Annapolis, MD - Annapolis Boat Show

Thursday, Oct 7
Distance Traveled:  40nm
Total Distance Traveled:  750.13nm

We raised anchor to a clear blue sky and light winds at 720am leaving behind Turner Creek   and returned to  Chesapeake bay via the Sassafras River heading to Annapolis for the Sailing Boat Show.  We started off motoring with Phil and Lorraine on watch together and Victoria sleeping on the port settee.  Lorraine took the first watch and decided to let out the head sail  with Phil's assistance as the wind was at 50 degrees to port and we could sail upwind.  The winds were from the south and in the low to mid teens.  We motor sailed for the first 3 hours.  I helmed the whole morning as once we got into the bay, it was choppy until Victoria asked to take the helm about 1230pm.  I was afraid to get seasick if I went down below even though I did take Merezine.  The winds shifted more to the west and we started to sail with the reefed main and the #2 head sail. The winds were in the high teens but variable.  Phil would go down below and they would die to the 9-10 knots and then he'd come above and they would rise to the upper teens and the toe rail would be almost in the water.  We were able to sail until a mile or so past the bridge just before the Annapolis harbor - until after turning to enter the harbor, the wind was on the nose. One hour or so before we were at the harbor, I called the Annapolis Harbormaster to see if there was mooring ball left.  There was one at 1230pm but their launch was broken so wasn't able to check if it was still open and even though I called 30 min before entry, the answer was the same.  It was neat to see the sticks from the mast of the many boats in the boat show with their flags flying and also the many boats anchored in the outer harbor.  It was confusing nagivating, so I had the chart out by the helm looking at it and together deciding where to go and where we were so that we could determine where to go to get the channel to the bridge.  Being so difficult to tell where the channel was to get to the lift bridge (the mooring balls for the 35' and less boat are just past this bridge), we decided to anchor as close as we could to land.  Turns out we had anchored in the channel as the Harbormaster came up, gave us some papers, and said that we had anchored illegally in the shipping channel and so we had to move.   We tried to mooring in the Naval anchoring ground, but then didn't feel comfortable that we were out of the channel and not too close to other boats.  We lifted anchor again and then went to the shallow part (upper teens instead of 40+ feet) of the Middle Anchoring Ground in front of the Naval Academy.

Time for showers!  Last one we had was at Cape May at least 4 days ago.  As Vic said afterwards, it was time to get the h**l off the boat!  We took the water taxi ($3/person) to the dock and walked to the Harbormaster office.  We found that it takes $1-token to get in the bathrooms per entry and then as many women to take shower that go in at one time.  Lucky for us - there are 2 womens showers so we didn't have to wait for each other. The water was weak but there was plenty of hot water.   They also have stacking washer ($1.50 per load) and dryer ($1/load) that you can use - one set each in the ladies room and men's room.  There have chairs to sit on while waiting for the wash to finish.  After showers, Vic treated us to dinner and we walked down the streets near the harbor and decided to eat outside at the The Federal House.  The food was very good.   I had talapia, Vic had Crab cakes and Phil had the Maryland Seafood Medley (scallops, crab and shrimp). It was a little warm for Phil in the restaurant so we sat outside where they had tables and chairs on the sidewalk.  It was the perfect temperature until the sun went down.  It was quite the treat for us to eat out and not cook and clean on the boat.  Thank you Vicki!  We took the water taxi home and played another round of Wizard.  Phil won, Vic was 2nd and yours truly was last.  We had a good time anyway and went to bed.

Saturday, Oct 8

We slept in until 830am, woke Vic, had breakfast and got ready to go to the boat show.  We went on our dinghy to the dinghy dock close to the harbormaster's office.   Phil waited in line to buy tickets while Vic and I used the restroom facilities.  It didn't take long and we were in the show.  We decided that we wanted to see mostly the exhibitors today and not go in many boats and that's what we did.  Vic was on the look out for freebies for her to take home to the boys.  We each had our purchases.  Phil bought us strobe lights for our lifejackets, and the red/white LED light for the head, and a inflatable Hally Hansen life jacket for Lorraine.  It's too bad the that CO2 cartridge had the ring that was broken off, so needs a re-arming kit even before it was used the first time.  Vic got some purchases for herself and for the boys (big and little ones) and I - by far spent the most money. (I'm being vague so as to not spoil the surprise).   At last I broke down and bought myself the blue sailrite sewing machine that I've been wanting for so long - loaded so that I can use it without electricity.

Lorraine at Sailrite Booth next to machine she bought

We had the agreement with Eric and Matt that they would bring the boxed sewing maching to the water taxi at 9am Saturday morning so we could take it back to Changes from there. Phil will take me to the Water Taxi dock in the dinghy.  I also got a Nantucket bag which can also be used as a backpack, and a Fleece pullover, a toaster the stove burners and a device that's called the Sucker to hold down cans and objects so they down slide around.  Also while we were at the boat show, we met up with Tim Jackett, designer and Pres of the C&C and Tartan boats. We had a nice chat, heard that life is looking up for the Tartan boats and will be joining the Tartan 50th Anniversary celebration at Port Annapollis Marina on Saturday evening.  Phil and Tim know each other from years ago when they docked their boats at Mentor Lagoons.

Phil, Tim Jackett and Lorraine

Phil had the chance to talk to the Yanmar Diesel engine dealers and has made an appointment with a local dealer to come look at our engine and specifically the engine mounts.  Seems like they should be change every 10 years. the Triginal mounts were made stiffer than they should have been as they didn't know any better.  By the way, our motor mounts have never been changed - ever.   We were finished with the boat show and back at the boat about 5pm.  Just as we were thinking about warming up the leftover chicken, who should yell over to us?   Randy came out of the cataraman Lipari docked next to us.  Small world as we met Randy at Cape May and had no idea that we had docked next to his boat.

Randy and Janet's boat Lipari

He invited us over for cocktails and we had a very enjoyable evening!  Randy's wife is Janet, is also a nurse.  Vic, Janet and I talked about living on a boat, kids and woman talk.  Did I say we had a great time??  It was good for me to talk to another woman who understood what it's like living with not many women to mostly your husband talk to and men having a different ways of communicating than women .  Part way through the evening, Phil took me back to Changes and I brought over some of my salsa to use with Janet's tortilla chips.  We got home about 9pm and had a few snacks to round out the chips, dip and hummus we had earlier in place of dinner.  We were in bed by 10pm.

Saturday, Oct  9

We woke at 7am from the light in the forehatch.  First thing Phil made his coffee.  We had breakfast and got ready to take the dinghy in to get Lorraine's sewing machine.  We left about 830am and arrive with 10 min to spare at the water taxi dock.  About 9am Eric and his son arrived with the Sailrite sewing machine in a 26" x 26" x 20" box and a smaller box.  We had to wait about 20 min until the water taxi that went out to the anchorage arrived.  I'm sorry to say that I don't know Eric's son's name, but he was very helpful to carry the big box onto the water taxi and there were also men on the taxi that helped him get it to one of the seats.  As we were riding out, there was a gentleman that appears to be in his 80's who gave me some advice about canvas work for boats that are in the tropics.  He thinks that a single layer of sunbrella is not enough to protect from the tropical sun and should use 2 layers.  He also recommended to use the metalic bubble wrap that is us plumbers around pipes as a layer with the shiny side up between the sunbrella to really protect.  Between this gentleman, the water taxi captain on the taxi and Phil and Vic on Changes, we were able to get the boxes transferred.

The first thing we did was open the boxes and take things out.  Most of the boxes were put in the dinghy for disposal.  We had some back and forth with Lorraine wanting to save the box and styrofoam packing as suggested by Sailrite and Phil getting angry and sayii\ng I was crazy!  Vic was the voice of reason and it has been decided that we will ship the box to Virginia with the packing inside in case we need to ship the machine to Sailrite in the future, for her to save for us.  

Phil working on flange view looking down

Phil has noticed that we have to empty the bilge a lot from some leak so as I have been working on this posting, he had the stairs out and  found (let me check my notes) that the flange on the waterpump is dripping.  He tried to fix it with pipe joint compound (didn't work) but the leak has slowed down.  He needs to buy form-a-gasket to really fix it. He was done about 1130am, then as I had suggested on Thursday, Vic and Phil got on the dinghy to have father/daughter time together.  I will finish the blog and start working again on Calvin's quilt.  I will wait to put the Sailrite sewing machine together later as though I can sew on calico with it, it doesn't have the stitch that I need for the applique.

Sorry that's it's been a while since I last posted, but we've been very busy!  The weather is wonderful and I-at least- am enjoying having a change of pace.