Remote Posting: Cruise has started

[HeaveToo]

Hello All,
I am currently anchored in Smith Creek near Point Lookout, MD.  Yesterday I left Colonial Beach in sloppy conditions.  The waves were big and the seas were confused.  The first few hours was no fun at all.

The wind lightened and right around Ragged Point I noticed that they weren't going to build anymore.  They were out of the North West so I decided it was time for some real fun.  I hoisted my spinnaker and carried it for over 2 hours.  It was perfect conditions and probably the best sail I have had in a long time. 

In total, I sailed over 30 NM yesterday.  I did it in about 7 hours.  It wasn't a bad day but I didn't use any gas to get where I was going.  To add a little more glory to it, and bragging rights, I beat my Uncle in his Catalina 34.  It wasn't even close after I hoisted the spinnaker I took off and left him in my wake.  It is a cool feeling to beat a boat that is supposed to be much faster than I am.  Oh, and I was dragging my dingy too!

With the rain and light winds forecast, I decided to stay in Smith Creek today.  There is a good chance that I will head for Mill Creek tomorrow.  I really hope to get a break for this cool. rainy weather.

I will post some videos and photos when my cruise is done.

[tmw]

Sounds like a great day of sailing.  Are you posting on Active Captain Locations, where others would be able to follow?  I logged in, and didn't see anybody out there at all, so it might be user error on my part.

[HeaveToo]

No.  Active Captain is great on the Laptop but the App sucks.   I have posted there but only for reviews. 

I can't believe how cool it is out here. I just had my second cup of hot tea for the day.

Even though it is cool I have to admit that it is relaxing in here. I am listening to some Lorenna Mckennit. It is a quiet anchorage except for some Ospreys crying out as they fly by.  The rain makes a soothing sound as it lands on my bimini. Heck, I could be at work, I will take this rainy day in a quiet anchorage anyday! 

I think that it takes a few days to get adjusted to life aboard.  The first few days I bump into things and my back hurts from crouching over.  After that things are okay. It is also some adjustment to sleeping on board. I did pretty good last night despite the place where my solar vent had previously dripped some water on my V-berth. I had no idea it was wet until I put my sheets on.  It isn't leaking now and it has been raining all day. That is odd that it leaked and it is the only time that this has happened. 

[HeaveToo]

I have made it to Mill Creek. The wind died on me today after a spirited run into the Chesapeake Bay. It was very confused and sloppy earlier today when I left the Potomac.  The waves were pretty big.  Still, the Compac takes it in stride and she continues to impress me. I have made over 60 miles on this trip so far.  Tomorrow I will get to where ever I go, maybe Deltaville.  How knows but the wind forecast doesn't seem too exciting and I bet it craps out again.  Ugh!!!  Wish me luck!

[thomeng55]

Good Luck!

Tom

[tmw]

Best of luck!

I like the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Smart Buoy app for checking on live conditions, and have been looking at Windy for wind predictions (seems easier to use than predict wind).  It looks bad for Friday (almost now wind) and Saturday (30 kts gusts and rain), but after that looks much better.

[HeaveToo]

I am now in Jackson Creek at Deltaville. There s town a cress through a public dock.

Coming out of Mill Creek was pretty nasty. 15+ sustained and huge waves. The Compac took it all in stride. After I turned to go south my speed went way up. I saw 6.9 knots surfing a huge wave. I was averaging over 6 knots for a while.  The wind died down a little but the seas stayed high for a while. Saga was just rolling with it but it was not the most pleasant sailing.

I checked my charge controller earlier. It indicated that my batteries were fully charged. It has t been that sunny but my 100watt panel seems to be keeping up with my demands. Quite frankly I believe that my tiller pilot is the highest draw and I haven't used it much as I have been in challenging conditions.

I am not sure what I will do. I may end up in Deltaville for a few days.

I have to say that NoMas is a stand up guy. My Uncle is having battery issues and NoMas said that he would give him a ride to Napa. We found out that Napa would deliver the batterie so I called NoMas off. I guess that I still owe him a cold one for offering to help out a fellow sailor.

I have settle into a pretty good routine aboard now. I am getting use to my environment. This boat is set up really well. I am not sure if there are many more mods that I want to make to her at this point.

[HideAway]

Yes, it does take awhile to adjust to life on board.  The first few hours are the worst for me - it always seems we are sailing so slow we will never get there- Then I realize I'm always there whereever I sail and everything is alright..... does that make any sense?  The other thing I notice is that we always get back waaayyy to fast-M

[HeaveToo]

I agree with you about all ready being there.

Today I am holding over in Deltaville. I biked into town from the Public Dock at the end of Lovers Lane. I had a nice lunch but I was disappointed to learn that the pizza place that was in Deltaville went out of business. A lot of restaurants have folded here in Deltaville. It is sad.

I checked out the consignment shop and saw some I teresti g things. I went to West Marine but I did t need anything. Finally I picked up some food items at the small grocery store. Oatmeal has been a favorite breakfast so far this trip because of cool mornings.

When I got back to the boat I tried out my cockpit shower. That was a cold shower!!!  It did work pretty good though.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nasty. Wind is forecasted to gust up to 35 knots and it will rain 1.5 inches. I plan to stay here for at least tomorrow.

Funny but I am ok with staying in a place for a few days. I can rest up, relax, listen to music, read a book, and just enjoy living at a slower pace.

One nice thing is that my battery bank is fully charged. My solar panel is working great. This was peobably the best long term cruising mod that I have made.

[Bob23]

I'm really enjoying your accounts of this adventure. Thanks! Serving as a spark!
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

Glad that you guys are enjoying my reflections. 

Tomorrow will be. Wash out. That is ok, that's is always something to do.

[TedStrat]

I agree with you about all ready being there.

Today I am holding over in Deltaville. I biked into town from the Public Dock at the end of Lovers Lane. I had a nice lunch but I was disappointed to learn that the pizza place that was in Deltaville went out of business. A lot of restaurants have folded here in Deltaville. It is sad.

I checked out the consignment shop and saw some I teresti g things. I went to West Marine but I did t need anything. Finally I picked up some food items at the small grocery store. Oatmeal has been a favorite breakfast so far this trip because of cool mornings.

I feel like I'm there! Wish I could have gotten it together to make the trip but this is the next best thing. Thanks for your continued posts. Stay warm, dry and safe and relax!

When I got back to the boat I tried out my cockpit shower. That was a cold shower!!!  It did work pretty good though.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nasty. Wind is forecasted to gust up to 35 knots and it will rain 1.5 inches. I plan to stay here for at least tomorrow.

Funny but I am ok with staying in a place for a few days. I can rest up, relax, listen to music, read a book, and just enjoy living at a slower pace.

One nice thing is that my battery bank is fully charged. My solar panel is working great. This was peobably the best long term cruising mod that I have made.

[HeaveToo]

Rain rain go away.

There is nothing like being a board your boat on a rainy day to find out where you have leaks. Apparently my solar van is leaking pretty good and I have to reseal it. I also had a small leak on my cabin top winch and my starboard side companionway sliding hatch brackets. The last leak was from the last screw so I tightened it down and it seems to stop leaking.

While I was sitting here I saw a nice Beneteau 38 go by with Annapolis Yacht Sales South on it. Sure enough Johnathan Hutchins was behind the sheen showing a prospective client the boat. Based on my dealings with him when I sold my last boat it took a lot of restraint not to yell out to the client to run.

It is pretty windy here with gusts to 30 or better at times. I did take the time to bail out my dingy and row to the public dock so I could walk into town and buy some Butyl tape to seal the solar vent when this rain stops.

Who knows what is left for the day. Definitely some reading and good music is in order.

[HeaveToo]

I just made it into Urbanna. It was a rough and wet passage

The waves at Stingray point were huge. I had to steer off to keep from taking waves over the bow. The wind was about 15 knots, maybe slightly higher in the gusts.

Once I started up the Rappahannock River it calmed down a bit. The rain was ever present and I was mad my foul weather gear held. Towards the end the wind came up and it blew from right where I was going. It built to 20knots (damn you NOAA Marine forecast, you were wrong again).

Going into Urbanna I experienced some outboard issues. It didn't want to idle. I messed with it a bit once I was anchored and it seems to be okay now. Before that it kept cutting off at low speeds and it wanted to be choked when I restarted it. Seemed like fuel was getting through the filter so it could be plugs or I picked a little gunk in my fuel from it being so rough today. Either way I did get back running. I will check the plugs when the rain stops, if it ever does. I will also put some sea foam in the fuel if I can find some here.

My nerves are a bit frazzled from the outboard issue. I know it could always be worse but it still gets me going.

I will probably stay in Urbanna tomorrow because, guess what?...It's going to rain.

[TedStrat]

Thanks for the continued update - I feel like I'm there! Wish I could have pulled it together to make the trip down so this is the next best thing. Stay dry and safe and have a relaxing time.