Jane's Blog

Friday, June 13, 2014

We were very glad to be at Walt and Mary's dock and home "Safe at Anchor Lodge"

OK, bear with me. I have spent hours trying to get these pictures in order. Please take them as they come. The Reedville Fisherman's Museum is across the street from Walt and Mary. Reedville is the home of the Manhaden Fishing Fleet on the Chesapeake Bay and this is the museum explaining its history.

This is the buy boat. the ELVA C. It met the oyster boats and brought back the Oysters to market.

The Claud W. Somers is one of the few remaining skip-jacks on the Bay. She and the Elva C are on the National Historic Registry. The skip-sack sailed to the oyster beds and remained on the bay. The buy boats met them to take the oysters to market.

The small boat is a replica of a push boat built at the museum. The push boats would position the skip-jacks in to place.

The big plus is she is a gourmet cook

Alyse and Nathan, can you guess the name of this boat?

Entering Urbana, Brad can you make the bird call like you used too?

Cousin Nancy Fisk and Dave

Side view of her home

Nancy's kennel

This puppy caught my eye, never let go of the bone

Second house for her friends, he cares for the property and she the kennel

Front view looks over her acreage

Tides Lodge Marina in Carter Creek is deserted except for the sailing school

The white poles mark the oyster beds and they are all over Carter Creek

This home was one we saw from anchor. It faces the river on the other side. How many volley balls do you think they lose? See the net to the right.

Note the solar panels

Lawn ornament, the prop spins in the wind

Beautiful schooner in the anchorage

Dave enjoying Victoria's balcony looking out Jackson Creek

View of the dock with CrossOver on the right

Old Point Comfort Light built in 1792

Approaching Wolf trap Light built in 1894

Weather changes

Day 16 Chesapeake Bay Trip

Sorry I have not gotten our adventures to you for almost a week. We have wonderful visits with folks and some adventures on the water.

Last Sunday, June8th we left our slip at Old Point Comfort Marina at 9:00 AM and took our CrossOver into the Bay for the first time. The wind was light from the South and we had a good trip to Jackson Creek. Victoria Hitch was tracking us on “Find My Friends” and saw us heading toward her dock at noon. She was kind enough to let us use her slip at her condo. It was so good to see her after many months. She invited us to stay in her condo and at first we said we would pass, it would just be one night.

After a late lunch the wind picked up out of the Southeast and blew right into the creek. CrossOver started to bob like our grandchildren on a trampoline. Graciously we accepted her invite to spend the night with her. We went to dinner at the Cosmos, now the Railroad something. Very good seafood baskets. We were amazed at the number of marinas. We had never spent that much time in this area. Back at the condo we heard more about her years with the Richmond Power Squadron and saw her trophy naming her the Woman Sailor of the year three times.

After a wonderful breakfast she introduced us to the Deltaville Hardware store. We found a gift for Joyce, a bicycle inter tube for Dave’s bike and bolts to fasten her deck umbrella. Dave did what he does best and Victoria’s umbrella should survive most anything.

Off her dock and next door for fuel. It was the first time we have called and been told to pump ourselves and then come to the office with the gallon amount. Off then (11:30 AM) to head north to Carter Creek off the Rappahannock River. We cruised the creek up to the Tide’s Lodge in the Irvington, VA area, it is an icon on the bay and next to Tide’s Lodge which is no longer in operation. Very unfortunate, it was a favorite place for the Tartan Club to cruise to on the Southern Bay. We passed what had always been a favorite house of mine across from Tide’s Lodge. We chose an anchorage in the Eastern fork near the entrance of Carter Creek. We relaxed, read and watched boats. Locals told us that all the PCV pipes marked oyster beds.

Tuesday morning we weighed anchor at 9 AM and headed to Urbana, VA to dock at the Urbana Town Dock run by a good friend of Nancy Fisk’s. This marina can accommodate large boats and I must tell you has the best restroom/shower facility I have been in….. After showers, which may have helped but the day was VERY humid, we were greeted by Nancy Fisk. So good to see Dave’s Cousin’s wife after a number of years. This area is her new home and she has established herself well in the past year. She took us to a home she is rehabbing and then to lunch at Willaby’s. Next we got to see her acreage and the two homes and kennel on the property. She has 17 Akitas and’ If my count is right’ 7 Beagles. It was a delightful afternoon.

About 5 PM we took a bike ride into town and saw some of the historic homes and took advantage of the grocery store. Dinner was lunch leftovers and a salad. We never spend time at a marina without walking the dock. We got back to the boat as powerful thunderstorm went though. We had high winds but the rain was to the North.

Wednesday, another hot sticky and very overcast day day. Our goal was to dock in Reedville, VA at our friends Mary and Walt’s. The trip down the Rappahannock River was choppy with winds out of the East. We needed to go around Windmill Point which marks very shallow ground. The wind from the East piled the water up on the shallows and the waves built to 4 and 5 feet. This was worse than our trip on the Neuse River in NC. Life jackets on and wishing we were a large sailboat we pounded on. We know now we need to be more mindful of the winds direction with this boat. We were finally were able to turn, after 3 ½ hours. Conditions would dictate whether we need to change our destination. The going got easier with waves a bit less and the boat rolling over them instead of into them. Reedville was a doable goal.

We blew our horns for Mary and Walt but they did not hear us. After docking we walked up to the house and surprised them at 12:30. Hot, very sweaty and shaken Mary offered me the proper drink to calm me, a Dark and Stormy. Lunch a brief tour around town and naps, lots of catching up and a delicious dinner we were “Safe at Anchor Lodge.” Oh, I don’t want to forget the thunderstorm we had at 4 AM with the most constant lightening I have EVERr seen. No sirens was a good sign.

Thursday Dave and Walt headed in one direction on errands and Mary and I to hit the consignment shops in the area. Some good finds and yes I added to Dave’s few tee shirts. It was the appropriate day to be with friends and dry. The rain continued for most of the day. When Mary and I are together it is a recipe swap, dinner both nights will go in to my book.

This morning we had a leisurely breakfast and shortly afterward Walt and Mary’s friend Ben arrived on his way North from Marathon. Dave is doing boat chores and some improvements and helping Walt with projects. I took a walk around the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum. Mary is making jam and you know what I am doing. We are hoping to see Jim and Katie Walker at museum cocktail hour tonight.

We will be monitoring the weather; our plan is to provision on Sunday and head to Solomon’s Island or the Eastern Shore on Monday.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Diamond docking at Coinjock, VA

Bottle tree at Dowry Creek Marina

Cypress tree on the waterway

Shipyard Norkfolk, VA

Waterside downtown Norkfolk, Pride II of Baltimore at the dock

Captain Dave got by her

Here is her cargo

Shrimp fleet in bay at Old Point Comfort

Sunset on my birthday

Godspeed

USS Cole

Chamberlin, formally a hotel had a 7 year renovation, $55 million. Now it is a 55 plus community.

The palladium window are the dining room

My birthday dinner a day late

Col. Ed Shames front right and Col. Ashley on front left

Port Comfort Lighthouse built 1802

A moat surrounds Fort Monroe

Quarters 1, A. Lincoln met here with strategists in May of 1862

Robert E. Lee was housed here while he engineered the fort

Flag Hill

View from flag hill

Day 10, at the head of the Chesapeake Bay

Blog Number Three, day 10

Our trip from Windsong to Coinjock was uneventful. We did learn that we had missed a gem, Dowry arina and Resort on the Pungo River. Lucky for us the Alligator River and the Albemarle Sound were like glass. Great for us.

We docked overnight in Coinjock we passed on the famous prime rib at the restaurant and had a nice meal and met some nice folks. One couple from New Bern (Riverbend) in a Hattrass on their way to Cleveland. They had done the LOOP in a 33’ Pursuit. Another couple in a Gozzard 36’ heading back to Pierce Creek off the Neuse River. The jaw dropper was Diamond, see the photo.

We had a 45 minute wait at Great Bridge, just before the only lock, so we anchored, had lunch and Dave napped. On the other side of the bridge we waved hello to Frank and Diane on Utopia. They took advantage of the free tie up between the bridge and the lock. As we passed by the Norfolk ship yards we were awed by the constant commercial traffic. Here is where we encountered our only heavy shower.

Riverside in downtown Norfolk was gearing up for the big Harbor Fest. Ships like Pride of Baltimore II, the Rover, Virginia, Godspeed, Lynx and the USS Cole. By the way the Cole used to have Trega’s chair backs in their dining hall. We were surprised to see so few Navy ships in port.

On to our anchorage at Old Port Comfort. Dave out ran the container ship and we had a wet ride, but the captain was happy. Dinner on board on My birthday and a interesting sunset. Thank you all who called and sent me greetings. (Nate here is where I took the sunset picture but it is on my phone and I am not working where I can download it. Next time buddy.)

Dave managed to stub his toe on the same cleat as I did so we both have black and blue toes but I do not think they are broken.

The next morning during breakfast we watched a captain, single handed, raise the sails on his 42’ Irwin and sail off the anchor. There are times we do miss sailing.

We called the marina at Old Port Comfort ( they are now public since Fort Monroe was decommissioned in 2011) and got a slip for two nights. After difficulties with bike tires and hours wasted we walked to the sea wall in front of the Chamberlin Hotel to watch the parade of ships. We then walked the water front around to the beach and through the old fort back to the boat.

Dave made early dinner reservations at the Chamberlin and I had a dinner in style, a late birthday celebration. Champagne/cucumber soup followed by beautifully served swordfish over risotto topped with greens and flower petals. I ate half of mine before I thought of taking a picture. The beautiful building is now a senior living center. Google historicchamberlin.com We watch ships entering and exiting the bay and the ocean. Dinner was early because we came across the Air Force setting up of the Air Band and Chorus concert honoring the 70^th anniversary of D-Day.

The Jazz section of the band was dressed in WWII uniforms. Tributes were made to Col. Ed Shames, a member of Easy Company and the Band of Brothers also a Col Ashley a pilot who was shot down over Germany on Christmas Day 1944 and after a member of the resistance was forced to give the group away taken in to a Prisoner of War Camp. The other gentleman to be honored unfortunately passed on the 5/24. Both of these courageous men stood to speak to each person who came to thank them for their service. As the evening progressed military members former and present were recognized. We experienced this at the last performance of the band we attended in Myrtle Beach two years ago. A very inspiring, soul searching evening.

Presently Dave is making a run to the grocery store with the one working bike and I am doing laundry. He did not bring enough tee shirts to get him through a week…… there is room in his drawer!

After chores we are going to the Casement Museum. I was surprised yesterday to see a fort with a ground embankments, a moat and then all the homes and barracks inside. The military has decommissioned the fort and is renting the homes and keeping the area groomed. The architecture is very interesting, the first settlement here began in 1609. Google Fort Monroe VA.

Tomorrow we head to Urbana, VA to visit a friend and stay at her dock. Later in the week we will be at Walt and Mary Keith’s dock in Reedville, Va. We also will get to see Nancy Fisk.