created by the early European settlers. Secondly, as we looked to the west, we could see a storm squall line headed in our direction. We knew the storm was coming but it was our hope to reach our slip at YRYH before the brunt of the thunderstorm arrived. As the storm came closer, the temperature dropped and winds picked up. However, once again Neptune and Mother Nature favored the Lolligag crew, particularly the Deck Monkey, whose job it is to be outside the pilot house (in the rain) to secure lines while arriving at a wet, slippery dock. In addition to the assistance given by Mother Nature in holding the worst of the storm off until we were secured in our slip, the staff at York River Yacht Haven were standing in the rain to meet us and grab our lines upon arrival thereby saving this Deck Monkey who did not have to slip or fall on the wet dock. Right from the beginning, I knew that I would love staying at York River Yacht Haven.

Hours on the water: 6
Nautical miles traveled: 40
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Undetermined
What we are listening to: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
What we watched: The storm
Lesson for the day: YRYH is the best!
Obligatory knitting report: Blue Heron Yarn Shawl

Fishing Bay Anchorage

Now that I have been successful in having the Lolligag forever banned from Calvert Marina in Solomon’s Island, it is time to move on. Our destination today is an anchorage in Fishing Bay, Virginia as we make our way south to the York River. Following the rains of last week, the weather has turned much less humid with just a hint of fall in the air.

Our travel today was been rather uneventful which is not a bad thing at all since this was one of our longest days yet. Arriving at our anchorage in Fishing Bay Captain Mark pointed out to me that we are now just on the other side of the peninsula from Deltaville where we had stayed shortly after arriving in the Chesapeake earlier in the summer.



This location was one of the most beautiful and peaceful anchorages to date. Following a wonderful dinner of grilled salmon for me and steak for carnivorous Captain Mark we sat atop the Lolligag to enjoy the sunset and calm evening under the stars.



Hours on the water: 8.25
Nautical miles traveled: 60
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: York River Yacht Haven
What we are listening to:
What we watched: The sunset
Lesson for the day: Not everyday has to be exciting
Obligatory knitting report: Blue Heron Yarn Shawl

Trawler Fest: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

We were fortunate to have reached our slip at Calvert Marina before the storm hit. The rocking and rolling that we expected when we thought Hurricane Hanna was going to hit was what we experienced for the next thirty six hours. By watching the Weather Channel (another good reason to have purchased the TV satellite dish for which I never cease reminding Captain Mark) we were able to see and follow the weather that was headed in a direct path toward us. Wind gusts between 50-70 mph were anticipated in our area requiring us to secure the Lolligag at all four corners in such a manner that would also allow us to rise and fall along with the tide. Lines secured and fenders in place so that we could adjust them without leaving the boat was vital as the winds escalated and the tide came in and departed again several times during the next day and a half. Getting off the boat onto the dock was so risky that we did not even attempt to do so until the worse part of the storm passed. Never have we experienced such rocking and rolling. All items within the boat were put away so that they did not become flying missiles. The only safe place to keep our soda cans was inside the kitchen sink as we ate our meals over the sink in an attempt to keep the crumbs contained. When we first arrived at the Calvert Marina, there were at least six other larger boats on our dock. When we woke up the next morning, all the other boats had moved to another part of the marina in order to find refuge from the rolling and the wind. Sad to say, they did not escape the weather excitement and we felt that they risked damaging their boats in their attempt to relocate in such a turbulent wind storm. Midway through the night, the lightning, thunder and violent rains came. The storm ebbed and waned but continued for the better part of the next couple of days. Needles to say, I loved each and every minute of this storm but being tossed about did curtail my knitting plans for the time being. Knitting lace does require a calm and steady hand.


The storm was the first “good” part of our saga. The second “good” part was waking up after the worst part of the storm had abated to see a mirror imagine of the Lolligag. As we had backed into our slip, The Libertad, had also backed into the slip directly across the fairway in front of us making the two red/white 32 Nordic Tugs the most wonderful sight in the marina. This just goes to show that while the Nordics are “cute” they are made to handle rough seas.







As soon as we could get off our boat safely, we proceeded to venture over to meet our new Nordic neighbors, Bob and Peggy from Annapolis. They promptly invited us inside to view their boat and then came to see ours. No two Nordics are made the same and it is so much fun to see the different configurations, upholstery and customizations that each owner has made. Bob, Peggy and crew became our new best friends at the conference and it was fun to join them each evening for dinner. In addition, Peggy plays the Ukulele and treated us to a concert one afternoon amid several glasses of wine.

The “bad” part of the week was the Trawler Fest in the water boat show. We felt that this was very disappointing. There did not seem to be a very large variety of boats even though there were quite a few boats present – they just all looked alike. Lots and lots of Mainships. There were several new Nordics that were brought in from the Annapolis dealer and it was fun to see them but we are content with our little 32.

We did however treat ourselves to an early Christmas present. We have been ogling and coveting the brass set of Weems & Plath nautical instruments for some time as we saved our pennies. After fondling them multiple times, I convinced Captain Mark that Santa would be more than happy to put them under our Christmas tree.




Now for the “ugly” part of our story…I would be less than honest if I said that we have always found clean, sanitary and stellar marina accommodations in each port along our adventure. Restroom/shower facilities/laundry rooms have run the gamut from very nice to “do not enter without full footwear and do not dare to sit down”. However, never have I encountered such “icky and unkept” marina facilities as we had at Calvert Marina. The facilities that were available for those of us who arrived by boat were by far the worst that we have seen since leaving Chicago AND we were docked, and I am not exaggerating, over a mile from the nearest facility thereby making it necessary to use the shower and bathroom aboard the Lolligag. After unwittingly and naively entering a restroom facility after arriving at Calvert Marina, we certainly welcomed using our own resources as I knew them to be clean and free of critters. But then what added insult to injury was that Calvert Marina had no pump out station making it necessary for us to travel across the harbor upon our departure to find the nearest pump out station. While I am sure that Calvert Marina personnel think that they are giving a reduction in slip fees to Trawler Fest attendees who arrive by boat by charging us $1.00 per night per foot, I feel that with the revenue and free advertising that Trawler Fest brings to the Calvert Marina that they should have paid us to stay in their slips.

Happy Birthday, Beth!!

Thirty five years ago Beth was a tiny little bundle when she came into the world weighing less than five pounds and only 18 inches long. Today she has a heart and spirit ten times larger than life which she brings to her occupation as a social worker and her vocation as a friend. Beth is so fortunate to have a group of friends that have grown up and stayed together to be there for each other through all of life's stages from junior high school to the present.

Laughter and good times follow Beth wherever she goes as she brings her love of life into each room she enters. Her smile is infectious and her compassion for others is undeniable. She brings love to Chris as they make their home together both figuratively and literally. It is wonderful to see the pride that she and Chris show as they remodel to make their house a home. Beth is a loving sister, a devoted aunt and cherished daughter. We love her and could not be more proud of her. Happy Birthday, Beth!!

XOXOX
Mom and Dad

PS She is even an unrelenting and loyal Sarah Fisher IRL fan.

St Michael's back to Solomon's Island

Attending “fests” has become a regular habit for us…I tend to gravitate to Fiber and/or Wine Festivals while Captain Mark goes more for something called Trawler Fest. In fact, we first saw the current Lolligag at Trawler Fest 2006 in Manitowac, Wisconsin and it was there that we started negotiations to purchase her. Trawler Fest is a boating conference, social networking event complete with an in the water boat show and all sorts of fun and expensive boating accessory vendors that is held in several different locations around the US each year. Having attended Trawler Fest Midwest in the past, this year we decided to attend the Mid-Atlantic Trawler Fest at Calvert Marina in Solomon’s Island, Maryland.


Tuesday when we awoke in St Michael’s it was hard to visualize that foul weather was headed our way because the day was truly spectacular with beautiful blue skies, calm seas and near perfect temperatures. However, the weather prediction was for serious and severe winds along with thunderstorms to be arriving within the next twenty four hours for the majority of the Chesapeake Bay area. If we wanted to reach Solomon’s Island before the storm, we needed to leave immediately. So this is what we did after first fueling. As you can see, fuel prices have come down from their peak price of over $5.00 per gallon.

The only vessel we passed along our journey to Solomon’s Island was this ocean going freighter. We could feel the weather start to cool as the storm drew closer. Due to Captain Mark’s excellent weather prediction skills and judgment, we reached Calvert Marina and were secured in our slip before the storm hit.

Hours on the water: 6.75
Nautical miles traveled: 49.5
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Fishing Bay Anchorage
What we are listening to: Finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
What we watched: The weather radar
Lesson for the day: Captain Mark has excellent weather judgment
Obligatory knitting report: Blue Heron Yarn Shawl

St Michael's: My Kind of Town

I think the goddess of fair weather has finally answered my desperate whining pleas for cooler and more tolerable sleeping weather. Last evening was perfect with just a hint of a cool night breeze that made me reach for the polar fleece blanket in the middle of the night. So we were up early and ready to explore St Michael’s.

After securing a spot at the dingy dock, we went in search of a breakfast eatery. The first place that we came to was the Carpenter Street Saloon. We knew that it had to be a great place by all of the people waiting to get in. So we took our place in line and found that the line moved rather quickly. We were not disappointed in the slightest – the food was great and the ambiance even better. The establishment is two historic juxtaposed buildings. One is an affordable family restaurant and the other is a friendly saloon complete on that day with a biker rally, free popcorn, music, and pool tables. It certainly was a happening place.

Just about anything one could want can be found on Talbot Street which is the main drag of St Michael’s. Lining both sides of the street are the most charming and unusually quaint shops. The shops in St Michael’s differ from shops in other waterfront towns in that the items contained within these stores were not the usual run of the mill “touristy stuff” that seem to be everywhere else. There were lots of local artwork and antiques unique to the area.

However, I will confess right up front that three establishments sucked me right in…the first was the St Michael’s Winery. Following a round of tastings, we left with several bottles of local liquid refreshment. One of the items was a Chocolate Zinfandel – two of my favorite things that I would never have thought to combine. We did sample this wine before purchasing it and it is even better than the name indicates.






Onward down Talbot Street, I found Frivolous Fibers

which is a most welcoming yarn shop. Here I fell in love with a line of yarn that I had never seen nor heard of before, but OMG was it to die for! Blue Heron Yarn is locally dyed to reflect the colors found in and around the Chesapeake Bay. I decided to spurge and I got two skeins to make two different shawls.

My third favorite shop was the Chesapeake Bay Outfitters because not only does this store carry the complete line of Life is Good items BUT they were all ON SALE. 90% of both Captain Mark’s and my wardrobe is comprised of Jake's clothing and to find them on sale is just divine intervention.


Ranking right after wine and yarn, tote bags are my next favorite thing in the whole wide world and guess what? Yep, I found an oversized Life is Good “Love” tote bag on ultra ultra clearance that the store was almost paying me to carry away. How could I resist even when Captain Mark was mumbling something about how many totes/wine/yarn will a Nordic Tug be able to hold…

As we rode back in the dinghy to the Lolligag with the wine, yarn and clothing purchases all secure within my new tote, I decided that Frank can have Chicago because now St Michael’s, Maryland is MY kind of town.

Annapolis to St Michael’s

It was bright, sunny, warm but not too hot as we readied to depart Annapolis. Water traffic in and around the marinas was very heavy due in large part to Presidential candidate McCain’s visit to the Academy later in the morning. Boats of all sizes, both power and sail, were circling the mooring ball field like buzzards ready to pounce on the next mooring ball to become available.

As the Academy was that weekend hosting a home football game, the 50th reunion of the Class of ’58 and Senator McCain (as a member of that graduating class), the cadets were proudly displaying their skills as soon to be naval officers. Everywhere we turned on the waterway was evidence of their naval leadership. Several miles out from port both a warship and a submarine were anchored and we watched as groups of cadets and their guests were ferried to both vessels for tours. An interesting side note: the warship (#60) is the same ship that we encountered returning to Norfolk from manuveurs as we were exiting Norfolk.











Also located just outside of Annapolis is another interesting anchorage. This location is where ocean going vessels temporarily anchor for either minor repairs or crew shore leave. We had never seen anything like this before and found it very interesting to think of such large ships “anchoring out” in somewhat the same way as the Lolligag does…



The day was about a perfect a day as one could ask for – the seas were calm, the weather wonderful and the crossing from one side of the Bay to the other was truly delightful. From Annapolis to St Michael’s we travelled diagonally from the western shore southeast across the Chesapeake Bay.

It was our intention to anchor out in a secluded and sheltered cove in St Michael’s, Maryland. Upon reaching the area, we found that we were hardly the only boaters with this goal in mind. It was after all a perfect weather weekend for boating, one of the last weekends available for many boaters who store their boats over the winter and St Michael’s is a popular venue at all times. So we were unable to find a spot to anchor in the sheltered cove and instead found a location just outside the entrance of the harbor to toss the anchor. Soon the area around our location was full with at least twenty boats of all kinds and sizes at anchor. We soon heard on the radio that all of the slips within the St Michael’s harbor system were taken for the weekend. Slips in this harbor system are the most expensive that we have encountered thus far on this trip at $3.50 per foot plus an electric surcharge. This would mean that in order for us to stay in a marina, the cost per night for the Lolligag would be in the area of $112, plus tax, plus electric = way too much money. However, what is really neat about many locations in Maryland and certainly St Michael’s, is that there is a dinghy dock that is conveniently located and secure for quick and easy trips into town.

We arrived in the early evening hours and since it was a long day, we decided to stay put aboard the Lolligag for the time being; enjoy dinner, a glass of wine, the beautiful sunset and to wander St Michael’s in the morning.

Hours on the water: 4
Nautical miles traveled: 28
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Back to Solomon's Island for Trawler Fest
What we're listening to: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
What we watched: Naval Academy Cadets display their skills
Lesson for the day: This was a perfect day
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for the Wunder Kids

Annapolis

After saying farewell to new Lolligag crew members John and Georganne, we decided to stay at the Maryland Yacht Club for a few more days to get caught up with our chores: the laundry, the blog and the always needed boat washing. I, along with most female boat owners, find it utterly amazing and fascinating that the male members of the boat owning species will wash, wax, polish, buff, clean and de-streak the deck in just about any weather condition possible. It does not matter if the temperature is 104 degrees or 40 degrees, Captain Mark works without complaint keeping the Lolligag clean, shiny and sparkling. Is this the same guy who use to say it was “too hot” to cut the grass?


With the Lolligag looking pristine and the sun shining, we headed to Annapolis. The day was beautiful and sea was calm. Seeing the huge mooring ball field and the proximity of the of dinghy dock to the downtown area, we opted to attach ourselves to a mooring ball. I am going to brag just a tad and say that I have become quite adept at being able to grab the mooring ball line on my first attempt and quickly attach our lines make us secure and snug. The mooring field is so cool in that it is immediately adjacent to the Naval Academy dock. Needless to say, security is heavy but it was so neat to sit outside on Lolligag’s deck to watch the cadets stroll the campus or practicing drill maneuvers in full dress uniform.

Since we had been there just days before with crew members John and Georganne, we knew that there was much to see and do in Annapolis. Being one of the oldest seaports in the United States, the core of the city is right along the waterways. The small clapboard homes are close together, wonderfully restored and maintained making us feel like we were back in the 1700s. It is very easy to walk to the several square miles to see the many residential and historical buildings. Also being the capital of Maryland, Annapolis houses the Governor’s mansion and the state house both of which are within easy walking distance from the dinghy dock..



We took the dinghy into town and spent the afternoon of the first day walking the streets that we had not seen when visiting over the weekend.
The residential areas are lovely and the residents have taken great strides to maintain the homes in their original paint colors with the original or authentic looking doors, windows and hardware. Flower baskets and window boxes add to the charming look and feel.

We decided to splurge for dinner and we ate at the Middleton Tavern immediately overlooking the waterway with boats lining the downtown district. The food was excellent and we had a bottle of one of the best Riesling wines ever. The bottle of wine was not expensive, in the area of $20, and is Dr Heyden imported from Germany.

For the first time in a long long time, we were able to sleep comfortably with the hatches and portholes open. It felt so good to be just a little chilly for a change…

Bright and early we were up and on our way to the world-renown eatery Chick & Ruth's Delly. Small, cramped and totally family run, this restaurant has served the city of Annapolis and just about every naval cadet since 1965. True to its reputation, the food was plentiful, good and very reasonable. Unfortunately we were seated right by the front door so people were often brushing against us as they made their way in and out of the establishment.

On Thursday afternoon we took a guided walking tour of historic Annapolis as well as the Naval Academy. Our guide was dressed in authentic colonial garb and was informative and clever with his comments as he took us around the town. Both the city tour and the Academy visit were excellent.

I have continued my running routine. I am not sure at all that I am seeing any results in body size or weight, but I am finding that I actually like the discipline of making myself run at least four times per week as well as the way I feel when I complete my runs. Again, by most runner’s standards what I am doing can hardly be called running, but like the tortoise, slow, steady and sure, I will prevail.

Presidential candidate John McCain was a member of the 1958 graduating class from the Naval Academy and the class of '58 was celebrating its 50 class reunion on Saturday, September 20th. In discussing our options for staying in Annapolis over the weekend, it took us about five seconds to decide that it was time for us to move along.


Hours on the water: 3
Nautical miles traveled: 23
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: St Michaels, Maryland
What we're listening to: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
What we watched: The Naval Academy
Lesson for the day: Annapolis still retains its charm after 300 years
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens and hats for Wunder Kids

Roots and Alex Haley

The Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial, which is located at the City Dock in historic Annapolis, portrays in word and symbol the triumph of the human spirit. It stresses the importance of maintaining strong family connections and of preserving and honoring one's family history and cultural heritage.

My father's family began life in the United States in the mid-1700's when two Ledgerwood brothers arrived in Virginia from Scotland as indentured servents. For this reason, I found the Haley Memorial to be a reminder and acknowledgement for all people - African, Asian and European - who arrived in the New World in bondage, whose unpaid labor forged the backbone of this nation's rise to greatness. The Memorial is dedicated to their descendants, who strive to create a nation that celebrates ethnic diversity, mutual respect and understanding.

This area is the only memorial in the country that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African. The Memorial consists of three distinct areas: the Alex Haley sculpture group, Compass Rose, and Story Wall.



The sculpture group features Alex Haley seated before a group of three children of different ethnic backgrounds. Holding a book open on his lap, he recounts his family's history and that of the Annapolis port as the symbolic beginning of the history and journey of African Americans. Next to the statues is a bronze plaque dedicated in 1981 and containing the original acknowledgement of Kunta Kinte's arrival on the slave ship Lord Ligonier in 1767.



Next to the sculptures is the Story Wall, a series of ten markers topped with bronze plaques lining the retaining sea wall on Compromise Street. On each plaque is a quote from Haley's story of his family's journey as told in Roots. Each quote is accompanied by text and unique graphics that explain and illuminates its meaning.



The Compass Rose is situated next to the Market House across the street from the sculpture group. Fourteen feet in diameter, it includes a bronze inlaid compass and map of the world oriented to true North with Annapolis at its center.