December 5, 2008
Departed Annapolis City Marina at 2:15 p.m., winds NW10 mph, temp. 38°, sunny. Destination, West River, Galesville. Anchored in Galesville at Pirates Cove Marina in 6 feet of water. Distance sailed, about 12 miles.
Arrived Galesville just at dusk, 4:45, after a cold but enjoyable sail – well, sail for as long as the winds held up, which was to Tolly Point. After that, it was the iron genny, and some motor sailing in the West River.
The new sail, with Gypsy Wind’s name on it, looks fantastic, but I find it a bit too short on both the foot and the luff. Next sail, I’ll increase both. On the positive side, it’s very nice to be able to see clearly under the sail. The old sail was a real ‘deck dragger’, meaning that one had to lean well out to the side to see past it.
Very little traffic on the water, no surprise given the time of year and the weather. A couple of power boats, two trawlers, one other sailboat heading north towards Annapolis as I came into the West River.
The new chartplotter is fantastic, as I knew it would be, having used one on the PDQ delivery from Florida to Lake Huron. Big full colour screen and lots of information right at your fingertips. I even pulled into the anchorage just after low tide, now how good is that?
Considered taking one of the vacant mooring balls, but anchored instead. Might as well get back into the habit…
Fired up the Coleman catalytic heater after anchoring. I think it’s more aptly named Coldman! It just doesn’t cut it, other than for warming your hands. I’m looking forward to dinner, and the consequent warming of the cabin from cooking! Thank God I’ll be in Norfolk in another couple of days and heading south on the ICW, where it’s a minimum of 5° warmer.
Didn’t take the time this morning to change out the Airex wind generator for the old one, which works. That can wait until I get to Deltaville – I only need it to charge the batteries for the fridge and it’s cold enough that I don’t even need to do that! It can wait.
What can’t wait is tidying up the cabin – after a week of working on the boat, it’s a mess. But first, a glass of wine and some cheese to celebrate the first passage of this trip.
I had hoped to upload this right away, but the wifi shown here doesn’t seem to work.
December 6, 2008
Departed Galesville at 7:45 a.m., winds SW10 mph, temp. 38°, sunny. Winds shifted to SE around 10:30. Destination, Solomons, about 35 nm. Anchored in Solomon's in 8 feet of water. Distance sailed, about 35 miles. Fuel - $15.45, about 5 gallons and a bit. Not bad from Annapolis.
Not a bad morning, motorsailed since the winds were light - boat was picking up over a knot from the genoa alone, but the winds shifted, as predicted, to S and then SE, i.e. on the nose! Very cold today, especially after it clouded over around noon.
Watched the Christmas Boat Parade, they came right through the anchorage - some imaginative designs, including a barge done up as Santa's Sleigh. Batteries quit on camera, so only got one decent photo.
The plan tomorrow is to head for Deltaville and a dock at Regatta Point. Now before you think I can afford this extravagance, you need to know that Jack Dozier, who owns Regatta Point, also owns Waterway Guide, whom I write for, and offered me a free dock for the evening. Given the predicted cold and gale force winds, a dock would be most welcome.
December 7, 2008
Up at 0650 - light winds, but the VHF is standing by its prediction of gale force winds from the NW. Locales to the south are experiencing 20 k winds now it seems - and sure enough, before my coffee is brewed, the winds start to pick up.
If I HAD to get going, this would be a fun ride down the Bay, 20 - 30 knots at my back, but I don't have to go...of course, sitting here all day entails watching the anchor, plus hoping the Coldman® heater doesn't use up all my one pound propane cans.
On the bright side, the weather is warming up to 60° on Tuesday, and tomorrow's prediction is for 10k NW - so a good sail and warmer weather lies ahead.
There are three other boats here in the anchorage, I presume they are going south as well. One is a well used double ender, the other two are smaller at about 27 feet. The two names I can see are unpronounceable - Jojungfru and - well, the other is not easily spelled either!
Winds are now easily over 20 knots, probably gusting 30 - this will apparently continue until nightfall, necessitating an anchor watch during the day. However, no one is in front of nor behind me, other than docks and the anchor seems to be holding - although I'm afraid to write those words in case I jinx myself.
The anchorage has a good internet connection, so I've been amusing myself with reading the CBC and catching up on mail, plus emailing Sue, who is back in Canada for the moment. She'll join up a bit further south, hopefully when it's (a lot!) warmer.
What's working - what's not!
I have yet to install the original Airex wind genny, since the second one has some sort of a problem. Probably just as well, given the high winds, which is ironic - it would be too much power for the batteries although if I have to keep using the inverter to charge this computer...
I'm especially pleased with my Garmin chartplotter. I bought a used 2010C on eBay - a 10.4" colour unit, after having used one on a delivery from Florida. It cost me about $450US, but it's been worth every cent. What a joy to have a large, clear, readable display. It has completely simplified navigation and I say that after having done the ICW ten times in the past couple of years using chartbooks and a Garmin 76 handheld.
On top of that, this unit gives quick access to other important navigational data, such as tides, sunset and sunrise. Setting a waypoint is quick and easy, as is setting up a 'go to' point. I've used the 'popular' brand of chartplotters on charter and delivery boats and, believe me, the Garmin units are far simpler. Maybe that's why I own two handhelds and now the big unit! On top of that, the customer service has proven to be excellent - their techs respond quickly and intelligently - a rarity when so many customer service units today involve speaking to someone who's first language isn't English and who lives in another country - and has no real notion of what you're talking about. A lesson for other retailers here: nothing sours you on a company faster than lousy service when you're already annoyed at a malfunctioning piece of electronics.
My big hope now is that Santa will consider bringing me the new big touch screen Garmin chartplotter - it's a sweetheart of a unit (I've played with one at West Marine) that even Steve Jobs of Apple would enjoy!
Santa? Are you reading this blog? I've got some cookies and rum set beside the Charlie Noble awaiting your Christmas Eve visit...and I promise I'll be a good boy and honour all the navaids I see -and not yell at inconsiderate powerboaters this year.
Ok, I'll at least try.....
Departed Annapolis City Marina at 2:15 p.m., winds NW10 mph, temp. 38°, sunny. Destination, West River, Galesville. Anchored in Galesville at Pirates Cove Marina in 6 feet of water. Distance sailed, about 12 miles.
Arrived Galesville just at dusk, 4:45, after a cold but enjoyable sail – well, sail for as long as the winds held up, which was to Tolly Point. After that, it was the iron genny, and some motor sailing in the West River.
The new sail, with Gypsy Wind’s name on it, looks fantastic, but I find it a bit too short on both the foot and the luff. Next sail, I’ll increase both. On the positive side, it’s very nice to be able to see clearly under the sail. The old sail was a real ‘deck dragger’, meaning that one had to lean well out to the side to see past it.
Very little traffic on the water, no surprise given the time of year and the weather. A couple of power boats, two trawlers, one other sailboat heading north towards Annapolis as I came into the West River.
The new chartplotter is fantastic, as I knew it would be, having used one on the PDQ delivery from Florida to Lake Huron. Big full colour screen and lots of information right at your fingertips. I even pulled into the anchorage just after low tide, now how good is that?
Considered taking one of the vacant mooring balls, but anchored instead. Might as well get back into the habit…
Fired up the Coleman catalytic heater after anchoring. I think it’s more aptly named Coldman! It just doesn’t cut it, other than for warming your hands. I’m looking forward to dinner, and the consequent warming of the cabin from cooking! Thank God I’ll be in Norfolk in another couple of days and heading south on the ICW, where it’s a minimum of 5° warmer.
Didn’t take the time this morning to change out the Airex wind generator for the old one, which works. That can wait until I get to Deltaville – I only need it to charge the batteries for the fridge and it’s cold enough that I don’t even need to do that! It can wait.
What can’t wait is tidying up the cabin – after a week of working on the boat, it’s a mess. But first, a glass of wine and some cheese to celebrate the first passage of this trip.
I had hoped to upload this right away, but the wifi shown here doesn’t seem to work.
December 6, 2008
Departed Galesville at 7:45 a.m., winds SW10 mph, temp. 38°, sunny. Winds shifted to SE around 10:30. Destination, Solomons, about 35 nm. Anchored in Solomon's in 8 feet of water. Distance sailed, about 35 miles. Fuel - $15.45, about 5 gallons and a bit. Not bad from Annapolis.
Not a bad morning, motorsailed since the winds were light - boat was picking up over a knot from the genoa alone, but the winds shifted, as predicted, to S and then SE, i.e. on the nose! Very cold today, especially after it clouded over around noon.
Watched the Christmas Boat Parade, they came right through the anchorage - some imaginative designs, including a barge done up as Santa's Sleigh. Batteries quit on camera, so only got one decent photo.
The plan tomorrow is to head for Deltaville and a dock at Regatta Point. Now before you think I can afford this extravagance, you need to know that Jack Dozier, who owns Regatta Point, also owns Waterway Guide, whom I write for, and offered me a free dock for the evening. Given the predicted cold and gale force winds, a dock would be most welcome.
December 7, 2008
Up at 0650 - light winds, but the VHF is standing by its prediction of gale force winds from the NW. Locales to the south are experiencing 20 k winds now it seems - and sure enough, before my coffee is brewed, the winds start to pick up.
If I HAD to get going, this would be a fun ride down the Bay, 20 - 30 knots at my back, but I don't have to go...of course, sitting here all day entails watching the anchor, plus hoping the Coldman® heater doesn't use up all my one pound propane cans.
On the bright side, the weather is warming up to 60° on Tuesday, and tomorrow's prediction is for 10k NW - so a good sail and warmer weather lies ahead.
There are three other boats here in the anchorage, I presume they are going south as well. One is a well used double ender, the other two are smaller at about 27 feet. The two names I can see are unpronounceable - Jojungfru and - well, the other is not easily spelled either!
Winds are now easily over 20 knots, probably gusting 30 - this will apparently continue until nightfall, necessitating an anchor watch during the day. However, no one is in front of nor behind me, other than docks and the anchor seems to be holding - although I'm afraid to write those words in case I jinx myself.
The anchorage has a good internet connection, so I've been amusing myself with reading the CBC and catching up on mail, plus emailing Sue, who is back in Canada for the moment. She'll join up a bit further south, hopefully when it's (a lot!) warmer.
What's working - what's not!
I have yet to install the original Airex wind genny, since the second one has some sort of a problem. Probably just as well, given the high winds, which is ironic - it would be too much power for the batteries although if I have to keep using the inverter to charge this computer...
I'm especially pleased with my Garmin chartplotter. I bought a used 2010C on eBay - a 10.4" colour unit, after having used one on a delivery from Florida. It cost me about $450US, but it's been worth every cent. What a joy to have a large, clear, readable display. It has completely simplified navigation and I say that after having done the ICW ten times in the past couple of years using chartbooks and a Garmin 76 handheld.
On top of that, this unit gives quick access to other important navigational data, such as tides, sunset and sunrise. Setting a waypoint is quick and easy, as is setting up a 'go to' point. I've used the 'popular' brand of chartplotters on charter and delivery boats and, believe me, the Garmin units are far simpler. Maybe that's why I own two handhelds and now the big unit! On top of that, the customer service has proven to be excellent - their techs respond quickly and intelligently - a rarity when so many customer service units today involve speaking to someone who's first language isn't English and who lives in another country - and has no real notion of what you're talking about. A lesson for other retailers here: nothing sours you on a company faster than lousy service when you're already annoyed at a malfunctioning piece of electronics.
My big hope now is that Santa will consider bringing me the new big touch screen Garmin chartplotter - it's a sweetheart of a unit (I've played with one at West Marine) that even Steve Jobs of Apple would enjoy!
Santa? Are you reading this blog? I've got some cookies and rum set beside the Charlie Noble awaiting your Christmas Eve visit...and I promise I'll be a good boy and honour all the navaids I see -and not yell at inconsiderate powerboaters this year.
Ok, I'll at least try.....