Leaving Great Bridge Lock.
Leaving Great Bridge Lock.
Aircraft Carrier.
April 1st, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We left Great Bridge this morning and proceeded through a very small
lock. Shortly after the lock the people in the Sailboat had problems
with their engine and had to call for a tow. I felt badly for them,
but for a change it wasn't us having the problem. Everything was
going along fine for us and we were around Norfolk Virginia, when who should
appear at our side but another Coast Guard boat. I told them we had
just been boarded at the beginning of the last week, but they insisted
on coming aboard anyway. I think that they were just trying to make
themselves feel important. Everything was in order. Going through
Norfolk is quit an experience. Even if war ships are tied up, when
they see you coming they hail you on the radio, state your Longitude and
Latitude, your current rate of speed and tell to maintain your current
speed and remain 50 yards away from their vessel. You, do, not, mess,
with these guys! We anchored for the night in the Hampton River.
Container Ship.....Too big to mess with.
April 2nd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today was bright sunshine and very calm. We crossed the Chesapeake
Bay and spent the night in Cockrell Creek. There were a lot of Jet
fighters overhead today and a few broke the sound barrier and the whole
boat shook. The second time it happened we were right beside a practice
blasting range and we figured we were goners!
Neat light house.
Jet fighters overhead.
April 3rd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today was really calm again as we crossed the Potomac River.
We arrived in the Solomon's Island area in good daylight. We
anchored and put down the dingy to check out the town. I think we
are a little ahead of the season, so it’s pretty quiet. We went back
to the boat and we were watching TV downstairs. The phone rang upstairs,
I jumped up, started to run, missed the corner, jammed my two toes under
the edge of the wood floor in the galley and came to a grinding halt, oh
pain @#*&%!!
I am sure I heard something snap. Very painful night.
This is what you get for smashed toes. (Not sure it was worth it)
April 4th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Woke up with two very purple, swollen toes. Not good for doing
too much walking. Colin went to shore with the grocery list and some
letters to mail. I think I will just stay put in my chair. Colin
came back with a dozen lovely roses, but unfortunately the toes still hurt.
He’s trying though.
Oh Gee, I really like crab, please share!
April 5th, 2003, (Admirals Log)
I am hobbling with my purple toes today. I even managed to stuff
them into shoes long enough to go for breakfast and get my hair done.
I needed lift. The parts came in and Colin fixed the washing machine.
Music to my ears! Doesn't take much to make me happy. Hairdo
and washing machine, that's all.
Yet another neat lighthouse.
Entering Back Creek, Annapolis Maryland.
April 6th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We left bright and early to do the las t part of the Chesapeake Bay
and arrived in Annapolis Maryland late in the day. The anchorage
was very crowded and we had a hard time getting the anchor to hold.
We had to reset the anchor several times through the night as we kept moving.
Not a very restful night.
April 7th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We got up and did a quick tour of the bay in the dingy. There
was suppose to be a used boat parts store but we couldn't find it.
Turns out it blew down through the winter. The guy that told us about
it gave us a ride to the grocery store so we could get some supplies.
Good thing because my toes were not in good shape for walking great distances
yet. After that we went into the town dock to check out the downtown
area. Lots and lots of really neat shops. And an awesome little
deli where you could get just about anything. Hot soup was high on
my list because it was sooooo cold.
We went back and huddled in the boat and tried to keep warm.
April 8th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the bus today and found a Sam’s club. Not too exciting
but very wet and cold.
We broke loose through the night and ended up between two boats that
we had been in front of . Not cool and just way too close for comfort.
We managed to re-anchor without incident.
April 9th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today we stayed at the boat because it was just too windy to leave.
We had to re-anchor again several times. This is not fun!
Very congested harbor area.
One more light house, this one's on a hill though.
Thought our friends with trailers might like this one.
April 10th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Enough of this, there was a small break in the weather so we high tailed
it for Chesapeake City, where we are to meet Fred and Wendy. We arrived
at mid day and found the anchorage small, but there was only one other
boat there and he was at the other end. Again our anchor kept dragging
and we had to reset it.
April 11th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We put the dingy down and checked out the town. Very small but
quaint. A good restaurant for garlic blue crabs. Colin was
in heaven. We went into the town office and found a place for Fred
and Wendy to leave their car for the week.
Huge ship coming into the C. & D. Canal
April 12th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We were going to go get water and some diesel at the Marina across
the C & D Canal but once we got over there found out that they did
not have their water turned on yet, so there was no point in getting fuel,
besides the guy was kind of miserable. There was a small Marina in
the anchorage and they said if we ate in one of their two Restaurants we
could stay and get water and wait for our friends to arrive. That
worked for me. We spent the rest of the day cleaning up and getting
ready for our company. Fred and Wendy arrived shortly after midnight,
and silly us stayed up till 3:30 in the morning gabbing.
At last we found the Staples!!!!
Colin risked life and limb on the bridge to get this picture of the
Chesapeake City anchorage.
Total concentration!
Wendy needed some help keeping track of the names of her body parts.
April 13, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We started the day with a really nice breakfast at the Marina and then
checked out their mini Boat show. Colin had to find a Staples so he could
send a fax regarding a real estate transaction. It took us for ever.
Every time we would stop and get new directions and every time they sent
us further and further away. Eventually we did find one though. After
getting groceries and stocking up at the liquor store, we went for dinner
at the Crab restaurant. Good!
Oh come on, just one more light house.
April 14th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We left the anchorage and headed up the C & D Canal to Delaware
Bay. It was raining and cold and I really didn't want to leave the
boat. Besides I was in the midst of making dinner. Everyone
else was hell bent on going to shore in the half dark???? Colin said
that he had to mail his GST payments that day. I couldn’t see why
waiting one more day would make a difference. After they left I found
the two envelopes sitting on the table, and they were gone for hours.
Dinner was all ready to go and they still were not back. Then finally
they arrived. Wendy had some bags, so I assumed she had found a shop
of some sort. Duh!!!! I went out, helped Colin Tie the dingy
up and when I came in there were presents and flowers every where.
You see April 15th is my birthday. We did wait till midnight to open
everything. I was so impressed! Colin gave me flowers and a
really nice bread box that matches the other wood on the boat. Fred
and Wendy gave me a Window Herb garden and some really nice coasters with
a holder. After all the excitement, everyone fell promptly asleep.
Narrow channel coming into Ocean City.
Lift Bridge in operation for us.
We're not sure who this guy was, but he refused to leave.
Part of a 16' piece of lumber lodged up on top of the outdrive.
Cool house.
My Birthday dinner
April 15th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We carried on to Ocean City and within site of our anchorage for the
night we ran aground. The fellow that was following us came up beside
us and did the same thing. When Colin was putting the out drives
up and down he discovered that we had managed to pick up this 16 foot piece
of wood and were carrying it along on top of the out drives. We waited
for about an hour and by then the tide had come up enough to get us off
the bottom. We anchored in a small bay and took the dingy to shore.
It was just too cold to walk on the board walk and besides nothing was
open anyway. That night we took a cab to a really nice restaurant
and ordered a really nice dinner. I was going to have Lobster because
it was my birthday. I had to cancel my whole dinner because I felt
ill. Some birthday dinner that was....a bowl of soup and some dry
crackers. Everyone else enjoyed it though.
April 16th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
It was a beautiful day today and we were all grateful for the sun and
warm temps. We did a little tour and had lunch at the Point diner.
Colin had to get some papers notarized, and we accomplished that without
difficulty. We then went back to the Ocean City and checked out the
shops along Ashbury Road.
April 17th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We had 14 miles to go today to get to Atlantic City....... The longest
14 miles we ever went. The first bridge we came to was not working.
We anchored for a about an hour. Then they told us to come it was working....ops
no its not. We went and anchored again. Oh, then it was working.
Finally we got through. We got to the anchorage in Atlantic City
and broke loose from the anchor twice. What a pain. I have
never seen so much wind. We were going to go into Atlantic City that
night but it was just too windy to leave the boat unattended. Wendy
was very disappointed.
April 18th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the dingy in dressed in foul weather gear and tied at the Trump
Marina. There we discreetly divested ourselves of all the extra clothes
and stuffed them into our rolling bag. Looking like humans now, we
went in checked the bag and spent the day gambling. In order of bad
habits, Wendy was down several hundred, Colin $65.00, Margaret $30.00 and
Fred was UP $40.00. We had a huge Buffet dinner at the Wild, Wild
West Casino and then headed back to the Boat, After of coarse finding a
corner to put all our clothes on again.
Sorry to say good-bye, a good time was had by all!
Usiing our Tow Boat US insurance, for the first time.
April 19th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
How quickly to time goes by. It’s time for Fred and Wendy to
be on their way already. It’s really too bad they could not have
had a little nicer weather. The company was nice though. Colin
took off with all their gear and them in tow before 10:00 AM. It
was still pretty windy and nasty out so I loaned them foul weather gear
for their trip across. We decided to leave after Colin dropped them
off. It was quite windy but it was sunny. When we got to the anchorage
where we had planned to spend the night, Colin decided to go a little further
to see if there was anything else. There was not, so he started to
turn around to go back. We ran aground again only this time, it would
be 10:00 PM before the tide was up enough to get us off. We
were just contemplating what to do when a Tow Boat U.S. showed up.
He hocked on to us and within about 15 minutes had us pulled off.
Thank goodness for our towing insurance. Another adventure
Glimmer Glass Creek Bridge.
I'm the inspector here, what are you doing in my pond?
Well if you are going to feed me.....okay, you can stay.
But keep that dog away from me.
April 20th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We pulled into a marina so we could get fuel and water, and then carried
on to Breill, which is the entrance to the ocean for the open stretch we
have to do, to get to New York. We went up this tiny, ( and I mean
tiny) creek to a tiny lift bridge, (4 feet wider than the boat) into an
anchorage know as glimmer glass creek. Very pretty, but kind of scary
to get into. Right after we got anchored, I started hanging out the
laundry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like a mooring
ball headed full speed for the boat. By the time I realized what
it was Colin was on his way out with the camera. It was a White swan.
He was coming to check us out because we were in his pond. He was
not at all shy, and even ate a piece of bread right from my hand.
The dog was another matter. Poor Splash didn't know what to make
of a swan 4 times the size of her, flapping it’s wings and hissing at her.
April 21st, 2003 (Admirals Log)
The next day we walked into Manesquan, the small town right near by.
We got groceries and had lunch in this neat little restaurant. We
had a quiet afternoon and then went out for dinner at the Shrimp Box.
I finally got my Lobster that I tried to order the night of my birthday......very
good!
Entering New York Harbor......b-u-s-y!!
B-u-s-y!
Statue of Liberty.
Staten Island Ferry.
New York Skyline
^ ^ Trade Center
were located approximately where arrows are. Sobering view.
April 22nd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Well this looked like the best day we were going to get for a while,
so we headed out to the ocean to do our open run to New York. I was
a little nervous, but as usual everything went much better than I anticipated.
New York harbor was an absolute zoo! Huge freighters coming and going everywhere.
Ferry boats running around like ants. And just for good measure throw
in a few barges and tug boats, not to mention, restrictive naval areas
and perimeters guarded by US Coast Guard around the statue of Liberty.
AHHHHH! We finally pulled into the anchorage just behind the Statue
of Liberty and off of Liberty Park. This park is huge and has walk
ways, picnic tables, pavilions and an interpretive center. The bus
also comes right into the park. We took a walk around the park and
checked out what time and where to catch the bus.
April 23rd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today was an adventure. We took the dingy to the dock, then the
bus to the light rail, then the taxi to the ferry to the car show at the
Jacob Javitz Convention Center. As car shows go, it was not nearly as good
as the ones we have been to in Toronto and we were disappointed.
We decided that going anywhere in New York is just too complicated so we
planned to leave the next day.
Ahh.....the Grand Lady Liberty!
Ellis Island.
Sailing ship neat West Point.
West Point Military College.
April 24th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
As we left the New York Harbour, heading up the Hudson River, we were
suddenly into a whole different terrain. Mountains and beautiful
scenery, some of the nicest on the trip. We had read in our guide
book that if you called ahead to could tie at the West Point Navel Academy
if there was room. We called and they told us that due to 9-11, they
no longer allowed that, so we were out of a spot for the night. We
went further up the river and found a spot behind Pollepel Island.
We had a beautiful view of the deserted Castle, that now stands in ruin.
Apparently it was built to store ammunition. There was a deadly explosion
and then the island was also hit by a passenger barge that exploded.
The property is now owned by the parks authority and there are plans in
the works for the restoration of parts of it.
Pollepel Island Castle Ruins.
Hudson River, with barge and huge mountains in the background.
Okay, I think this might be the last one.
Really, rally old wooden barges.
April 25th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We carried up the Hudson River and spent the night just off a small
town called Athens. We were going to stay at the Town docks but they
weren’t in the water yet.
April 26th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We headed for the Troy Town dock. There was no one at the Marina
so we filled up with water and sucked up some hydro. Around 11:30
we moved to the public dock which we though was no charge. (More
about that later). It was raining when we got there, but Colin insisted
on going for a walk into town. I decided I would stay back at the
boat and get dinner ready....(does this sound familiar). He came
back soaked to the bone and hungry. We ate, sat down watched some
TV and then it was midnight....bedtime. He let the dog out and came
back
in with a huge bouquet of flowers, for our 29th anniversary. What
a guy, he talked some poor woman in a flower shop to open just to
get him the flowers.
Lucky me!....Birthday flowers in forground, Anniversary bouquet,
behind.
April 27th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We went out for an Anniversary breakfast and then went to get some
groceries. There was an earth day festival going on right on the
shore, above where we were tied. Lots vendors and a whole bunch of
live bands. It was great.
April 28th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today it was really nice outside, almost 80! We took the bus
and found a Sam’s club and did some other shopping. We spent the
whole day just mucking around. When we got back to the boat, we discovered
that a boat called the River Queen, that we have seen on and off throughout
the trip had pulled up in front of us. We went and had a little chat
with them to see how they were doing. Everything was fine, no real
big problems.
April 29th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today was a working day. A put the first coat of varnish on all
the trim and Colin worked on the door trim.
April 30th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Second coat of varnish and more trim. The marina owner came over
and told us we were illegally docked and we would have to move before night
time. Colin got sort of inflamed and headed for the City Hall. They
told him we could stay the night and we could tie to the wall further back
for as long as we wanted to. They also gave him a certificate for
$10.00 off at the restaurant right on the water. When the guy from
the Marina came back, he was most ticked, but we were doing nothing wrong.