Coming Full Circle

It has been a little over a year since we left Ohio and started our new life as live-aboard cruisers. We arrived in the Chesapeake via truck, thanks to Hurricane Irene, and once we reassembled the boat, we left immediately for the Seven Seas Cruising Association Gam at Camp Letts, just south of Annapolis.  This year we return to the same location and same event as much more experienced cruisers; thus, we have come full circle.

We have volunteered to help with the Gam set up as the organization relies extensively on member assistance.  Volunteering has its benefits; during down times Burt has the opportunity to visit extensively, one on one, with Nigel Calder, the key note speaker, worldwide known author, and foremost authority on boat systems.  He gleans much information on making our electrical system function more efficiently. Once the Gam begins we greet many friends we have made over the last year and attend a number of seminars on subjects such as medical emergencies on board, interpreting charts and avoiding their inherent errors, alternative energy systems, suggestions for passages on the ICW, and interesting cruising destinations.  We join 400 other participants for meals and other social activities and leave with the conviction that we will be there again next year. 

We return to Annapolis and an actual dock with electricity and water offered to us by friends we met in the Bahamas.  Access to a dock is a real treat.  We do chores and projects that require electricity; Burt starts the improvements on our electrical system and I sew covers for our fenders.  And, the boat gets another thorough cleaning. Fall is in the air; across from our dock on Spa Creek we watch as leaves begin to change color and the breezes send them floating down our waterway. But, it is also Boat Show Week, and we spend two days at the show, for once not spending a fortune on new equipment for the boat.  The Boat Show is really an annual visit to Mecca for the sailing faithful, and we meet up with sailing friends from Ohio and elsewhere for afternoon Painkillers on Pussar’s deck or dinners at local restaurants. 

The Battery Park Marina gang from Sandusky, Ohio closes down the deck at Pussar's

 It’s been a whirlwind several days, and we’re a bit exhausted.  Monday dawns cold and rainy, and we leave Annapolis early to begin the trip down the Chesapeake.  Burt, who is always cold, is in a hurry to get to a warmer climate. With brisk northeast winds, we reach down the Bay averaging over 7 knots for around ten hours.  We arrive at an anchorage at the mouth of the Potomac River and tuck in with constant, cold drizzle and darkening skies.  The next morning isn’t much better and, in fact, we have added fog to the equation.  But, even in these circumstances, there is some beauty in our surroundings.  As we leave the anchorage, we pass by a fish weir.  Sitting on the stakes are many blue herons, their necks retracted into hunched over shoulders, watching for some morning snacks courtesy of the local fishermen.  Every so often one takes off, soaring into the foggy haze.  It is an eerie but memorable scene.  Our trip this day is even faster than the day before, with strong winds from the north and sizable following waves. At times we are surfing down waves at over 10 knots and arrive in Hampton just before sunset. We have covered almost 150 nm of the Chesapeake in two days.

The Hampton Roads area marks the beginning of the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway – a 1200 mile “highway” for commercial and recreational boats between Norfolk and Key West).  We have pressed hard to arrive in time to go through the many bridges near Norfolk a day before one closes for repairs, effectively shutting down the ICW for twenty four hours during the busiest time of year.  We are part of a parade of migrating boats of all sizes, from small sailboats to mega-yachts with their uniformed delivery crew.  

The parade of boats pass through a bridge construction project in Norfolk

The final hurdle is a tidal control lock at Great Bridge.  Fourteen boats pack into this sizable federal lock with fenders and dock lines deployed as we watch the water level drop no more than one inch – it is comical to see the effort put forth by the mega-yachts for such an uneventful lock experience.  We exit to a long wall where we tie up for two nights with six other boats, all of whom we have seen or met in the past year. This is our last stop with regular city amenities before we head off to the back waters of North Carolina. On our second night at the dock, we and two other boats are invited to a debate watching party by the local chapter of the Young Republicans.  It’s a fun and spirited evening and an opportunity to sample the political climate of this region of Virginia.

The next morning is clear but very cold.  We prepare to depart from the dock before the sun is even up to make a 7 am bridge opening.   

A cold, clear early morning passage through the Great Bridge

It is a constant struggle to keep the condensation off our vinyl cockpit surround and maintain visibility in the early morning light. 

A look back at Great Bridge

Thus begins our “bridge dance” as we time our transit to arrive at various bridges at their scheduled openings. We wind through wooded swamp areas with smoke on the water, a result of the cold air and relatively warmer water.   

The ICW just north of the Virginia/North Carolina line

Ten hours later we drop anchor just north of the Albemarle Sound, happy to have transited several shoaled areas without grounding.  It’s another typical day on the ICW, and we will see many more of these before we get to the end.

So…back to the title of this posting, “Coming Full Circle”. Between our visits with friends from the Great Lakes, some of whom are considering becoming full time cruisers, and our reflections on the past year, it seems appropriate to try to summarize the experience.  Burt is overwhelmingly positive about our choice, despite the fact that he spends many hours with his head in the engine room and arms covered with a variety of petroleum products.  It has been said that cruising requires two hours a day devoted to boat maintenance and improvement projects.  At times that seems like a conservative estimate, but, as a retired engineer, Burt enjoys the challenges and design work.  Of course, he didn’t seem like he was enjoying it very much when he recently rebuilt the head!  On the other hand, I sometimes think the lifestyle is a compromise.  It is a unique, but challenging experience that is requiring me to become more flexible in my planning and expectations.  Daily chores such as grocery shopping and laundry are much harder when you do it all by bicycle or foot and in places where services aren’t always first world quality.  And I do miss our children and grandchildren, and wish it was easier to visit them or at least communicate with them.  But, on a more positive note, I can not imagine a more interesting way to see the United States and explore other countries.  We find ourselves immersed in our surroundings in ways that differ from traditional tourism – we can become part of the communities we visit.  We meet fascinating people from all over the world that share our interest in boating and the natural environment.  We have benefited from the kindnesses of others, and try to return these gestures as we feel we are ambassadors of our home state and country. We definitely enjoy the aesthetics of sailing; moving under the power of wind in a boat that is both lively and comfortable in its motion is a joyful experience. Living within a reasonable budget and doing the vast majority of our boat maintenance and repairs ourselves affords us a comfortable lifestyle that is less costly than living on land – a good idea for a newly retired couple in times of economic uncertainty.  After all, we realize, this is a chosen lifestyle, not a 365 days a year vacation. The bottom line is that in the past year we have visited many fascinating places, seen breathtaking natural beauty, and made wonderful new friends.  We have gotten to know the Atlantic coast of our country in an intimate and unique way that leaves us feeling fortunate to be Americans.  And, every night we have waterfront dining and beautiful sunsets in constantly changing locations – we are indeed very blessed.   When will we return to a land based existence?  Certainly not in the foreseeable future; our health and energy levels will most likely be the determining factors.