Think Spring…..

On these cold days, with the holidays behind us, here’s a thought to warm you (even if only in your mind)…. there are places where the sun shines and the sand is warm on your feet ……

Orient Bay – St Maartens

….and Spring is only eleven weeks away  🙂

2012 in review

Happy New year to all, and hope you found something of

interest here in 2012 — more to come in 2013 !

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 3,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 5 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Holiday greetings

Best wishes for

a great

Holiday Season!!

See you on the water in the Spring 🙂

Dam threats

Conowingo Dam has divided the Susquehanna River from the Chesapeake Bay since it was built in 1928 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conowingo_Dam). For 84 years, silt and whatever else flows down the river has accumulated behind the dam. The Dam is due for re-licensing in 2014. The threat to the Bay is well understood, but remedies are difficult, expensive and have been consistently put off for years.

Each significant weather event leads to increased releases from higher flows and to reduce strains on the dam. That sends an assortment of toxins, nutrients and debris down the Bay. Those releases can cause health and safety risks to sailors and others who recreate on those waters in addition to damages to Bay resources including clams, oysters and crabs. The frequency of significant releases is increasing as the storage capacity of the dam decreases. Remedies are needed now not later…….

For a more complete story, see the article by Karl Blankenship, editor of the Bay Journal – http://www.bayjournal.com/article/conowingo_damreleasing_pollutants_at_more_frequent_rate

there and back again ..and again.. and again..

J. R.R. Tolkien’s adventure tale, ’The Hobbit’ had the alternative title ‘There and Back Again’.  All who know (and love) the Tolkien tales, will remember that Bilbo indeed made his adventure trip but once and ultimately left middle earth sailing for Valinor with the elves.

Many of us who seek adventure on sailing ships are unlikely to encounter the extreme events found in the pages of The Hobbit, or the sequel – ‘Lord of the Rings’. Certainly we don’t encounter goblins, giant spiders, ents or elves – though it may sometimes feel so. And, with good luck, we get to repeat our travels many times. Yet, there is a down side to that.

If you are like most sailors, you find yourself sailing to familiar destinations repeatedly, season after season. Familiar is nice. We know the time and distance factors and constraints of weather. We know how much company we’ll find, or not, in our favorite anchorages. Many make these destination choices as part of a club program.  Single-handing or cruising outside of club sanctioned events offers more freedom to sail to the wind and explore new places, but can miss the social side of sailing – and some really good parties!  But, don’t you frequently feel a strong urge for greater adventure on the water?

Enter the DelMarVa rally, the Bermuda Ocean Race, the Caribbean 1500 and other similar distance and open ocean events. These are organized to satisfy our desire (need) for greater adventure and experience.  They are designed to challenge our sailing skills with safety in mind. Venturing further with the expectation of experiencing a wider range of sailing conditions, and to see ‘what’s over the horizon’ promises to satisfy that urge for greater adventure. Depending on your particular level of tolerance for risk, these are easy steps to take in the company of like-minded sailors. Stretching further to ocean-crossing destinations is generally a step too far for most of us, but always something to day-dream about or even plan for whether realistic or not.

In a few short months (June 2013), the promise of an adventure opportunity awaits. Another DelMarVa Rally is being organized by Spinsheet magazine and others. In 2011, over two dozen boats ranging from 30 to 44ft completed this circumnavigation of the DelMarVa peninsula going clockwise from Annapolis through the C&D Canal, off-shore near Cape May to Hampton, Va and home. Next year we will take the reverse course. The seminars and meetings in preparation for this adventure are underway now, so follow the plans at http://www.delmarvarally.com/ .

If like me, you’ve winterized your boat and are done sailing for the year, planning for next season is what we do to get our sailing ‘fix’ through the cold months.  Our luckier friends are south of the Carolinas by now and finding warmer climes as they head for the Keys or beyond. Fair winds to all, and see you on the water next season!

Thinking DelMarVa …

In the summer of 2011, nineteen boats ranging in size from 27 to 44 feet joined in a rally to circumnavigate the DelMarVa peninsula. This cruise is often the first opportunity for sailors to get some off-shore and nighttime sailing experience. The conditions, from sea state to watch schedules can be strikingly different from the more common cruising on the Chesapeake Bay.

Off shore from Ocean City

Plans are now underway preparing for a similar cruise – this time going counter-clockwise. Next June we will head off from Annapolis on an overnight to Hampton, then off-shore to the entrance of the Delaware Bay at Lewes, up that Bay through the C&D Canal and back to Annapolis. For those interested, check in and follow the planning at http://www.delmarvarally.com/ .

It seemed a good thing to make one of the last sails this season with a fellow skipper from last year’s DelMarVa Rally. Bob skippered his Pearson 31 – Dorielle – in the same group of under 35ft  boats that Valinor sailed with.  Bob sold Dorielle, and  we’re planning on joining forces on Valinor for the 2013 Rally.  A short day sail on Sunday was a great beginning………and turned out to be the last sail of this season.

On a nice starboard tack

Winds were light and variable, but enough to enjoy a pleasant sail. Lots of other boats were out chasing the wind, and appreciating a beautiful day on the water.

Love the way the water sparkles

Monday dawned with little or no wind and we chose to pass on another day sail rather than wait till the afternoon which promised increasing winds.  Instead we set about the task of preparing the boat for winter – “winterization” is such an ugly word.

With Bob’s help, we got the sails down and dropped off at the loft for repairs.

A little help from a friend

Leaving Valinor for  now with bare poles.

Bare poles

The rest of the work will wait till next week….

With beginnings come ends …

So it is with the sailing season, when you can’t go south as many of our friends are doing. Though it’s not quite over and another sail or two may be possible, the antifreeze is on the boat in preparation and assorted gear and supplies are being dragged grudgingly home.

Today I’m sitting on the boat in a borrowed slip waiting for the gusting winds to abate so I can move back to my own slip. TS Sandy managed to take down a tree that grazed the front of the boat, and a second ‘at risk’ tree was taken down in anticipation of its falling too. Otherwise we all weathered the storm with minimal or no damage.

In retrospect, it was a great sailing season. In seventeen sails (day sail or over-night) I logged about 1,000 nautical miles. What’s better is that well over half of that was sailing, not motoring – a much better average than previous years.  Several sails were with SOS crew and others solo with CCYC. It was a good year for building single-handed sailing skills and confidence. That was especially true for an extended 10-day sail with a friend from Maine that covered over 200 nautical miles. Most of these sails are reported previously on this site.

Stay tuned for more news from the water, maybe even another sail or two!

Here’s a brief look back in picture…..

April IRS cruise – still a bit cool….

May DNR cruise and pig roast

In June we watched the Blue Angels perform over Baltimore Harbor

In July it was a sail to Solomons, down past the Dominion LNG port..

.. and a lobster feed with CCYC

August broughta pleasant evening at anchor in the Rhode RIver

In September we took a bit of a pounding ..

.. but the next day broke clear.

Another circle raft in October with SOS

A great evening in Cambridge with friend Roger from Maine

Had passing company while at anchor in the Corsica River…..

A fun way to see the end of the season coming….

Sandy as an object lesson

Storm clouds moving in

For as long as there has been weather on the planet, there have been storms – some small, some big, but always a fascination to us. As the current storm ‘Sandy’ approaches the east coast, I’m following the commentary, warnings and other hype with some interest. First, I’ve taken the practical steps of securing my boat against possible damage from winds and rising waters. I’ve also cleared the house roof and gutters of the Fall leaf crop – twice-  to allow the heavy rains to run off as intended.

Because we have inexorably intruded with our occupation of flood plains and low lying coastal areas, much of the focus has been on the potential damage. Wiser planning and developing would have minimized such negative impacts. Instead of describing imminent disaster, we might be talking about the positive and constructive effects of storms that clean and  refresh the atmosphere and rebuild beeches and marshes. They have in the past, and may still do move plants and animals, small and large, to new territories.   These natural events are essential to planet health and only become disasters where we have chosen to stand in their path on vulnerable ground.

Here’s hoping all are safe in the aftermath. Perhaps too much to hope (too late) that we learn a lesson or two about where to take up residency…..

Chasing geese

After an extended cruise in company with friend Roger’s ‘Strider’ (reported in the ‘Hobbit Land’ stories), I returned to home port to re-provision.  I also needed to prepare for an SOS cruise up the Bay to the Corsica River for the annual Goose Cruise.  The wind gods were kind and delivered 5-15kts from the right direction for both the sail up and return.   Twenty-two boats made up the circle raft, and with that many there was some waiting time…

Looking across the raft

Waiting their turn..

It’s always a good party, and fun watching other boats come into the raft. Valinor was second boat in so there was lots of entertainment.

Sunday, when the raft broke up and others sailed home, I dropped an anchor and stayed another night.  It was a beautiful location, and the geese cooperated both morning and evening as they moved to and from their feeding grounds..

We had other assorted visitors, including this little gull looking for handouts …

Lookin’ for handouts

….  and a special treat as this gentleman took his Chessies out for an evening boat ride

An evening cruise

A couple small trawlers motored in to spend the night, and these friendly folks from Chestertown, stopped by to say hello – they certainly enjoyed the evening sunset on the bow of their boat ..

Barbequed pork loin off the grill, with fresh sliced tomatoes and chilled pinot grigio made for a great dinner ..

A fine dinner off the grill

… and the evening sunset topped off another pleasant day on the water!

Sailed back to home port on Monday in favorable 8-14kt winds.  As one of the last sails of the season, it will be memorable.

Hobbit land II

Monday arrived with significant weather in the forecast, so we made reservations at the Cambridge Marina for slips and moved in first thing in the morning. It proved a good move as significant adverse winds and rain arrived during the day. And, it was nice to stand in a real, hot shower J Roger’s friend Becky came by for lunch at Snapper’s Waterfront Café. She provided some fascinating conversation, and we discovered professional connections with several friends in common from our respective careers.

After lunch we visited the Richardson Museum Boat Works where local watermen were building and restoring classic Bay boats.  Late day cleared and an amazing rainbow appeared. Horizon to horizon  – and then it doubled – what an beautiful treat!

A stunning double, full rainbow..

A good night’s sleep despite the high winds.

Tuesday came early with bright sun, but NW winds were still blowing directly down the Choptank and down the Bay, we chose to brave the head winds in the river, and sail down to Solomons. Warped our way out of the slips about 0800. Well, they say that boats will handle more than the sailor. A good test today. With winds on the nose blowing 15-24kts producing 2-4ft chop it was a challenge to make the first 8nm under power. Valinor struggled at times, and I worked to find quieter waters to no avail. After about three hours fighting upwind, we turn onto a broad reach and sailed at 5-6.5kts to reach the main stem of the Bay, then a downwind run till winds died about half way.  I dropped anchor in company with one other boat late afternoon – joined by a trawler and two other sailboats before evening. We wandered into town and enjoyed another great crab cake dinner.  Time now to tuck in for the night and plan the next leg of the journey in the morning………….

A parting of the ways….

After a careful review of weather and other plans, It was clear that today (Wednesday) was time to head back up the Bay and say farewell to Roger till he sails back through next Spring. It has been an interesting and fun few days on the water with a well-traveled and superb sailor, not to mention his vast technical knowledge as a naval architect. So this little company divided with expectations to connect again as did Tolkien’s heros.

About 0800, I weighed anchor following a nice sunrise—

— said farewell (for now) to Roger and turned the boat back to the north – destination Dun Cove off Harris Creek behind Tighlman Island. A well-protected and beautiful spot to ride out the weather predicted for Thursday – gusty winds 15-25kts and possible rain. It will be good to have a day to get the boat back in order, do some cleaning and rest J

Not a bad spot to be in for awhile — more to come…………

Stay –tuned still more sailing and exploring to come !