Live Long and Prosper

When Captain Mark asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day, I think he already knew the answer. The only decision we had to make was to find a theater that was showing the new Star Trek movie. We both love ST, but only the movies and the original TV series. All of the reviews stated that this was the best Star Trek to date and even though William Shatner was not in the movie, we knew we had to see it immediately. OMG, we were not disappointed in the slightest. The casting was excellent with the young Kirk, Scottie and Spock being spot on perfect. Even if you are not a Trekie, this movie is a must see!

Blogetiquette

I do not think that "blogetiquette" is really a word but it is the closest that I can come to explain what I am about to do. In advance I apologize becuase I realize that I am going to drive blog purist over the edge but I simply have no other options.

Last fall when it was time to leave the boat in Virginia I was so burnt out from writing the blog and having my laptop literally glued to my thighs that I was not sure that I would ever be able to write another episode of the Lolligag Adventures. All I wanted to do was put me on a couch in front of a television set and knit for the rest of my life. Watching television is not my favorite past time, so you know that my mind was muddled beyond blogging words. SO, what I am going to do is write a blog recap for each of the months that we were back in Indiana retroactively but I will date them as if they had really happened in real time. What this means is that if you wish to find out what we did during the winter months you will need to scroll backward from today's entry.

A funny thing happened on the way to the boat

I need to stop laughing long enough to once again air the Lolligag's dirty laundry in public...Just imagine this scenario: Beth, Chris, Captain Mark and I are all nestled snug within the pickem-up truck cruising east on I-64 toward Virginia. I am knitting (surprise surprise), Beth is working on the computer (complete with an Internet connection) and Chris is reading a book. Ahead of us we see an Indiana State Trooper along the right hand side of the road facing the wrong direction - he is facing the oncoming traffic and we can not figure out why. Captain Mark dutifully switches to the left hand lane as the law requires when all of a sudden the trooper's lights start to flash that unmistakable red and blue. We all immediately look at the speedometer which reads 74mph and the speed limit is 70mph. CERTAINLY, he is not going to stop Mark for going 4mph over the limit, is he? Sure enough, as Mark pulls over to allow the trooper to pass, the trooper pulls in behind the pickem-up truck. As he comes to Mark's window I am expecting the trooper to make some smart comment about our license plate which reads Loligag - something about how we sure were not "lolligaging down the highway". However, this gent had absolutely NO sense of humor whatsoever and asks Captain Mark if he saw the construction zone warning signs. Mark replies that he obviously did not or he would have slowed down while in a work zone. We look around and all we see is rain - no orange cones, no workers, no orange barrels, no sign of a construction zone except for the yellow light blinking sign (now behind us) that the trooper was sitting under before he pulled out after us.

The ISP trooper takes the required license and registration to return to his car to make sure that we are not felons on the lam. Satisfied that we are just speeding Hoosiers, he returns with a ticket for Captain Mark for going 74mph in a 45mph zone. Now the funny part of his whole story is that Captain Mark is the ONLY person within the entire Ellis household, both current and past that does not speed but yet he is the ONLY member who ever gets speeding tickets. After the trooper returned to his car and was out of earshot, Beth and I looked at each other and totally lost ourselves in a fit of giggling that lasted eastward through the entire state of Kentucky. Chris was much too polite to join in our laughter. Captain Mark was heard mumbling to himself that he did not see the humor at all...

The Lolligag goes in the water

I was very excited to learn that the boat was not yet in the water when we arrived at YRYH, however, Captain Mark was not so happy. Not because the boat was not in the water but because this meant that he HAD to watch the yard crew lift, transport and lower the boat into the water. With neither of our large boats have we ever been present when the boats were placed in or taken from the water. I really do think that Captain Mark prefers to believe that Water Fairies come during the night and miraciously lift boats to and from the water and that no humans are responsbile for any part of this task. NOW he was to have his Water Fairy fantasy busted AND he will be required to watch as mere mortals performed the task of transporting HIS boat. Beth took one look at her father and said "Dad is really nervous, isn't he about watching them move the boat..." Normally Mark is extremely laid back, almost to a fault, but as the boat lift apparatus was moved into place and with arms crossed he started a pacing routine that did not stop until the boat was in the water and he was standing at the helm of the Lolligag.

I thought watching the whole process was way cool and very interesting. I was mightly impressed by the way Angie manuevered and ever so skillfully handled the boat lift. Like any task done well, she made it look much easier than I am sure it is. She later told us that she has been lifting boats for eighteen years and has never had a mishap.

However, as it turned out, getting the boat in the water was the easy part. Once at the helm and prepared to back the Lolligag out of the lifting well, Captain Mark discovered that the engine would not start. Of course the problem was with the batteries which needed to be charged. We could not jump them with the normal battery jumping methods and therefore it was necessary to charge the batteries at least overnight with shore power. SO, we and the YRYH boat yard staff "walked" the boat along the pilings to an open slip and reigned her in for the weekend. Here she will charge her batteries and hopefully will start in the morning.

On the road again

Beth and Chris very generously agreed to ride to Virginia with us and then drive the pickem-up truck back to Indiana. It has been a long time since we have had a family road trip and it was fun traveling and being with them.

As we travelled along I-64 through Kentucky and West Virginia, I shared with Beth and Chris the story of Mary Draper Ingles and the book Follow the River by James Alexander Thom. Her journey and subsequent escape from the Indians came to life as we saw up close and personal the mountains and terrain that she traversed in order to return to her home in Virginia. A bridge on I-64 spanning The New River is dedicated and named in her honor. A true story, this book is a must read as it tells her struggle of survival to return to her family. This winter we were most fortunate to meet Mr Thom and his lovely wife Dark Rain Thom while attending a 1700’s re-enactment festival.



Continuing east, we stopped at the Bates Motel for the evening. I will admit right up front that I am a hotel snob and very picky about where I sleep. This place was true to its name and at any minute I knew that Norman would be knocking on our door with knife in hand…There was no way that I was going to sit on anything other than the sheets (which looked clean and clear of tell-tale spots). I was tempted to stay fully clothed while showering but that seemed to defeat the purpose of washing away the fleas. We were entitled to a Bates Breakfast with our stay but prudently Captain Mark suggested that we opt for the local I-Hop instead = good choice.

We arrived at the York River Yacht Haven to a sunny 85 degrees which felt wonderful following the cold and rainy weather we left in Indiana. The Lolligag was not yet in the water and we were anxious to see the damage from the break-in and speak with marina personnel. So we headed to the marina office for a little chat.

Land Pirates Are Another Issue Altogether!

While I am at the Orthopedics’ office and subsequently the hospital having all sorts of emergent and slimy tests performed, drainings, squeezing of swollen appendages and hurtful shots (but more whining about me in another blog entry) Captain Mark received a call from the York River Yacht Haven Service Yard that our boat had been broken into and has suffered some pretty major damage. We are upset on so many levels about this that I hardly know where to start…This is what we do know…it appears that our boat was broken into by land pirates attempting to enter through the aft door initially. This attempt to gain entry was unsuccessful. The news that we have received is that the aft door is a mess and probably will not be able to be repaired which means a new one will have to be ordered from Nordic. When that point of entry did not work, the nasty people broke the window on the port side of the pilot house and entered the boat. The boat was/is on the hard and we took most items of value back to Indiana with us when we left last fall…so we will not know exactly what is missing until we get to the boat next week. YRYH personnel said the boat was ransacked rather thoroughly but they can not tell what if anything was taken, however it appears that all of our built-in electronics are still in place. Let’s hope so because the electronics installation is the one area where we really splurged. Mark brought the auto-pilot main device home so we know that part is okay.

We are reserving judgment on how this episode was handled until we have all the facts. We have not yet seen the police report and we are not sure if anyone took photos. Needless to say we are dumbfounded, pissed and very disappointed about this. We should arrive in Yorktown next week and we shall see…

Pirates

In discussing our trip with landlubbers, invariably questions arise about pirates: Are there really pirates in current times? Are we concerned for our safety? Where are the pirates? Do we have gun aboard? What would we do if we were captured? In fact, concern about pirates is the most frequent topic of inquiry about our trip following the discussion of the high price of diesel fuel.

Pirates have been in the headlines recently for their activities off the coast of Africa and have therefore brought this concern to the forefront of the people following the Lolligag Adventures. Our daughters, especially Beth, have worried about our capture by pirates ever since we first told them about our desire to make this trip. So in a vain attempt to reassure the girls and to answer often posed questions, I will share my thoughts regarding the modern day pirate problem within the Western Hemisphere.

Yes, there are pirates upon the seas today. Yes, they are a legitimate concern. Yes, every serious boater should be aware of the possibility of a pirate encounter and have a plan in place for such an encounter. However, the reality is that the Lolligag being of interest to or being boarded by pirates is extremely slim. Like in the days of old, modern pirates are looking for a “go fast boat” that will allow them to easily maneuver and escape from legal authorities. Nordic Tugs simply do not fit that description. In the past, as well as today, transporting contraband has always been the way that pirates make their living. While the cargo may differ, the techniques and practices are much the same today as in centuries past. Today most pirates are running drugs, guns or smuggling people and the need for a fast vessel is imperative in the pirate world. With a top sustainable speed of 11 knots (12.5 mph), our Nordic is not going anywhere fast – for Nordic owners, this is the charm of a tug, not a liability. For a pirate however, being pokey is simply not an option.

No, we do not have a gun aboard nor would we even consider having one. Neither Captain Mark nor I have ever shot a gun in our entire lives and quite frankly, they scare me to death (pun intended). Even if we had a gun in our possession, would this really prevent our capture by pirates? I don’t think so. I am certain that the weapons of the pirate ship would be more effective and sophisticated than anything we would own. So…what would we do? We would do whatever we needed to do in order to save our lives or the Lolligag. We would react just as we would in a home invasion or a carjacking – if we have something they want, they can have it so long as we remain safe.

Lastly and more assuredly, there are very few pirates within the open continental waters of the United States and Canada as shown on the world-wide piracy map. In fact, like the alleged black bears of Alabama or my mythical aunt Brenda, I have yet to see a single one…Mariners are most likely to meet pirates in the Gulf of Mexico or the waters off Central and South America and the Caribbean. In these open waters the illegal actions will not be easily seen by other boaters or the police patrols. Common sense and good maritime practices should prevail when traveling in these areas: Travel with a buddy boat, record a “flight plan” with the departing and destination port authorities and be observant to one’s environment.



As I attempt to reassure Beth, I explain that the likelihood of her parents being kidnapped or killed by pirates is minimal at best. The odds of her winning the Hoosier Lottery are certainly greater than the Lolligag having a pirate encounter. HOWEVER, if pirates got wind of the large yarn stash and cheap wine that I have in abundance aboard the Lolligag, then we might have a different scenario altogether.

Seeing the Sights Before We Leave

The area that we are currently in is known as the Historical Triangle. Located within the Virginia Peninsula the area which composes the Historic Triangle includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Joining these three historic areas of Virginia is the Colonial Parkway. The Parkway is a lovely driving path through a heavily wooded area which is designed to shield visitors from the trappings of modern life…like the Naval Weapons Station at Yorktown with its two loading piers which often are occupied with US warships. However, putting aside all thoughts of modern day, it is very easy to sit back and appreciate nature while traveling along the Parkway. We saw lots of water foul and the marshlands as they must have looked to the colonists upon arrival in the early 1600’s.



Having already visited Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown, we headed to Jamestown. We spent the entire morning walking among the archeological digs that are ongoing at Jamestown and taking a guided tour of the colony. The afternoon was spent at the Jamestown Museum on the colony grounds which house an unusually large and extremely interesting collection of artifacts that have been excavated from within the colony grounds. It is amazing to see what nature had preserved underground these past four hundred years. We literally ran out of day before we finished viewing all there was to see. It is our hope to travel up the James River to see Jamestown from the water when we return in the spring.


We could not leave the area without a trip to the Williamsburg Winery. We opted to take the hour tour to see first hand the workings of a local winery. An interesting note that we discovered during the winery tour was that each colonist family in Virginia was mandated by law to plant a vineyard upon arrival from England in the hopes that Virginia would provide vineyards like the south France. While the grapes flourished, the quality of the wine was never even remotely near that of France, so the farmers of Virginia turned to tobacco as the cash crop of choice.



We drove into the Norfolk/Portmouth area to see the warships up close and personal. We were able to tour the USS Wisconsin which is part of the Nauticus Museum in Norfolk. It was both humbling and exciting to board the USS Wisconsin to feel what it must be like to live aboard what is such a huge ship while at the same time experience the teeny tiny living quarters of the crew. The Natuicus Museum contains an excellent collection of nautical memorbilia unique to the waters and history of the Chesapeake. It was certainly an afternoon well spent.


Before leaving the area, we took a walking tour of the Portsmouth area. We spent several hours walking the area which is full of old homes which are being restored and maintained.

Crew Member DTLB Comes for a Visit

Lolligag crew member DTLB has the patience of Job as she made plans for her long overdue and much deserved vacation aboard the Lolligag. It was everyone’s original intention and hope that she would be joining us in the Bahamas during the early winter months of 2008. However, a severed finger by this Deck Monkey in January 2008 changed the plans of everyone involved. So we reviewed her work schedule and the places that she has previously visited and the logical conclusion was that she join us to see and visit Williamsburg and the historical sites therein.

Captain Mark and I picked her up from the Richmond airport and we all began four days full of laughter, sightseeing, wonderful shopping (purchasing), eatery exploration, all the while ending our days with good wine and more laughter.



Since none of us had visited the historic Village of Williamsburg, this seemed the perfect place to start our tourist activities. WOW, is the best description of Williamsburg. Yes we knew that it was a city of restored historical building and that people wore, ate and used implements of the early 1700’s but still we were thrilled and impressed by the authenticity and attention to detail that we found in every aspect of Williamsburg.



I think what shocked us the most was the fact that people actually live in the homes within the Village. I guess I thought it was just a re-created village museum but that is hardly the case. Everything that is created, made or used in Williamsburg is done exactly as it would have been done in colonial times.











The town of Yorktown is located directly across the York River from our marina so we ventured to the town for some serious shopping and lunch dinning. Then it was on to the Yorktown Battlefield for a historical tour which surprised us all by being so informative and interesting. We all commented that we wished our US history classes in high school would have been this much fun!

Unfortunately, a small craft advisory was in effect for our area so we were not able to take Linda for a boat ride. However, she was able to see a warship that was docked in the York River not too far from our marina.

We even drove to downtown Washington, DC for dinner before our visit time expired. We are most fortunate to have our friends (crew members) join us along our journey. Sharing the Lolligag’s adventures is one of the most special aspects of being able to make a trip like this and we are very glad that DTLB made the long awaited and special effort to visit us.

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.