April 29-30, 2021 Return to the Beginning

 Thursday, April 29, 2021. Day 144.

Everyone was up early. The plan was to leave our Mill Creek anchorage before 8am. Fortunately the bugs were not that bad. I stretched on the back deck, we had coffee, and the anchor was up and we started the day's journey to Hartge Yacht Harbor Marina, where we had started on this voyage on December 6, 2020.

We were to drop Gail and Mike off there, at their sailboat, and stay one night at Hartge; at least that was the plan. We wanted to celebrate at an outside restaurant for dinner in Annapolis, as this was, in many ways, the end of the journey.

The day was overcast although the water was calm and I enjoyed the reflections in the water of the landscape. As we re-entered the Patuxent River from our anchorage, Gail telephoned to arrange a T dock at Hartge (the original dock we had had there in December), and to confirm that the pumpout was working. All was good to go.

I steered into the West River. It was overcast and windy, but the West River was calm, although deceptively long and very windy, especially for a newbie (me).

At 2:15pm, I FINALLY GOT MY CHANCE TO DOCK (with a great deal of help and coaching by Captain Roland), while Gail and Mike and the dock hand worked the lines. Gail immediately jumped off the boat as soon as we docked, and ran to her boat to check on it. It was my first docking experience and I was told I did very well. I guess I learned something from watching Roland dock and de-dock for the last five months!

Captain Roland backed into our original T, with help from the dock hands (it was too shallow to turn around and go forward).

Gail and Mike unloaded, started working on their boat, and confirmed our dinner at Luna Blu in Annapolis, outside. I immediately started on the laundry and the dishes (my major contribution to the workload).

We had a happy hour with Gail and Michael on MM, and then, off to dinner. As usual with Gail and Michael, they chose an Italian restaurant. We enjoyed the experience, notwithstanding the loud karaoke bar across the street. My favorite part of the meal was the bread – it was fantastic; I also enjoyed the chocolate mousse. The prices were reasonable, the service was very good and there was no skimping on the portions.

Unfortunately the forecast for Friday was really heavy winds so we had to plan to either leave very early for a short trip to our PO‘s private dock in Crownsville or stay another day in at the Hartge.

Friday, April 30, 2021. Day 145.

We got up early to check the wind, and although it was sunny, we were right on the cusp of whether we should go or stay. The wind was not supposed to pick up until noon but it was already gusting greater than 20 knots, so we decided to stay. We were very disappointed to miss the Crownsville visit to our POs, but hoped to stop there the first couple days of June, on our way back to Annapolis. Weather must be respected; plans often must be adjusted.

I went for a run and we had french toast for breakfast. Gail came by to check on us and report on her progress getting the sailboat together.

I did more laundry and dishes, and as the wind increased (gusting to greater than 50 knots), we secured the lines and put out more fenders. We were in a protected harbor, but things started rocking pretty heavily. It was reported to be very choppy on the bay – no fun. I was glad we hadn't ventured out.

Gail and Roland went food shopping and came back with groceries and a folding cart with wheels (great purchase!). I took a break from work and went over and checked on Gail's and Michael’s progress on their boat and visited the nearby catamaran where Mike and Cheri live aboard, to see how their winter had been. Cheri was helping out with their grandson in North Jersey. Mike was back and forth to maintain the boat, obviously missing Cheri.

At about 5pm, the power went out in the whole marina, possibly, all of Galesville. No power meant that there was no light nor water in the marina bathrooms and laundry (the water pump was powered by an electric motor). Fortunately, we have a generator, so we made chicken thighs in the air fryer. Gail and Mike came over for an after dinner drink. Because all the lights were out in the marina, they had to use their cell phone flashlights to make it back to their boat.

It was kind of ominous to end our visit in Hartge, where we started, powerless.