Adventures With Hook

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Deltaville, VA

Deltaville turned out to be a good stop. Its quiet little anchorage not only provided us with calm nights sleep and internet access but a great full service marina catering to transients. We were able to get our 50 hour service done on the new engine.

Look at this guy, is he walking on water?
No, its a paddle board. Steve got a chance to talk with him as he paddled past us. He explained to Steve in a southern drawl that its similar to a surf board but with more bouyency.

Noodle comes with us to the nearby park and maritime museum.
She seemed to enjoy her first dinghy ride to shore.

Have you hugged your Noodle today?

Deltaville in the morning. The night was 37 degrees but the day turned out to be 75, a welcomed temp.

Looking back at the anchorage in Deltaville.

Hard to tell from this picture but the winds were blowing a sustained 25K. Forcasted 2-3 foot seas turned into 4-6 footers. One wave nearly broke over our stern slamming the dinghy into the stern rail but don't you worry all you grandmothers it was all under control. Ha! We were happy to see things die back to the forcasted seas in the late afternoon.

Flying down Chesapeake Bay

Deltaville, Virginia

October 19-21, 2009

Underway bound for Deltaville

Friday, October 16, 2009

Solomon Island, MD

We were held up in Solomon Island for the better portion of a week waiting for 2 gale storms to move through. With the gale force winds brought constant rain and temperatures in the low 50's during the day and 30's at night.

Besides the nasty weather, Solomon's was actually very accomodating. We were within walking distance of a very nice grocery and a West Marine. It had plenty of restaurants and the Museum. Also available was a public bus system that would bring you into the neighboring towns for only a $1/per person.

Turned out that we had 8 days in a row with small craft advisory. We were told this was a record, quite unusual. On the last day of the advisory the rain stopped and the sun came out. We and the entire anchorage decided to leave. Everyone was fed up with waiting and the rain. Brilliant descision, right?

The Noodle "Spa Day." She actually doesn't seem to mind the water as long as it's warm!

Thankfully there was a museum on Solomon to pass the rainy days.
This is a replica of a ancient fish called a "Megalatron." There are only 2 known fossils in the world.

Snug little anchorage at head of Back Creek, Solomon Island

We'll wish for this kind of fresh water in the Bahamas.

Pumping out the dinghy for the upteenth time...

Solomon Island, Maryland

October 14-18, 2009

How we spend time when its raining for 5 days on end....

Little Choptank River, MD

First day of no pictures.

That is how interesting this place was...

Highlite of Little Choptank was the "Gun Club" with its volly of shotgun blasts that rang into the early evening. You could close your eyes and imagine yourself inside one of the many duck blinds that surrounded our anchorage.

OK, to say one good thing would be that it proved to be good holding ground in the high winds that shook the rigging throughout the night.

Little Choptank River

October 13, 2009

Annapolis, MD October 12, 2009

Annapolis, MD

We arrived in Annapolis late on a Monday afternoon just in time to get caught up with the boats leaving the Annapolis Boat Show. We were lucky to find a berth for the night. Found ourselves anchored in the middle of a channel along with several others. All turned out well since the wind wasn't blowing. Engine ran like a top. Tommorrow we'll head further south. The cold weather is urging us on so no exploring the town this trip. We'll catch it on the way home.

Kirsten catching the sunset.

Chilly evening meal on deck.

Monkeys in the rigging!

Arriving 5pm in Annapolis just in time to miss the boat show.

Steve was able to catch up with friends from Morris though before they headed back to Maine.

Don't let the tank top fool you...the heat is on down below!

Maddie thinking hard over her Math homework. Currently she is mastering her alphabet and adding & subtracting by 1's.

COLD!

Annapolis, Maryland

October 12, 2009

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Chesapeake City, MD

After 18 days of being in Cape May, Chesapeake City was a nice change of scenery. It felt good to be on the move again. The girls settled right back into "cruising mode."

Town Wharf.

We were able to squeek into the free town dock for the night.
Chesapeake City is hardly a city. It is a lovely restored village on the canal that caters to cruisers.

A long day on Deleware Bay. Thankfully it was a flat day. Evidently Deleware Bay can get ugly. We hit everything right. Some folks sit and wait days for a weather window. C&D canal on the horizon.

nough' said.

Stupid animal hat trick.

Noodle contemplating the guide books to see where we should go next.

Chesapeake City, Maryland

October 11, 2009

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cape May, NJ

It is now October 10th!
18 days and counting in Cape May...but....the engine is ready to go! Thank you Rudy! Our wonderful mechanic. We can head south!
We feel like race horses at the starting gate!
"Bang!"
Ahhhh, False start...The weather is blowing snot and here we sit.
Maybe tomorrow????

Well, we are taking the good with the bad. This shot was taken soon after my backward "flip onto our ladder. Luckily no apparent broken bones! After this little mishap, two questions come to mind...1) to carry or not to carry bulky red laundry bag down ladders and 2) to wear rings or to not wear rings!
The lovely laundry bag drawstring caught around my most favorite ring as I tossed the bag overboard. Of course I was already standing at the top of the ladder. At the same moment, I was proudly thinking to myself, "Good job Kirsten for using your brains...it is much safer for you to throw this down than to try to carry this heavy, squishy bag..." I guess I was wrong!
I now sport a very swollen, purle/black lower leg with a few unsitely gashes. Ahhh well, I was never much of a beauty queen...!

You guessed it...a giraffe.

A beautiful Bongo

Lion "Yoga"

Our skin hasn't gotton this "leathery" from the sun yet!

Maddie feeding goats at the Cape May Zoo.

Well it's now October 8th and we are still here at Utsch's Marina. We have found that our old prop will not work with the new engine. Yes, you guessed it! It means ordering new parts and waiting...also means the new shaft needs a new Keyhole made and shaft trimmed (not to mention 2 more hauls out of the water)! This repower has been a good test of our patience. Poor Steve! We are chaulking this up to a good learning experience! Friends at Morris Yachts and the staff here at Utsch's have been great with lending advice and a helping hand when we've needed it. Thank you to everyone.

We were offered a vehicle today by Pete (the Utsch's Marina Store Manager)to go to the Cape May Zoo! Thank you Pete! He must have noticed Mama going a bit stir crazy!

We have made Noodle a safe play area on the boat so she can spend the day free from her cage, except of course when Steve has the engine compartment open! We just have to be very careful of where we place our feet!

Noodle was given to us by a wonderful lady named Deborah right here in Cape May.
It was obvious Noodles was well cared for. She loves to be snuggled and is beginning to explore and play with the toys the girls picked out for her on our recent trip to the pet store.

Noodle has settled in to the girls and the new "digs" on Hook pretty quickly. She got a clean bill of health with the Vet and a quick rabies shot, Ouch! and was deemed good to go!

What is the usual pet for sailors? A Parrot you say?...Nope! A Ferret! (not really...)

Introducing "Noodle!"

When we asked the girls what they would think of a new member of the family, Emma's eyes got really big and she looked at me and said, "Mom, are you pregnant!"

Not quite! It was the "furry" addition we were talking about.

The adventures of Mrs. Noodle begins!

Our homeschool "digs" in the laundry house.

It was nice that we had Wi-Fi here to research and connect with family and friends.

I must say after 16 days and counting we are getting used to having a shower every day again!

Free showers here!

Here she comes! We're getting back in the water today!

10/05/09 Hope she'll float again! We were able to get a fresh coat of paint on the hull and wash the sides down before gettting splashed...

One of the girls past-times here at Utsch's.

Great day for flying a kite
We've had significant winds the entire time here...Another tropical storm is on the move again. It may be the 8th of October before pointing the nose south...

She may be a pretty penny but she is "pretty"

Hard at work...

Hook "on the hard" to remove the old shaft. Unfortunately, the old one was 6 inches too short!

It appears new engines are not as large as the old ones...we just hope the prop will work with it.

If not it will mean another haul out and more money!!!

The engine compartment a-new!

Here comes the Grey Goose! Kids picked its name already!

Attempting to "Skype"

Miles and miles of beach....
The structure in the photo is an old foundation to a Life Saving Station from years ago.

Cape May State Park Beach
6-10 foot rollers! No swimming today (but they still got wet...of course!)

We were so fortunate to catch the Monarch Butterfly in mid migration. Cape May is one of their regular stops on route to Mexico. Migration for Monarchs begin in August and will complete in Mexico in November. Migration back to the North begins in late March. These Monarchs will live from 5-7 months during the Fall/Winter but in the summer months, they live only 2-6 weeks as the warm climates allow for breeding. It is actually the great great grandchildren of the migrating Monarch that will do the next migration in August of the next year. Amazing!

Turns out that Cape May is a world known bird watching area as it is the resting grounds for many migrating birds...

View from top of Lighthouse.

Extremely windy day. The kids had to hold on to me as not to be blown over at the top!

Thankfully they had you caged in at the top...

199 steps to the top!

You can do it Maddie! Keep going!

One day while Steve continued to work on our re-power project the girls spent the day at Cape May State Park. It is a nice park with a working Lighthouse tour, boardwalks, a small museum and of course a big beautiful beach to play on.