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.

April 27-28, 2021 Mill Creek Anchorages I and II

 Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Day 142.

It was a relaxing morning. We had poached eggs a la Roland (delicious). We were still in the southern Chesapeake Bay (Virginia). It was a pretty day: sunny, and the water was a beautiful blue, but it was really windy. 

We were on auto pilot most of the day with Gail and/or Mike standing by on watch. Captain Roland got to relax and read. At the end of the cruising day, the Captain steered into the Mill Creek anchorage; it was a little tricky.

We had arrived at Mill Creek at approximately 3:30pm. There was no wind, it was warm and beautiful. Roland and Mike took down the dinghy, and Gail and Mike sent Captain Roland and me off on a dinghy ride. It was fun but the engine, although it kicked over on the first pull (very nice!), started sputtering at high speed. This was a brand new motor! We lowered the speed but didn’t go too far from the boat, as Roland did not want to row back. Never a dull moment... on Magic Moments! There is always something to deal with, something that needs to be fixed or replaced.

The creek was fairly empty, there were a few homes that were visible from the water. Later two boats joined the anchorage. It was peaceful and scenic. After grilled turkey burgers for dinner, I had a zoom, did yoga and worked on the blog. We did have some time for the four of us to go out and look at the moon and the stars. It was a very large, full moon, with light clouds dancing on its face; it was really spectacular.......unfortunately, photos could not do it justice.

Since leaving Norfolk, we have been in the Chesapeake, rarely seeing land while cruising; just water until we anchor. The Chesapeake is one big bay!

Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Day 143.

The sun was already up when I awakened. The anchor chain had been clanging all night like small fireworks or banging chains noises. Captain Roland believes, after 4 1/2 months, he had a fix- for this problem (yay!). He planned to put a towel in a strategic place.......better late than never.

It was cool and comfortable on this third day of primarily only water views while cruising. At approximately 11am we cruised from Virginia into Maryland (no signs in the Bay: “Welcome to Maryland”). … So close to home… Yet so far… Only days now. I worked out and stretched before coffee and breakfast (yogurt), and my first shower ever underway. So much free time from boat duty (crew and Captain Roland do it all) so, my job is the blog, WIL, MAG, emails and bills. 

We were in open water, there were very few boats (we were here before the “season”). It was sunny and there was no wind. However, although the weather was perfect for the flybridge, after the morning we had to go into the pilot house, the biting flies were intolerable. Really?.......hopefully the only one of the ten plagues we will experience!

At approximately 3:30pm, we passed under the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, in the Patuxent River, and passed Point Patience, and the Solomons. It was still sunny and comfortable, but the little bugs were all over outside. Thankfully, they were bigger than our screen mesh, so we could keep the doors open and enjoy the fresh air. Gail was steering most of the day; since we passed Mobjack Bay, she and Mike were on known territory.

Note: A new term I learned that day was “free board“ which is the part of the boat above the waterline. Easy to use in a sentence..... “Waxing and buffing the free board is a really big job on Magic Moments!”

At 4pm, we anchored in Mill Creek (Maryland versus Mill Creek, Virginia, last night), joining another trawler and a sailboat, but there was plenty of room. It was a little crazy at first because there were fast boats and jet skis zipping all around, and then some thrill seekers out for the evening, screaming as they went, as if they were on a roller coaster, whipping figure eights on the water. At dusk, peace settled in the cove, and it was beautiful, warm and calm.

To celebrate our last dinner with our crew on board, we had an amazing rack of lamb dinner, grilled with eggplant and asparagus, followed by salad, with a very nice red wine. Yum!

We planned to arrive tomorrow at Hartge, where we started this journey on December 6, 2020, Day One.

April 24-26, 2021 On to Norfolk

 Saturday, April 24, 2021. Day 139.

We were up early, 6:30am, and it was a chilly morning with a modest sunrise (we have seen such amazing sunrises and sunsets; the bar has gotten very high). We had told Henry, the dockmaster, that we would be leaving at 8am and he assured us he would be there. Captain Roland was getting nudgy, so at 7:48am, I called Henry and he said he would be right over to help us off the dock.

Our visit to Belhaven had been fun; we enjoyed River Forest Marina both times we had stopped there. We cruised on the Pungo River until 9:20am when we entered the Pungo - Alligator Canal (man-made to connect the two rivers as part of the AICW). It was a narrow canal and the steering was challenging. We went under the Alligator Swing Bridge with three or four other boats and the bridge tender was great; she waited for us to open. I’m not sure the other boats were happy to be hanging around for the extra 2 or 3 minutes it took for us to get there. The Alligator Bridge connects to the Outer Banks but wasn’t too busy with car traffic when we went by; not yet the season, we guessed.

At 5:30 pm we arrived at our anchorage at Buck Island. There were a couple of boats at the anchorage by the time we arrived, which was rather late. The day had been rainy and gray and visibility was muted. The charts were not have helpful re: the depth, so the captain had to guess. The first location he selected he didn’t like and moved to anchored elsewhere. Finally, at 6pm, we finished anchoring: beer time. The captain was tired, the weather was gray, and there were no sunset views.

We all showered before dinner and Captain Roland made grilled lamb loin chops, “smashed” lemon potatoes (a new recipe), and grilled asparagus, with a little chocolate for dessert; all good. We went to bed early hoping to leave the anchorage early Sunday morning.

Mike and Gail have been a tremendous help on this trip. This time together, although challenging at points, has given Gail and me an opportunity to discuss our communication, both of us striving for improvement and to understand each other better. We are a work in progress.

Sunday, April 25, 2021. Day 140.

Gail and I were up early. It was still gray and was raining off and on. Captain Roland and Mike were up soon after, planning an early start. Not a great cruising morning: rough seas, heavy winds, brown water, and a choppy ride. At 10:45am, we reached protected water which was much nicer. At 11:40am, we entered North Landing River. It felt like cruising through a wilderness; very few boats, and we noted that we were one week from home. We passed a myriad of old wooden sunken boats, some completely submerged and others with only parts still exposed. We reached Chesapeake, Virginia at 1:35pm, waiting for the 2pm bridge opening, and saw “Jeremiah” (a KK we had met in Stuart, FL, in January). We called out our hellos to each other and caught up a bit.

At 2:30pm we were through the lock, which went down only a foot and a half so it was easy, without a problem. Captain Roland had gathered the crew for lock instructions, and we all took our positions: Gail at the bow, and Terri and Mike at the stern. Mike had to stand on the door step to lasso the cleat, but he managed beautifully. This was Gail 's and Mike’s first lock; it was fun and gentle. All went well.

At 3pm, we passed the entrance to the Dismal Swamp; maybe next time, said Captain Roland.

We passed Casablanca, a KK 58, anchored right before Hospital Point, which is at the end or the beginning, depending on your direction, of the AICW, in Norfolk, VA. We radioed and tooted the horn to say hello. At 3:50pm, we entered the Elizabeth River.

We had a T tie up at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club, but unfortunately, it was Sunday and late, so no pump out until tomorrow (not good). They told us we could use the dockmaster‘s office and bathroom.

The dockmaster was working to tie up Balero (we had seen them several times over the last few days, at various places on the ICW, and we were looking forward to meeting them now that we were both in NYCC). The dockmaster sent the security guard, Alex, over to help us dock and he did a great job.

Unfortunately the Norfolk Yacht Club had just changed all of their power posts to new GFI compliant posts, which meant that we were out of luck (like Vero Beach). We had not had an opportunity to deal with the problem, although we had done some research and collected some information. I was again becoming agitated that we did not jump on this faster and again annoyed that the surveyor hadn’t warned us and checked it out so we could have done the required modifications before we started our cruise. (see note below re: GFI issue).

So there was no power from the dock that night. Fortunately, we have a generator. We decided that instead of spending two nights at the dock, we would leave in the morning for an anchorage; there was no point in staying without electricity.

The crew and captain watched TV while I took a shower, and unfortunately, but not really shockingly,

after being on the boat together 24/7 for several days, there was a disagreement and a meltdown. It had been an intense and difficult two days and nerves were on edge in this crowded space. Things were tense.

Monday, April 26, 2021. Day 141.

I ran for 2 miles around the yacht club neighborhood with Gail on a fast walk. I then ran and walked another 2 miles after she went back to the boat. While I was running, Nancy and Chris from Bolero, came over to chat. Chris was a baroque musicologist hence the boat name. Their boat, a 52 foot sailboat, was purchased new by them and built to their specifications which, they decided, already needed modification. They felt they had made a big mistake. They have 2 water tanks and one fuel tank.....they planned to convert a water tank to a fuel tank. Ahhhh, more nautical units! They don't know what they were thinking! They are going north in the summer and planning to stop in Atlantic City at Farley Marina, so maybe we will connect this summer.

Last night's meltdown: Apologies were offered and excepted and we all moved on.

At 11am, we moved to the pumpout dock. It was an easy move, no wind, no current, a straight T dock, and no boats around with plenty of people on board and a dock hand on the dock to help. I was very disappointed that I didn’t get the opportunity to practice docking then and there; another missed opportunity! I wanted to try docking, And I believed that with an experienced crew, like Gail and Michael, on board, it would be the best time. I need to be on top of this issue.

At 11:30am, I took a pill, put on wristbands, and hoped that these precautions would be unnecessary. At 12:30pm, we entered the Chesapeake Bay. It was rough, there were white caps, we were moving against the current, and the wind was about 12 knots on our nose......not easy.

Gail and Michael steered most of the day; it was rough, but not awful for me. We passed the entrance to Yorktown at 2:30pm. Again, another time, no side trips this week, we needed to get home.

It was sunny but crisp, in the 60s, and about 3pm, it became calmer as we cruised towards our anchorage. It took two tries to anchor, the first one didn’t take, and at 4:30pm, we were on the hook in Mobjack Bay, in the Northwest branch of the Severn River.

It was windy, but there were no bugs (yay!!); and Mike grilled a great steak dinner.

Boat names:

I loved Boleros first name for their first boat which was “Going Baroque“”, but Nancy said most people didn’t get it.

I think one of the most honest names: “Going Broke”

We all agreed that the name “At Anchor” caused nautical confusion (on the radio when people addressed the boat they called “at anchor”, and boats on the hook thought the radio call was for them)....... …..“Knot Thoughtful” is how I would describe it.

NOTE: After many calls to various experts, and lots of research, one easy but pricey solution to the GFI failure was to install an isolation transformer. At dinner with our PO (previous Owner), in early June, we learned that Magic Moments HAD an isolation transformer. Yeah! So maybe the surveyor didn't mention the GFI issue thinking it was not a problem. And, I was grateful to our PO....they too thought it wouldn't be an issue.

So now, it is still an issue. The latest plan is to check the cord ends.....hopefully, that is the answer.....we are planning to test the ends and if that is the problem, the solution is easy and not financially outrageous.

My negative feeling towards the surveyor somewhat reduced. And maybe this summer, the solution will be found!

April 20-21, 2021 Camp Lejeune, to Homer Smith's ( Beaufort, NC), to Belhaven NC.

 Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Day 135. My mothers birthday.

Everyone was up early, but the anchor was very muddy, so the 15 minutes it took to clean the anchor, caused a delay getting to the Onslow Beach Bridge (the USMC bridge). There was a barge with a crane that let us pass under first, and the tender opened the bridge even though it was between opening times, otherwise we would have had to wait 20 minutes for the 8am opening. The marine corp felt comfortable accommodating us under the circumstances (and thank you to the barge captain). It was our only request bridge of the day.

The water was a flat calm, an 180° opposite from yesterday afternoon with wind and the white caps (a/k/a “wavelets” lol, the Captain refers to them as wavelets.....they are whitecaps to me!).

I did a quick work out. Mornings were getting chilly as we cruised north, but the sun was warm. There were dolphins on the bow, and at 9:10 am, we passed Little Wing, from Annapolis,. A very hearty couple, in a very little, steel-hulled, 1970's, 30 foot sailboat. I so admired the young woman captain. We just love seeing them along the way, and always wish them the best. They far surpass our adventure bar!

We arrived at Homer Smith’s in Beaufort, North Carolina, at approximately 1pm. At first we anchored at the fuel dock, the wind, pushing us off the dock. Roland was docking from the flybridge and Matt, the marina the owner, had to pull us in with the spring line. With Matt's help and the bow thruster, we made it and tied up.

We asked Matt about the GFI issue (he is building several new docks and very clear about the issue). He explained the new regulations and the timing. We must jump on this issue asap, so Captain Roland agreed to call the expert from Vero Beach soon.

The forecast for tomorrow was for very heavy winds, so the question was: to leave tomorrow, or not to leave....I do not do well in heavy, choppy, seas! The decision went back and forth, but regardless, Matt asked us to move to a slip, which the Captain did beautifully, not withstanding the conditions, and we tied up.

We had lots of laundry to do and the marina washers and dryers were available, so I did laundry at the marina as well as on the boat, while Michael and Roland borrowed the marina courtesy car, and went to West Marine to pick up our replacement grille (thank you very much Gail and Michael for the treat). While I continued the laundry, Gail went with Michael and Roland, to do the food shopping.

Between running up and back to the marina laundry, I had a chance to speak to Nancy and Randy from “Bella Vita”, a couple from Denver who had bought their boat in Atlantic City (Farley Marina). It was their first boat (Randy was a former pilot and was loving the boating life). We exchanged boat cards and I went back to the marina to move the wash to the dry and take the dry back to the boat. When I got to the marina office, I found that everything had been locked up and Matt had gone home. We had been in such a rush to get our chores done that I had failed to get the code; I was locked out the laundry was locked in. I waited for someone to come by who knew the code; I called the food shoppers to find out if they knew the code; no luck. In desperation, I called Randy (I had his boat card and he had the code!). It felt very weird to call him 2 minutes after meeting him for the first time. He was very gracious.

There was a Kadey Ladies zoom at 7pm which I attended and asked about GFI and learned that almost all the other boats had already taken care of this problem. Again, I stressed about this issue and wondered why our surveyor hadn't addressed this issue, knowing the requirements. I was unhappy about the surveyor again!

At 8pm I had a TCPW zoom with three national White House correspondents which was really terrific.

The decision was made to leave early tomorrow to minimize the choppy seas. I hoped for the best.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Day 136.

We had planned to leave at 8am and I was ready at 7:50am, however, Roland and Mike had de-docked at 7:15 am. I was told Captain Roland did a beautiful job. I took a pill and put on the wrist bands; it was windy and rough. At 11:30am to 12:30pm we were in the Neuse River, and it was choppy. When we entered the canal connecting the two larger bodies of water, what a relief, it was calm. Short lived. Warning to me: The sound after the canal could get choppy again, and it did, but I managed (no computer, nor zooms, nor notetaking, nor reading....just watch the horizon and breathe deeply)....all was OK. I actually was able to use the time to handle some telephone calls for Wil and TIAW.

The original plan was to go to River Forest Marina in Belhaven, NC, but the winds being so heavy and in a very inauspicious direction, caused us to make a change. Captain Roland called Henry who was very understanding and agreed that we should spend the night “on the hook”, in a nearby protected area. So at 3:50pm, we anchored in Pungo Creek (bonus: we get to try our new grille for a steak redo), everybody was happy!

After we anchored, Captain Roland and Mike gave me some instructions as to lining up points on the shore to check the boat's position, from time to time, to make sure we were not drifting, while at anchor.

The steaks grilled on our new “secure on the staple” grille, were delicious, with wonderful sweet potatoes and string beans, and a nice red wine. We zoomed with Howard and Debbie (Gail's and my brother and sister-in-law in California ). And the captain who was tired after several early and long days, was looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow before we cruise over to the marina.

April 18-19, 2021 Beautiful Passage.

Sunday, April 18, 2021. Day 133.

We all arose with the sun, and it was spectacular. We have seen some amazing sunrises over the past 4 ½ months, but this one was unbelievable. All four of us ran around the boat taking dozens of photos. The water was like a mirror. The morning was quiet, peaceful and calm. Mike got up early to help Captain Roland take up the anchor and get started. and then he went back to bed (Mike is a retired firefighter so he had a lifetime of training getting up in an instant and then being able to go back to sleep - a wonderful talent). 

 I joined the Captain after Mike went back to bed. We were on the Waccamaw River in South Carolina, going through abandoned rice fields; possibly the finest scenery on this entire journey. We passed a boat selling hotdogs, custard, sodas and coffee, while anchored near a small creek right off the ICW. One of the many unexpected sights that bought a smile to my face. Who would have thought?

We passed Myrtle Beach and went under the Barefoot Landing Swing Bridge, which is 31 feet, without the need to open (MM is 25feet). We did need the next bridge to open, and the tender was excellent. As she saw us arriving she opened the bridge and we did not miss a beat.

Near Ocean Isle Beach, at approximately 2:15pm, my sister at the helm, we got a radio call from the local police for speeding by a marina and, he said, creating too much of a wake (MM has almost no wake, and we are always careful in slow and no wake zones, to reduce our speed). Unfortunately, my sister didn't realize she was passing a marina (her experience is not on the ICW, and this was early in her MM training). The Captain apologized and admitted that he needed to supervise his crew a little more closely. Captain Roland was just loving having so much time off from steering, but there is no free lunch; very embarrassing, but fortunately they didn’t fine us.

We arrived at St. James Plantation Marina, which is a lovely, small marina in a golf community. Before we had completed docking, we were greeted by two guys from Philadelphia who saw our hailing port, and came to the dock as a welcoming party. Much fun!

At our dock, the power post didn’t work and the person in the office hadn’t bothered to tell us it was not functioning, so we wasted a great deal of time and energy trying to figure out how to get the electric to work. Finally Gail suggested just trying a different post. We did and all worked just fine.

Monday, April 19, 2021. Day 134.

I got up early and did my 3 mile run around St. James Plantation. I passed very large houses, beautiful paths, outdoor installed exercise stations; an upscale community, with very reasonable marina prices. A very lovely place to stay.

At 9am, we de-docked, and the wind helped us do so, making the process easier. The Captain is practicing docking and de-docking from the fly bridge, and he loves it. He felt that he is really getting to know MM.

We exited from St James Plantation through a rather narrow passage, and proceeded back on the ICW. Most of the day was spent on the fly bridge, but the weather was erratic: sometimes very windy and overcast and other times sunny and lightly breezy. One gust blew off a cushion on the bow. Fortunately, one snap held, and I brought the 2 cushions into the pilot house, and almost went over the side like a windsurfer. Nothing was lost nor went overboard (including me).

We had only two bridge openings for the rest of the day: the first was very narrow, and there were several other vessels waiting. We all had to circle for 20 minutes; ugh, never fun. Later, we passed Little Wing, from Annapolis Maryland, a tiny sailboat that was captained by a very adventurous young woman. Very spunky!

We anchored at 5:10pm in Mile Hammock Bay; a cute little bay with five or six other small boats. There was a short fetch so there were no “wavelets”, a/k/a white caps. The entrance was very tricky from the ICW, really shallow, narrow with lots of dredging equipment (and it really needs to be dredged); very tough negotiating.

We anchored right near Camp Lejeune, and listened to the cannon blasts in the evening. No maneuvers were in process which was disappointing to the Captain who had hoped to see burned out tanks and helicopters and war games.

It was a beautiful small cove and we had a lovely evening; the end of a beautiful two days.