Island Hopping in Southern New England

Good news – Hurricane Arthur is a non-event in our neck of the woods.  Anchored in a bay off Narragansett Sound, about 25 miles from the ocean, we see at best 20 knots of wind, but that is augmented by torrential rain.  The next morning we pull anchor and head back to Newport. It is July 5^th and fortunately for us, the Newport fireworks display has been postponed until tonight.  We score an optimal anchoring spot as many of the other anchored boats have left the harbor in anticipation of Arthur and have not yet returned.  All day we watch the boat traffic come and go – mega yachts, small sailing dinghies, and everything in between. The boating scene in Newport is one of contrasts.  We see a fleet of 12 meter yachts with their pedigree in America’s Cup Racing.  We see restored classic yachts that can be traced back to the Golden Age of Sail.  

A classic yawl sails past a large sailing yacht at anchor.

And, when poking in the Newport Shipyard, we discover Spindrift, a very exotic 90 foot long trimaran. Its French crew speaks very little English, but we come to understand the boat is awaiting the right conditions to make an attempt on a Trans-Atlantic speed record.  They hope to make the passage from New York City to the coast of France in something like three days. It baffles the mind, but upon further inspection, we realize this is a boat that has been designed for this purpose alone. Its skinny hull and amas will slice through the water; its foiling daggerboard in only the port ama, will keep most of the boat’s surface out of the water.  The downside is that it will obtain maximum speed only on starboard tack. No wonder they are being so specific about weather conditions.   

Spindrift, one speedy sailboat, at Newport Shipyard

Besides ogling boats, we enjoy biking around the town and along spectacular Ocean Drive with its rocky shoreline and mansions perched on the bluffs.

A scene along Ocean Drive

We could spend weeks in Newport, but other lovely destinations beckon. We have an outstanding sail through Vineyard Sound to Edgartown on the east end of Martha’s Vineyard. We anchor in the outer harbor amidst large sailboats and a number of mega-yachts.  This is the week of the Edgartown Yacht Club’s annual regatta, and the area is dotted with race courses for a variety of fleets, including junior sailors in Optimist dinghies as far as the eye can see. 

One of several fleets of Optimist Dinghies along the shore of Chappaquiddick Island

We love Edgartown with its many restored houses overlooking the harbor.  It is the height of summer gardens, and the classic styled white homes make a perfect backdrop for the colorful flowers.

When you live on a boat, you really treasure beautiful gardens

The view over the inner harbor at Edgartown

A placid sunset at the outer harbor with a Herreshoff 12 1/2 at anchor.

While anchored in Edgartown, we take an opportunity to explore nearby Chappaquiddick Island.  If you aren’t equipped with a handy dinghy, you must take the “On Time Ferry” from Edgartown over to the island, a distance of several hundred yards. The ferry gets its name as it is always on time since it has no schedule.  We land our dinghy on a beach by the ferry, unload our bikes, and take off down the few paved and rarely driven roads.  In contrast to busy Edgartown, Chappaquiddick is downright peaceful.  There are a few farms along the way, sandy side streets lead to what are probably lovely waterfront homes, and plenty of conservancy land remains undeveloped.  Somehow we find ourselves at the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge. At the entrance is an attractive Japanese Garden that was donated to the refuge, but further out the road, the landscape becomes barren. Bikes are not the recommended way to explore the area, so the next day we return to take a tour in a vehicle designed for negotiating the beaches and roads of sand.  Our guide talks about the geological forces that have formed this large scale sand spit, and the forces that are continually eroding the landscape.  Salt ponds and barrier beaches form the perimeter while the interior is dotted with fresh water ponds and dunes.   

Interior pond at Chappaquiddick Island

Unusual birds abound – we see our first Night Heron and Oystercatcher. At the northern tip of the island we come to a lighthouse that is repositioned further inland about every thirty years, due to the erosion of the shoreline.   

The Cape Poge lighthouse

Fortunately, the builders of this lighthouse constructed it from wood, making the moving process a bit easier. We enter the interior of the building to find it beautifully finished, with a simple but elegant circular staircase.   

The graceful staircase inside the lighthouse

The view from the top is spectacular. Now, if the name Chappaquiddick Island rings familiar, it is because it was here that Ted Kennedy had his unfortunate accident. It is still a topic of interest to outsiders, but the locals seem reluctant to talk of it.  On our tour, we are accompanied by three women who have lived on the island for many years.  We don’t bring up the subject of the accident which actually happened here on Cape Poge, but by the end of the tour, one of the women mentions that she is plagued by bicycle tours which stop in front of her home.  Why?  Because she now lives in the house where the party Ted attended was held, and curiosity seekers want to see all the locales involved in the tragedy.

We take an eight mile bicycle trip north from Edgartown, along a scenic beachside bicycle path, to the town of Oak Bluffs. If everything in Edgartown seems pristine white, Oak Bluff is a kaleidoscope of color.  In the 1860’s the town became the site of a Methodist revival camp.  People would travel here from all over the country for several weeks of revival meetings. Housing originally was in simple platform tents that encircled the large revival tent.  But, as more people came, the accommodations became more extensive.  First, the large tent was replaced by a steel tabernacle that replicated the tent.   

The Tabernacle,a large open air church

Then the individual platform tents traded canvas sides for tongue and groove wooden walls. Next the canvas roofs were replaced with steep pitched permanents roofs. Finally, porches and gingerbread woodwork were added to adorn these simple cottages.  Now, some of the smaller cottages still hark back to their roots while others have added many additional wings. 

These smaller cottages still have a resemblance to the original canvas tents

Add a few extra gables and porches and you have a fine example of Carpenter Gothic architecture

It seems like a contest to see who can come up with the most elaborate gingerbread trim and most unusual color combinations. 

Just one of the over 300 distinctive cottages in the Methodist Camp

Today the camp functions as a non-denominational Christian community with religious services and studies held in the tabernacle along with concerts and speakers on more secular issues. 

We could easily spend more time at Martha’s Vineyard, but we have friends who want us to come visit them at Block Island.  The strong southwest winds that have been plaguing us since the hurricane passed will make this an unpleasant passage.  Fortunately, one day the winds swing to the south, and we take off at first light for a 70 mile sail to Block Island.  We need all the daylight we can find, so we ignore the adverse currents that will be flowing in the channel between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Be advised, a four knot opposing current can really slow you down!  Once we get into the open ocean things improve, and we have a pleasant trip, approaching Block Island’s spectacular bluffs from the south.   

The south bluffs on Block Island with the lighthouse and stairs down to the beach in the distance

The harbor becomes a very social place. We shared dinners, happy hours, and excursions on the island with our friends and fellow cruisers on five other boats.  Like so many other places, Block Island is a place of contrasts.  Huge ferries bring in hoards of tourists, and the harbor can accommodate hundreds of boats on moorings and at anchor.  

When the sun finally comes out, the beach at Block can get pretty busy

 The downtown area is wall to wall people. Yet, bike into the surrounding countryside and you will find rock wall rimmed farms, reminiscent of the English country side, and lonely wind swept bluffs overlooking the expansive ocean. 

A rural scene in the interior of block Island

And, even with all the overflowing humanity, sunset at anchor can truly be a peaceful experience.

Sunset at Salt Pond, Block Island

We’ve been cruising this area for about two weeks, but now the refrigerator is getting empty and the laundry is beginning to overflow.  So, back we sail to Newport to take care of all the necessities. We also rendezvous with our son and daughter-in-law, Bryan and Beth, for a gourmet dinner out on the town.  You see, in a bit less than a month, their first child will be born and evenings out like this will be few and far between. We plan to leave for the passage to Maine, cruise those waters for about a month, and then return to Rhode Island to greet our newest grandchild.  Yes, life is good!  

Heading North to Greet Arthur

Work on the boat is finally completed, and we are off for several short hops in the Chesapeake. First stop is in Galesville to visit with some friends who will be following us north in a couple of weeks.  We then cross over the Bay to St. Michaels for the weekend.  St. Michaels is a favorite stop along the Eastern shore, and this visit nicely coincides with the Classic Boat Show sponsored by the maritime museum.   

St. Michael's Maritime Museum

One of the museum's classic boats under sail

We take a day to walk the docks admiring all the beautifully restored (almost entirely motor) boats, some accompanied by matching trailers and cars of the same vintage.  

Several boats on trailers with color matched vintage cars

Beautifully restored boat on display

It is always fun to come across a few restored Lymans which were built in our home port of Sandusky, Ohio. We depart St. Michaels to go a few miles further north to the Wye River, home of the Wye River Conference Center and Aspen Institute.  This is pretty exclusive territory and rumors have it that Cheney and Rumsfeld own homes here.  Much of the area is a national wildlife refuge, and we have a peaceful night at anchor. It’s off to Annapolis to pick up some mail, visit some friends, and purchase a few boat essentials.  We have the mooring field almost to ourselves as Annapolis seems unusually quiet.

Once all the mail arrives, we begin our passage to the northeast.  It’s a beautiful day on the Bay, and we have a wonderful sail with positive currents all the way to the C&D canal.  Burt asks if we should stop for the night before transiting the canal, but conditions are favorable so we head over to Delaware Bay.  There we have another potential anchorage for the night, but it appears the currents down the Delaware will be positive if we continue on.  Besides, it is beastly hot and transiting the Delaware at night is likely to be more comfortable.  We make excellent time down this otherwise boring portion of water, accompanied by the usual flock of biting flies (we’re getting mighty quick at putting the screens up around the cockpit), and round Cape May near midnight.  We could always pull into the harbor there, although we prefer not to make landfalls in the dark.  We decide to continue north along the New Jersey coast, planning to arrive at New York City late the next afternoon.  The concept sounds good on paper, but we encounter a mammoth thunderstorm part way up the coast.  Our weather radar indicates we are ten miles south of all the action, so we slow down for several hours to allow the cell to pass out to sea.  The lightning show is spectacular and a bit un-nerving. After it is all over, our new wind instruments are no longer working.  We assume they have fallen victim to a proximity lightning strike, but after turning off all the electronic systems and firing them back up, the wind instruments are once again functional – we have no explanation.  We arrive at Sandy Hook, at the entrance to New York Harbor, and drop the hook for a well deserved rest.  The next morning we wait until 10 am for positive currents and fly through the harbor and the notorious Hell’s Gate, emerging into Long Island Sound. 

Entering New York harbor under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

Always a thrill to pass by the Statue of Liberty

New York Skyline with the new World Trade Center building

We realize that we are making fantastic time so we push ourselves to reach Northport Harbor just around sunset.  

A Volvo race boat coming down Long Island Sound - we saw this boat again in Newport

We never thought we would be so far, so fast, and the next day it is only a short sail to the Thimble Islands on the Connecticut shore where we pick up a friend’s mooring.

The Thimbles are a magical place; a section of shoreline that resembles Maine or the North Channel of Lake Huron.  We have time to dinghy around the many islands, admiring the homes built on these rocky outcroppings. 

One of the homes on the tiny rocky islands in the Thimbles

That evening we head into Stony Creek, the little community on the mainland from the Thimbles, and another friend picks us up in his car to take us to Branford, CT for the town’s annual fireworks display.  We lounge on the foredeck of Amici, our mooring owner’s boat, and watch an amazing show. We may be tired, but it is all worth the effort.

The next morning we leave early for Essex, CT where there is an SSCA Gam in progress.  We didn’t make reservations as we couldn’t imagine getting there in time, but with a quick phone call we are welcomed to attend even though we are a day late.  The Gam is being hosted by two adjacent yacht clubs. They have generously opened their facilities to us, and we enjoy two days of seminars and social events.  One evening, a fellow cruiser we met in the Bahamas and who resides in Essex invites a group over to their lovely home for dinner.  We are feeling very spoiled. But even without a Gam, Essex is a charming stop.  This small town on the Connecticut River exudes a New England ambiance.   

One of many restored homes in Essex

We wander the streets admiring the restored homes and linger at sidewalk cafes watching the world go by.  We cruisers are an anomaly here, and locals stop to chat and question our unusual lifestyle. Monday night in Essex is Sea Chantey night at the pre-Revolutionary War Griswold Inn.  There’s a lot of clapping and foot stomping going on here – great fun for a bunch of cruisers. A little further east is New London, CT, and we stop here for a night to meet up with our son Bryan and his wife Beth.  Both work in the area, so we borrow a car for the day and do grocery shopping and laundry. As paybacks, we take them to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Paul’s Pasta.  From the outside, it is a place you could easily pass by, but on the deck behind, overlooking the Thames River, we enjoy some of the best and least expensive homemade pasta you can imagine.

We have decided to spend about a week exploring the Fish Tail (eastern end) of Long Island.  This is a new area for us, so we follow the advice of the cruising guide and anchor at Orient Harbor on the northern neck.  Bicycles come out, and we spend an interesting afternoon traveling along country roads bordered with small truck farms and vintage houses.  The strawberries we pick up along the way are luscious. 

Lighthouse at the entrance to Orient Harbor

We haul anchor the next morning and head over to Coecles Harbor on the north east side of Shelter Island. Shelter Island is an interesting place, centered between the north and south forks of Long Island.  It is definitely upscale and exclusive.  There are only a few places where anchoring is allowed and access to land is difficult to come by.   

A placid morning at Coecles Harbor

We finally find a hidden town dock, tie up our dinghy, and take the bikes ashore.  Roads wander up and down hills, through forests (about 1/3 of the island is conservancy land), and along mansion lined shoreline. 

Beautiful home along the shores of Dering Harbor

The only town, Dering Harbor, is on the other side of the island.  It consists of a gas station, a small deli/gourmet grocery, a hardware store, a gift shop, and several pricy restaurants. Nearby is a lovely and very active yacht club with over 30 Herreshoff designed gaff rigged sloops bobbing at moorings. 

Fleet of classic sloops at Shelter Island Yacht Club

Just to indicate the flavor of the place, we see a flier at the deli advertising a concert and fireworks display on the lawn at Itzak Perlman’s nearby home to raise funds for his music academy. After two days of exploring, we sail over to Sag Harbor on the south fork.  Sag Harbor is the boating entrance to the Hamptons, and the wealth is immediately apparent.  We see more exotic cars here than anywhere else – Porsches and Mercedes are commonplace; it’s the Maseratis and Lamborghinis that catch the eye. Out in the harbor, mega yachts and huge sailing yachts are docked and anchored.  We’ll see these same yachts in such places as Newport, Nantucket, and Bar Harbor. We are definitely the small fry here.  We bike through the town to see restored homes that reflect the community’s whaling heritage and numerous boutiques and gourmet restaurants. While every bit as exclusive as Shelter Island, it is definitely friendlier to boaters such as us. We complete our circumnavigation of Shelter Island, arriving at Dering Harbor, this time by boat instead of bicycle.  We want to check out the town of Greenport, just across the water from Shelter Island, so we take a mooring at Dering.  And it is here that we discover that pirates still exist in the area.  Our mooring will cost us $77 for one night, and all that includes is access to a dinghy dock and the use of minimal showers and restrooms that are currently closed for maintenance.  You even have to pay to dispose of garbage! And we thought Nantucket had the corner on piracy – these are the most expensive moorings we have encountered anywhere.  After all that, we find Greenport to be a bit of a disappointment. It is very touristy. We visit the historic Preston Yacht Chandlery and discover it is severely under stocked – we thought at least we could pick up a hat. The only salvation is a novelty store that carries at least 100 varieties of small rubber duckies, something that would only be of interest to someone with a relative named “Duck”.

It’s time to head over to Newport, one of our favorite destinations.  The new mariners’ center gives us easy access to town along with coin operated showers, laundry, and free wifi.  The bikes go ashore for a ride along the spectacular Ocean Drive, past rocky shorelines and the famous mansions.  We stock up on groceries and take a dinghy ride through the harbor to admire all the amazing yachts that come here.  Our stay is brief, though.  Hurricane Arthur is headed our way. We feel Newport harbor is too close to the open ocean and doesn’t give sufficient protection for the predicted northerly winds. We go an additional 15 miles up Narragansett Sound and pull into a small bay off of Mt. Hope Bay.  Here we can anchor close to the north shore.  There are no other boats nearby, so we will not be at risk of another boat dragging down on us. Waves shouldn’t be a significant problem, and our heavy anchoring tackle will hopefully be up to the task.  The forecast has the hurricane passing 50 miles southeast of Nantucket so we will be more than 100 miles from the eye.  And now we wait – wait to experience our closest encounter yet with a hurricane.

M is for May; M is for Maintenance

The past 30 days haven’t been too exciting from a sailing point of view.  This is the month where we take care of all the things that we have let slide over the past year.  We are in a lovely marina/boatyard, Herrington Harbor North, which is truly state of the art. 

View of one of the launch wells.  We were hauled and relaunched with a 50 ton lift.

If you had time to enjoy the amenities you could lounge at the pool and hot tub that has a bar on weekends and overlooks the docks and distant vistas to the Chesapeake Bay.   

Swimming pool and hot tub on an overcast weekday.

Entrance to pool area - showers and laundry are in nearby buildings.

Outdoor bar and grill building by the pool

 

You could stroll along the landscaped and winding walking trails that connect the docks and wander through bird infested wetlands.   

Nature trails with interpretative signage throughout the facility.

Wet lands along the trails where the birds get pretty raucous in the mornings.

You could visit the restored historic village on the grounds. You could sit on a patio and enjoy morning coffee.  You could sip sundowners on another shaded and landscaped patio overlooking the Bay.   

One of several patios overlooking the harbor

You could participate in Saturday night outdoor movies, Sunday morning water aerobics, and various talks by outside resources on the ecology of the Chesapeake. We, on the other hand, are doing none of the above.  Instead, we are availing ourselves of the large on site West Marine store, canvas, electrical, and mechanical contractors (all on site), and a nearby hardware store. Annapolis is a half hour drive and source of extensive supplies and provisioning. Herrington Harbor North calls itself an Eco-lifestyle Resort Marina, but we call it a great stop for a month of maintenance. 

So our month has been spent cleaning everything imaginable, polishing stainless and fiberglass, refinishing exterior wood, varnishing interior wood, doing routine maintenance on the engine and generator, emptying, cleaning, and inventorying all interior storage areas, installing a backup starting system (our key start has failed several times – not a comfortable feeling), steam cleaning upholstery and rugs, removing all the exterior canvas to clean for mildew and re-water proof, and washing everything that could possibly go into a washing machine.  Additionally, we are having new cushions made for the cockpit, shower grates in both heads professionally refinished, and the starter rebuilt. Yes, the cruising lifestyle is not a twelve month vacation.  We are tired and sore, but only a few small jobs remain before we can cast off. And, Exuberant is sparkly again.  

During our stop at Herrington Harbor North, we also took two weeks to head back to Ohio and Wisconsin.  This is our annual maintenance stop for the bodies where we cram a year’s worth of doctor and dentist visits into a few frantic days.  We spend time with family and friends in Ohio, and then head to Wisconsin for a long weekend to visit our son and daughter-in-law and our two grandsons who keep us entertained the entire time. Enterprise will be surprised when they read the odometer on our rental car.

A while back, one of the readers of this blog requested that I write on what works and what does not. You non-techies or non-boaters may want to skip this section. When we purchased Exuberant, it was basically, systems-wise, an empty shell.  With the exception of the engine and generator, almost everything has been changed out.  And, speaking of generators, many cruisers opt not to have a diesel generator, but instead use portable Honda generators which they swear by. As with so many options, it is a matter of taste and preference. For the most part, we are happy with the choices we have made.

Electrical Systems

Much of this has been updated to meet ABYC standards. The Vectron multistage battery charger does not meet our expectations and once had to be replaced under warranty with great hassle. We installed a separate Xantrex inverter this past year and have been very happy with the results although we don’t have large AC loads.  Our 2009 600 amp house battery bank of Lifeline AGM batteries is functionally about 400 amps as we lost capacity due to improper charging in the beginning. We have gotten smarter now and are getting along very well with our batteries.  The starter battery was replaced about a year ago and the separate battery that powers the windless and furling system is still going strong. Our primary charging comes from 280 watts of solar panels and a D400 wind generator.  Rarely do we have to rely on the generator for charging.  We did discover that the wind generator alone was not sufficient for our needs; the addition of the solar panels has made all the difference. We use a Blue Sky solar regulator for fine tuning the charging of our batteries. We have a Blue Sea Battery monitor for the house bank and starter battery, which does a pretty good job, but it has some quirks. We have replaced virtually all lights with LED bulbs or fixtures; Imtra and Sensi-bulb bulbs in most interior lights and Orca Green fixtures for all running lights and mast head light.

Electronics

We have put in mostly Garmin products with mixed results.  We have had failures with both the 4212 Chart plotter and the radar dome. Garmin did replace the units but we have had some expense and frustration.  We chose Garmin as their pre-loaded maps were based on the Explorer Charts in the Bahamas, known to be the most reliable charts of the area.  A splurge was the installation of the Garmin XM Satellite weather radio.  It gives me confidence to be able to receive real time weather and weather radar while at sea, but it only works along the coastal United States; in the Bahamas it is useless.  Our only Raymarine product is the auto-pilot. We changed out the old Raymarine auto-pilot for a more robust model last year.  Some components of the old system are interchangeable with the new system, allowing us to carry spares at no additional expense. We installed a Vespermarine transmit and receive AIS system.  It is a stand alone device which we favor as we don’t want to clutter the chart plotter screen with additional data.  It is something we would highly recommend from both a safety and social standpoint.  Night passages in congested areas are much less stressful, and often we have freighters and cruise ships hail us to negotiate passings.  Other cruisers also make contact on passages, and as a result we will chat during long nights and meet up in person once we reach our destination. We have an ICOM 504 VHF with an additional cockpit microphone which we find very helpful.  And we have an ICOM 802 Single Side band radio with Pactor modem for communication out of VHF range. We use it for weather reports when offshore, minimal offshore emailing capacity, and connections to Cruisers’ Nets.  Some people opt for satellite radios for offshore, but they do not give access to nets.

Plumbing

We installed a Spectra Cape Horn DC watermaker.  It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of more elaborate models, but we hear reports that failures tend to happen with the bells and whistles parts.  Our model can make 10 gallons an hour (10 amps per hour) using one pump and 18 gallons an hour (18 amps per hour) using an additional pump.  We go with the lower flow rate, alternating pumps to extend their life. We only use the watermaker when we have very clean water, generally in the ocean, the Bahamas, and New England.  The rest of the time the unit is pickled and we scrounge for water.  The watermaker is a luxury, not a necessity, but we do enjoy it.  We have an elaborate water manifold that allows us to fill and draw from any of our three water tanks which total 120 gallons.

Engine and Fuel Systems

Our Yanmar 4JH2-TE diesel engine (62hp) is very reliable.  One factor in engine reliability is insuring fuel is clean.  Burt installed a complicated fuel manifold and polishing system.  Additionally, we are careful where we buy fuel, especially in the Bahamas. As an additional safeguard, the pick-up lines for the engine are offset from the bottom of the fuel tanks by ¾ inch, while the pickups for the generator are right on the bottom. If we do get bad fuel, it will stop the generator before impacting the engine. And, an engine that starts and runs reliably is a very good engine! We carry about 100 gallons of fuel giving us about a 600 mile cruising range between purchases. We installed a Max  Prop feathering  prop when we purchased the boat.

Anchoring and dinghy

Our primary anchor is a 72 pound Rocna with 130 feet 3/8” chain and 220 feet of ¾” nylon rode.  We sleep soundly and would highly recommend this set up.  The secondary anchor is 66 pound claw with 80 feet of chain and 180 feet of rode. Both are carried on offset bow rollers. Additionally we carry a large Danforth anchor and rode in our stern lazarette.  Our Maxwell 2200 windless that was original with the boat still functions well. Our dinghy is a Walker Bay 10’2” hard bottom that we carry on Atkins and Hoyle davits that incorporate the pole for the wind generator and are altered to use one arm as a hoist for the Tohatsu 9.8 outboard.  Dinghies are never big enough and outboards are never powerful enough – you are limited by weight and carrying capacity.  We seem to survive with this set up.

Safety

We carry a 4 person life raft and a 406 MHz GPS Epirb, both of which we hope never to deploy. We comply with virtually all Coast Guard regulations although we do not carry flares on our inflatable dinghy – who in the world ever thought of that regulation? It seems like a good way to burn a hole through the dinghy and sink as you await rescue. Instead we carry a handheld VHF with strobe light. We use inflatable life vests with aftermarket crotch straps and attachment points for tethers.  We always rig jack lines when going off shore.

Refrigeration

We replaced our engine driven refrigeration system which was failing with two SeaFrost 12v systems; one for the refrigerator and one for the freezer. Before installing them the insulation in both boxes was inspected and 2” of insulation was added to the freezer and then re-glassed in place.

Other Items

We carry two Dahon bicycles on board that we couldn’t live without.  They are our transportation to groceries, laundries, and sightseeing.  Without them, our explorations would be very limited.  That said, they are useless in the Bahamas as the roads, when they do exist, are too narrow and potholed for safe biking. Also, the bikes, in their zip on covers, take up our entire forward stateroom making it next to impossible to comfortably accommodate guests. We have a stereo system with XM satellite radio and an iPod dock which we use constantly.  Even far away, we can keep up with the news. We carry two 17 pound fiberglass propane tanks for cooking. We can go up to six months before we need to find a propane source. We have a gas barbeque on the stern rail that is wonderful for cooking in hot weather.  And, speaking of hot, we have two reverse cycle air conditioning units that came with the boat.  We only use them when at a dock or when we need to load up the generator when charging batteries.  Rarely are we uncomfortable at anchor as the breezes keep us cool. Finally, Kindles or other e-readers are a great addition. We don’t have a television or a microwave, items other cruisers consider essential.  We have learned to live without them and appreciate that both can be energy hogs.

There is certainly more to report, but it does escape me at this point.  The bottom line is that many equipment choices are just a matter of taste.  As we gain more experience with our boat, we have a better understanding of what it takes to make our lives more comfortable. You can find reviews of different products on cruising web sites, and the advice of experienced cruisers is helpful but perhaps not always appropriate for your situation. We would be happy to address any further questions at the email address associated with this blog.

Cutting Our Losses and Heading Home

Our plans had been to head from Eleuthera over to the Abacos for several weeks and then depart for a trip back to the States. But looking at the long range weather forecast that even mentions a possibility of tropical activity in mid-May, we make the decision to head directly back to the States with a several day weather window. We make our way out of Harbor Island, this time without the services of a pilot.  It is a nail-bitter, but with the help of our previous track, we successfully negotiate the reefs and emerge into the deep waters of Northwest Channel.  The wind is up, and we have a fast reaching sail along the south coasts of Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island.  Around midnight we are passing the settlement of West End, and I make an attempt to get the latest weather forecast on our cellular internet service.  It is a good move as the situation has changed, and our weather guru is suggesting that we exit the Gulf Stream before noon the next day.  We had planned to arrive at Fort Pierce, Florida late afternoon, so we alter our plans to head directly to Lake Worth Inlet which is closer.  Arriving there in the early afternoon, we notice the north winds are beginning to build, and the waves in the Gulf Stream are getting annoying.  We escape to the protection of the ICW, and our reward is a day of negotiating a series of lift bridges that are not timed for slower sailboats.  It is a hurry up and wait scenario – one we hope not to repeat anytime in the near future. 

We arrive at the mooring field at Vero Beach to welcomes from many of our friends who also have been cruising the Bahamas. Your first stop in the States after a season in the Bahamas is one of readjustment.  Traffic, crowds, and all that the “land of plenty” has to offer are alien concepts.  One friend asks to go with me on my initial run to the grocery as she says she wants to see the expression on my face when I confront so many choices.  The day after we arrive we take the opportunity to tour a submarine factory, organized by one of the permanent dock holders.  We aren’t sure what to expect as it seems very unlikely naval subs were ever manufactured in Vero. We arrive at a small factory that builds personal subs for the luxury yacht community.  If you have a yacht over 200 feet long, perhaps you need a sub as the latest fun toy.  Their most popular model seats three and can go to depths of 3000 feet to give you an unparallel underwater experience.  By the way, you’ll need around $4 million dollars to join this club.  

Yours for only 4 mil

 The remainder of our time in Vero is spent reprovisioning and replenishing basic necessities, bouncing between shopping centers on the free bus service.  We also reconnect with friends over meals out (at what now seems like ridiculously inexpensive prices) and entertaining on various boats.  I even put on a pretty decent Easter dinner for several couples. 

Easter Monday we begin a three day trip up the ICW to St. Augustine. This portion is pleasant and easy for us to negotiate as depths are consistent and the scenery is varied, ranging from waterfront mansions to the Kennedy Space Center and the Canaveral National Wildlife Preserve. Dolphins show up around inlets, and the bird life is particularly interesting.  On one spoils island we see a colony of Roseate Spoonbills roosting side by side with White Pelicans.   

A Spoonbill flies past our boat underway in the Canaveral National Wildlife Refuge

We get to St. Augustine early enough in the day to enjoy a walk through the historical neighborhood and dinner with cruising friends who are moored nearby.

With the weather improving for a couple of days, we head out the St. Augustine Inlet for a 200 mile ocean passage to Charleston. It is an uneventful trip – always a good thing – and we drop the hook in an anchorage right across from the City Marina’s Megadock.  There is generally at least one interesting boat tied up on the dock, and this time we are treated to an approximately 200 foot long Perini Navi ketch, a high end Italian design.  We have seen others like this tied up in the Caribbean awaiting charter guests, and Exuberant looks pretty puny in comparison. 

A Perini Navi Yacht tied up at the Mega-dock across from our anchorage

We love Charleston.  It is probably our favorite city along the East Coast, so we will spend several days relaxing here.  We ride bikes through the neighborhoods, admiring the architectural gems and spring gardens and even visit the extensive Saturday morning Farmers’ Market that takes up an entire city block.  

A pineapple motif in a park by the Charleston waterfront

 

A traditional styled Charleston house in the historic district

Window boxes abound with springtime flowers

Another passage opportunity presents itself, and we take off for a 200 mile trip on the Atlantic to Beaufort, North Carolina.  Upon arrival, the crew is rewarded with a several night stay on a dock – a real dock with electricity, fresh water, and access to shore without a dinghy ride!  I have arrived in the lap of luxury.  We enjoy Beaufort because the docks line the downtown, with attractive shops and restaurants right across the street. The other side of the harbor is formed by Shackelford Island, a barrier island that is home to a herd of wild horses. 

Wild horses on Shackelford Island, across the creek from our dock

All in all, it is a very scenic location.  Right as we are tying to the dock, a boat goes by that we don’t recognize, but we hear someone shouting, “Hey, Burt and Prue.”  We immediately venture down the docks to find Mike and Ken Austin, brothers from our old sailing club in Ohio.  They are helping deliver a boat up the East Coast for a new and inexperienced owner.  We have a nice visit and try to provide as much information as possible about the trip ahead as neither our friends nor the boat’s owner have ever done this trip before.  And it is another of those “it’s a small world” encounters.

We cast off from Beaufort for a short hop up the ICW to Oriental where we need to pick up a regulator for our alternator.  The regulator broke upon our arrival in the States, and we have been limping along and chasing it up the East Coast ever since.  On our way bicycling to the West Marine Store we hear another “Hey, Burt and Prue”.  It’s a couple we met in Marathon this winter and they, too, are headed north.  We make arrangements to meet them for drinks.  We get back to our boat, and for a third time in almost as many days we hear “Hey, Burt and Prue” again.  Tied up one slip away is George on Delicia and his crew of friends we knew from Sandusky.  George, Mike P., Mike Z. and Chris (the guys all wanted to see their names in print in the blog J) join us for a dinner full of Lake Erie reminiscing later that evening. 

Exuberant docked in Oriental next to a beautifully restored Trumpe Yacht

In order to avoid rounding Cape Hatteras on the outside, we spend three more days slogging up the ICW. A stop for Cinco de Mayo in Great Bridge, on the outskirts of Norfolk, allows us to position ourselves for the last dozen miles of the ICW and the most frustrating section for bridge openings.  We arrive at the dreaded Gilmerton Bridge to find that we must wait for tugs to push a large freighter through the channel and the open bridge.  It takes so long that the bridge is closed to allow road traffic to clear.  Just as we are about to get our opening, a train comes by and the neighboring railroad bridge is closed for its passage.  Finally, almost an hour later, we get our opening.  Our reward is finding free docks for us and two other boats traveling with us available at (ICW) Mile Zero along the Portsmouth waterfront. 

Exuberant docked in Portsmouth

And right across the river from our dock are two aircraft carriers, one in a dry dock

We take the opportunity to wander through the renovated section of Old Town Portsmouth.    

One of the restored homes in Portsmouth's Old Town

That evening we join three other couples to stroll to the restored, historical Commodore Theater for dinner and a movie. 

We have ten miles to go before arriving at the open waters of the Chesapeake, but these ten miles can be very interesting.  We go by huge freighters being loaded and unloaded at commercial facilities.  We see naval vessels being refurbished.  And then we arrive at the Norfolk Naval Base docks.  Tied up are naval ships of every description, 

A large aircraft carrier tied along the Norfolk Naval Base docks

When we pass by the submarine pen, we see atypical activity around one of the subs.   

A sub with naval personnel on deck and tugs nearby.  What could be going on here?

Moments later, we are approached by a Coast Guard gun ship and told that one of the subs is leaving port. We need stay at least 500 yards away or risk “lethal fire”.  We look back, and sure enough, the sub is being towed into the channel.  We alter course to try to maintain the proper distance but it isn’t an easy process.  We need to avoid other traffic and stay in sufficiently deep water.  At first we are traveling faster than the sub so things are looking good. But suddenly, the tugs release the sub, and it starts moving considerably faster on its own.  There are few options for changing course, so we hug the far side of the channel and begin chewing our nails.  The sub passes us well within the 500 yards perimeter as armed security boats circle around it.

We're a bit too close for comfort with these guys!

This is the first, and hopefully the last, time we are waked by a submarine – and it does throw one heck of a bow wave when traveling on the surface. 

We take three more days to complete our trip up the Chesapeake to Deale, Maryland where the boat will spend two weeks getting routine annual maintenance and cleaning, after which we will travel to Ohio and Wisconsin to visit family and get our “annual maintenance” with doctors and the dentist. It has been 29 days since we left the Bahamas.  We have been traveling for 18 of those days including three offshore overnight passages.  And, we have covered 1162 nautical miles – whew!!!