September 29th, 2018
Bad Alfreds Distillery
On returning to Baltimore we sailed and motored for seven hours to get to Chestertown which is at the top of the Chester River and it is worth the effort. We are anchored in the river and its busy with Crab fishermen plying up and down their line of pots. They whip them up to claim a catch and drop them back to carry on down the line in a seemingly endless cycle. Washington College is here and they are big on rowing so there is everything from singles to eights pulling their way up and down the river followed by noisy coaches with megaphones. This morning we saw the first squadrons of geese arrive for the winter, hundreds and hundreds of them. Amazingly noisy as they all honk away from above - something that I have read about and always wanted to see.
This is Josh who gave me a course on distilling - we had popped into Bad Alfreds Distillery for a pizza lunch as they have a proper wood fired oven. It was from Josh that I learned the best way to taste spirit it to dip your finger and then run it from the back of your tongue to the front - try it, its amazing. Always good to meet someone passionate about their trade.
September 29th, 2018
Fenders
I just had to share this picture from Baltimore marina where there was a line of six power boats with eight fenders between them. Admittedly you could moor the boat to a pontoon either side but it still put me on a back foot. They were all new and this was the best fendered of the lot!
September 29th, 2018
Tug
This is as we motor up to Baltimore and it's a typical sight here as tugs distribute trade on barges. We are heading into Baltimore as Tracey and 'Pearl' need to be tucked up in a Marina for a week as I am off to the UK for a work spanning Scotland to the Hamble. The funny thing is that having dodged a big bullet with Florence veering south I got off the plane in Edinburgh to be hit by a storm the next day!
September 29th, 2018
House Build
Tracey and I love building so it's been very interesting to see the difference in construction here. This is a typical build, it's all stud work clad in chip board and dressed to look like something more substantial. The tiles are self-adhesive with a sticky back - peel off the backing paper and slap it down. Don't be taken in by the brick house on the left for the bricks are just a thin fascia board nailed on with gun. I think it's a good system but they won't be about in three or four hundred years like some of the old places we take for granted in the UK. Sign of the times I guess.
September 29th, 2018
OSPREY NEST
Nature is high on the list here so it was with delight that we came across this Osprey Nest where the marina had bolted a three to a pile. What more could a bird want!!
September 29th, 2018
Sun Set
It was with great relief that we watched Hurricane Florence veer south of us. They are pretty frightening things and it was unnerving when she had us in her sights. The problem is that they are erratic so even if they are predicted to hit you there is no knowing whether to dodge left or right for you might be sailing into harm's way. As it happened we had calms, lovely sunsets and a surge of about three feet which saw marina pontoons under water.
September 12th, 2018
TURNERS CREEK
We stayed a day in Chesapeake City as it poured all day, we were tired and had a lot to catch up on. It was lovely to spend some quality time with Tony and Connie, fellow Ocean Cruising Club members, such lovely people with many years of experience and advice under their belt.
It was a relief to see that it looks like we will miss the worst of Hurricane Florence in Chesapeake Bay. Given they can be unpredictable I was keen to recce some Hurricane Holes and so we stopped in Turners Creek which has potential. It was here that we really became aware of her power as the water level surged above all the docks. Its power fomr so far away is really mind boggling.
We left for Georgetown at the top of the Sassafras River on a misty morning and were pleased to find another Hurricane Hole. It is also a place to stock up, do the washing, service the engine and have a great night in The Granary where the locals made us so welcome and we met a load of other cruisers. Dave who owns the Granary and his staff couldn't be nicer, the food is great and we weren't last at bar Trivia.
September 12th, 2018
ROMPING SAIL
Up before dawn for an amazing sail down to Atlantic City. Breakfast under Gennaker, lunch under spinnaker and a softening wind saw us complete 80 NM before sunset. A very gratifying day with an underlying sense of urgency for Hurricane Florence is coming our way and it feels a bit unnerving. Chesapeake looks the best place to find a Hurricane Hole so once again we set off early for Cape May with a building wind. It didn't take long to have two reefs and the headsail poled out with surges of 11knts. This meant we arrived too early with 30kts of wind over a foul tide. Cheekily we sniffed our way into the beach and nipped round Cape May a couple of hundred yards off the beach in a flat sea with large waves tripping up and tumbling over a 2.5knt foul tide offshore. We were tickled pink as we snugged Pearl down for the 40NM slog up Delaware Bay into 25/30knt winds. She dug her shoulder in and loved it. I cant speak highly enough of Pearl, this sail threw everything at us and the three of just took it our stride. It was a very gratifying day which underlined how far the three of us have come. Its also the first time I have hove her too and she was so docile as we waited for a prolonged 35knt squall to vent its spleen as we waited to creep close to the beach.
