Trip Diary for May, 2010

Saturday, May 1; Morehead City, NC: Utilizing an extra day for rest allowed the luxury of sleeping-in until 8:30.  We departed with Levines (having brought both our cars here a week ago) about 10:30 to shop and have great shrimp sandwiches for lunch at El's Drive-in.  The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to boat projects.  Dinner was at Capt. Bill's Waterfront Restaurant on the Sound.

May 2-3; We left Morehead City Yacht Basin at 8:05 Sunday, expecting to make only 32 mi. to River Dunes Marina; however, as we entered the Nuse River about 10 mi. from that marina we decided conditions were so nice we should take advantage of them.  We called and made reservations at Dowry Creek Marina.  This lengthened the day's travel to 72 mi.  Temps reached 86.  We arrived at 3:15 PM because we had the unusually good fortune of favorable tide currents almost the entire time, averaging 10 mph.  After showers and boat rinse, Ann cooked chicken breasts and Lola provided a rhubarb pie for a wonderful dinner aboard Sandpiper. We chose to stay 2 nights because the remnants of the terrible storm that moved across AK and TN producing historic flooding and 28 deaths was forecast to hit our area.  With Monday, being a weather day, we rented a car to cycle our cars from Morehead City.  Along the way we enjoyed excellent lunches at Flounders Seafood and Smokehouse in New Bern.

Tuesday, May 4; Coinjock, NC: Winds died overnight, but light rains were falling as we dropped lines at 6:50 AM for the 83 mi. cruise up the huge Alligator River and Albemarle Sound to Coinjock Marina.  We spotted a lone eagle high in a dead tree along the Pungo-Alligator Canal. This was our first cruise into Norfolk, VA via the NC/VA cut rather than the Dismal Swamp route.  Rain continued intermittently until 11 AM at the entrance to the Sound.  Winds were SW at only 5-8 mph, but we had 2-3 ft beam swells that gave 1.5 hrs. of somewhat uncomfortable ride.  After rinsing the boats, we had terrific dinners at the on-site restaurant.  Two other huge boats arrived at this marina after us, a 124 ft. Dennison yacht from the Caymon Islands, News, and a double enclosed deck 130 ft. Whale Watcher headed for MA.  Larry watched them fuel Whale Watcher; she took on 5,100 gal. of diesel!  We decided not to try "trading up."

May 5-6, Portsmouth, VA; Wednesday, fog!  Departure was delayed until 7:35, allowing ground fog to thin.  With three scheduled bridges, a lock, and the intense traffic and bridges in Norfolk it was 2:15 before we covered the 48 mi. to Tidewater Yacht Marina.  The longest bridge wait was 30 min. at Steel Bridge.  Winds were only 4-8 mph with afternoon temps reaching 87.  The autopilot decided it was time to again "take it's 6 mo. vacation."  Convenient fueling at the slip enabled us to take on 238 gal.; seemed meager after watching Whale Watcher yesterday.  After very good dinners at the on-site The Deck Restaurant, culminated with dessert to celebrate Sandpiper's 5th birthday, Larry disassembled the autopilot's fluxgate compass and cleaned its contacts to restore operation.  Enterprise picked up Larry, Lola and Ann at 8:30 AM Thursday for a 400 mi. drive shuttling cars from Dowry Creek, NC to Deltaville, VA.  Robert stayed behind on Sandpiper awaiting a mechanic to wash/clean her turbos.  Upon returning from the drive at 7 PM we had delightful, inexpensive dinners at Blue Water Seafood Grill in Olde town Portsmouth.

May 7-11, Deltaville, VA; We dropped lines Friday at 7:35 expecting to take advantage of typically lighter early winds; wrong!.  Inaccurate forecasts had predicted winds less than 10 mph all day.  Instead, 16 mph E winds had produced 3-4 ft. seas with the occasional 5 footer at the Norfolk harbor entrance and the first 15 mi. into Chesapeake Bay.  Traveling faster produced a slightly smoother, but pounding ride while definitely shortened the trip's duration so we ran at 18 mph for 2.5 hr.; fuel economy became a secondary concern.  We considered turning back, but it was forecast to be worse for the next few days.  Things gradually improved as we proceeded north until we had only 1-2 foot seas at the Rappahannock River entrance.  We completed the 60 mi. trip and docked in Dozier's Regatta Point Yachting Center at 12:10.  After adjusting lines, we discovered power on our pedestal was defunct; thus, after rinsing down a thoroughly salted Lola Marie we relocated to last summer's slip, G26 adjacent to Gay and Bobby Currier on their sailboat Mad Dash 9.  It was now 3 PM.  We then discovered the rough, pounding seas had caused water to leak through the master head's windows and backed water from the through-hull into the tub so that many clothes were wet.  Hanging those to dry and showering allowed just enough time to join Bob and Ann plus Jim and Barb Benjamin, loopers aboard their 42 ft. Nordic Tug, Golden Lily, for 5:30 PM dinners at Cocomo's.  Tired from a hard day, we turned in early without setting an alarm.  Saturday's weather was as forecast: high of 88 with 25 mph NW winds and 35 mph gusts; a day for laundry (2 of 4 loads were just trip-wetted clothing), boat projects and cleaning up.  We joined Barb and Jim at 1:30 for an 1.5h of local knowledge about Lake Champlain (Jim's home is near Ft. Ticonderoga).  Following wine and munchies on the marina's veranda at 4:45 PM, Jon and Marilyn Ponder aboard a 26 ft. Ranger Tug, Snug Tug, joined last evening's 6 for dinner at the Galley.  Sunday was both Mothers' Day and Lola's birthday.  With passage of yesterday's front temps dropped by 20 degrees and the wind gradually subsided during the afternoon.  Following the 11 AM Clarksbury UMC service, last evening's 4 couples drove 20 mi. to Topping, VA for outstanding 2:30 PM celebratory dinners at Eckhard's; Bob and Ann surprised Lola with a chocolate birthday cake that the restaurant graciously served. At 6:15 PM everyone came aboard the Lola Marie for brownies, ice cream, coffee and great conversation.  Monday was devoted to laundry and boat projects.  Bob and Ann Levine came aboard in the evening to help consume what remained of the cake in celebration of Bob's impending birthday.  Tuesday was spent packing and preparing for land travel to TN.

May 12-14, Knoxville, TN; We left the marina at 7:40 AM Wednesday for the 506 mi. drive to share granddaughter Samantha's graduation for her BS Nursing degree from the Univ. of TN.  In addition to her parents from Memphis, our daughter Sandy and her husband Klaus drove in from Noblesville, IN.  Thursday was devoted to the graduation.  We left the hotel at 11:15 AM for the 1 PM ceremony; with 90 graduates it lasted only 1.5 hr.  Following the college's reception we enjoyed outstanding Copper Cellar dinners. We departed Knoxville at 8:50 AM Friday, getting back to the boat at 6:30 PM.  It was a lot of driving in 3 days, but almost half paralleled the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and traffic was light most of the time.

May 15-20, Deltaville, VA; 11 hr. of sleep restored our energies for Saturday.  After unpacking, showering and a bit of laundry, we drove to Kilmarnock to the CarWash Cafe for their incredible crab cake sandwiches.  Following that delightful experience we shopped for groceries and visited a couple of Thrift Stores on the way back to the boat.  Since Sunday is officially a "day of rest" we chose to observe that religious custom following services at Clarksbury UMC.  Rain began about 11 AM Monday and continued throughout the day and night.  Larry scrubbed the dinghy during the early light rain while Lola cleaned inside.  At 6:30 PM John and Jo Ann Rybak, loopers from the 34 ft. American Tug Winter Hawk, came aboard to educate us about Lake Champlain and to enjoy brownies a la mode.  Rain stopped about 7 AM Tuesday.  In the afternoon we drove 30 mi. to Hayes, VA for banking and great early dinners at Salsa's Mexican Grill.  Wednesday was Larry's shopping day; at 11:30 we drove to Harbor Freight Tools in Newport News for him to purchase super sale items: a multi-meter and a battery float charger.  We returned just in time for the marina's wine and cheese party on the veranda.  Winds finally died, so numerous new boats arrived during the day.  Thursday was devoted to preparing the boat to take advantage of excellent Chesapeake boating weather with a 119 mi. run on Friday.  Larry and Gayle, Dozier's Regatta Point Yachting Center dockmasters in 2009, arrived and we enjoyed grilled brats with them and their friends at the newly renovated marina picnic area.

Friday, May 21; Rock Hall, MD: It was a very early 5:40 AM as we pulled away from the dock as soon as there was adequate light in nearly perfect powerboat weather, i.e. only 3-6 mph winds, sunny with temps reaching 82.  We  had a 6" chop as we left the Rappahannack; that increased to 1 ft. at the 10 mi. wide Potomac River confluence.  After that, it became flat for the remainder of the trip.  Larry synced the throttles for 1,600 rpm and didn't touch them for 10.5 hr.!  He also, for the very first time, set the autopilot to "track" and allowed it to automatically turn at each pre-plotted course waypoint; that made the trip even more relaxing, only requiring a watch for the occasional crab pot, fishing net and/or boat.  The amount of commercial boat traffic was a surprise; much more that our previous cruises in the Bay. Conditions were so nice we piloted from the bridge for several hours.   We also enjoyed the unusual benefit of a modest tide current boost for 90% of the trip.  That enabled a Rock Hall Landing Marina arrival of 5 PM without having to run at cruise speed.  After showers we enjoyed excellent meals at the award-winning, on-site Waterman's Crab House.

May 22-27; Bear, DE: With only 51 mi. to cover, we dropped lines at a more civil 7:30 AM Saturday.  Winds were twice forecast and eventually reached 16 mph, but the Bay continued to narrow as we moved north with increasing winds so we never experienced an uncomfortable ride.  That is, except for several inconsiderate boat wakes from overtaking crafts.  Boat traffic, both commercial and especially pleasure craft on this weekend day, was very heavy.  At 10:30 AM a Coast Guard RIB came up to our stern with its blue lights flashing!  We heaved too as they asked to board for a vessel safety check.  We said that was fine, but that we had such an inspection only 4 weeks earlier (at the AGLCA Rendezvous).  After pulling around to observe the 2010 sticker on our port window they said that would suffice and left, wishing us safe boating.  We pulled into our Summit North Marina dock, the boat's "home" for the next 4 weeks, at 1:15 PM; it's on the north shore at the mid-point of the C&D Canal.  As per prior arrangement, Larry Gaultney, a former Purdue ABE MS, PhD and faculty member picked us up Sunday at 9:30 AM to attend Elkton UMC (in MD) with his wife Heide, a veterinarian, and their daughter Cecelia.  We had the honor of riding in "old Blue", a 1967 American Motors Rambler Ambassador with an incredible 518,000 mi.! He has owned this vehicle since graduating from HS and has lovingly repaired and repainted it as necessary to keep it going.  After Sunday School and worship service we enjoyed wonderful Chinese buffet lunches at The New Hong Kong King in Newark, DE.  Monday was the day for car shuffling; Enterprise picked us up at 8:30 AM for the 230 mi. drive to Deltaville, VA and back.  Traffic wasn't bad except for the 20 mi. near Annapolis and Lola's aversion to driving on huge bridges: the Potomac River and the 5 mi. Chesapeake Bay bridges.  It was 9 PM when we got back.  After returning the rental Tuesday we immediately went to the Apple Store in Christiana, DE to have them fix Lola's iPhone; it randomly dies 8-10 times daily since having been dropped 10 days ago.  The determination: not repairable. Insurance bought a new one for her.  She was not feeling well and as evening wore on her stomach pain continued to increase.  At 12:05 AM Wednesday we headed for Union Hospital's emergency room 12 mi. away in Elkton, MD. After prodding and a cat-scan they diagnosed acute diverticulitis!  By 9 AM the next morning we were getting prescriptions filled and returning to the boat for a much needed day of rest.  Thursday's outlook was much brighter (11 hr. of sleep can do wonders).  We spent the day packing and preparing to leave the boat for a month.

May 28-31; W. Lafayette, IN: With 728 mi. to cover, we left the marina at 6:15 AM Friday.  Surprisingly, traffic was not the problem we anticipated; even arriving at Indianapolis at 5:30 PM turned out to be okay.  Stopping at Chick-Fil-A for dinner still allowed us to reach the condo by 8 PM.  This allowed time to unload the car before an early bedtime.  Saturday was devoted to laundry plus organizing and storing clothes and the assorted items brought home from the boat.  Sunday, Lola continued her return to good health, but on a still very restricted diet.  Memorial Day, Monday, entailed ironing and numerous condo tasks before grandson Chris returned from Indy about 6 PM.

Water miles traveled to date on this second loop: 5,618; this month: 433

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