Passage from Annapolis to Dun Cove, MD

Monday, October 11
Anchored in Spa Creek, Annapolis

We woke up to very nice weather in Spa Creek area of Annapolis. I warmed up some water and Victoria and I took showers in the head.  It felt really good (has been 2 days)!  Today is the day that Victoria leaves to go back to Los Angeles, but before she goes, we decided to get a taxi and go to the A Yarn Garden Shop about 3 miles away.  The Taxi driver used his GPS, but still required a call to the store to get to the location.  Once there we were taken care of nicely.  We spent probably about an hour there picking out a hat pattern for me to knit Henry and Calvin, my grandsons and then Victoria picked out a skein of sock yarn for me to knit her a pair of socks. I also got a few knitting needles as all the sizes I needed are back home.   We realized after we arrived that we were all the shopping was - and within walking distance of Annapolis Town Center, so walked to a Target and picked up a few grocery essentials. Annapolis Town Center is like Legacy Village back home.  I had called a taxi while we were in line, but being lunch hour, the traffic was horrendous, and so our 10 min wait turned into 30 min.  It's been a long since I've taken a taxi as I thought that the fare were based on distance, but I guess not any more because as we were sitting still, the fare was getting higher and higher.  The drivers seemed to be recent immigrants, so I didn't ask them thinking I couldn't understand their explanation anyway.   If there is anyone that could explain it to me, I would appreciate it.  Enough of my ranting.   We took different route home than we took to the store and got back 20 min before a taxi that Victoria had scheduled the day before was to arrive.  It was just enough time to make sandwiches and fruit for lunch and take her in the dinghy to that Taney Ave dinghy dock just across from where Changes was anchored.  That taxi was 10-15 min late, but she did call after she got through security at the airport and had arrived in plenty of time. 

While Victoria and I were shopping, Chris from Portside Marine came to look at the motor mounts to see if they needed to be changed.  The good news is that they don't since they have only been in fresh water. It's saved us about $2000.00.   He also looked at the water pump, found a leak, and took it with him to rebuild.  He did have a belt for our Alternator, but since we can't run the engine, I can't use the inverter.  He says that he'll be back tomorrow morning to install the rebuilt water pump and bring an extra belt for the Alternator.

After Victoria left, Phil decided that he was going to the Harbormaster's office and take a shower, so I went along as I wanted to look at some of the boats at the boat show.  Phil was kind enough to pay for me to go into the boat show and maybe he would join me later.  Being the last day of the boat show and the afternoon, the crowds were small.  But it was hot.  I went inside a Catalina, Hunter, the Gemini 105mc, a 32' TomCat 9.7, a couple Dufours and the Tartans again. No Bavarias there this time.   The Tartan 37 would work for me I think.  It has all my requirements - an aft cabin, aft head, and a U-shaped galley.  I can dream can't I???  It turned out that Phil did not go in the boat show, so we met up when I had had enough and decided to get some ice cream.  By the time we got in the Dinghy, they were dismantleing the boat show.  We decided it would be interesting to watch the boats motor out, so we hung around in the dinghy until about 610pm when we had to go back to Changes as the sun was starting to set.  It was really interesting to watch and there were many people that had the same idea, either from their boats or dinghy.  While we were motoring around, we saw Eole and it's owner Neal, whom we had met on the Erie Canal.  So we stopped over and talked for a few minutes.  At this time he is alone as his wife had left to go back home and he's in between crew to help him.  He had gotten goodies at the boat show that he has to install so he'll be busy for the next few days until other friends arrive to crew for him.  We had cheese and crackers and wine for supper.  Phil was tired and went to bed about 9pm just as I got a call from Katie so I settled down for a long chat.  Shortly after Katie called there was many rounds of thunder, so I got the beach chair and life jackets out of the dinghy to they wouldn't get wet from the rain that eventually came.  It poured, but there wasn't any wind.  Strange for me.

Tuesday, Oct 12
Distance Traveled:  24.39 nm
Total Distance:  774.52 mm

This morning we had a few errands to do and then we decided to leave while the weather was good for points further south.  We were trying to decided whether to go to St. Michaels or Solomons Islands Area.  We decided to go to Dun Cove and then on to Solomons, MD as I've had enough of Maritime Museums and if the weather turns bad, Solomons Island area is a good place to stay a few days.  We are going to slow down as we can't go south of Morehead City, NC before November 1.

We started with breakfast.  I made some hard boiled eggs and we had a few and saved the rest.  We called at 930am for the pump out boat and we got the good news that he would be here within 20-30 min.   I feel fortunate at that because the boats calling from Back Creek area weren't going to get served until after 2pm.  We were glad that it took a little longer for the pump-out as Chris from Portside Marine arrived at the same time that the pump-out boat was originally suppose to come.  Phil took the dinghy to pick up Chris at the Tangey Ave dinghy dock and 30 min later, the water pump was installed and we had an extra belt for the Alternator.   Then the pump-out boat arrived which was 45 min after our first call.  I asked the captain of the pump-out boat if there was a boat that delivered water - no such luck and the only place to get water is at the Annapolis City Marina. By the time Phil was done preparing the dinghy for travel, we had 10 min to get through the 11am Lift Bridge.  The Alternator belt was squealing, but we decided to make the bridge and Phil could tighten the belt in the harbor, which is what happened.  After the bridge but before working on the alternator belt, we stopped at the Annapolis City Marina to fill the tank and gerri jugs with diesel, and they were kind enough to let us fill out water tank also.  They were reluctant as there were boats waiting, but then they relented saying we could fill the water tank while we were getting diesel.  This is one of the few times that it's good to have only a 40gal water tank.

Today our jounery to Dun cove was all motoring in S to SSE winds 5-10 knots.  I took the first watch at 12 noon and then Phil took over at 1pm and I went down below for a nap.  When I woke, we were just entering the channel to Knapps Narrows.  I called the Knapps Narrows highway bridge and they opened the lift bridge as we got close.  We entered at low tide and saw some depths at 5.5 ft but didn't hit bottom.  When we anchored at 402pm, we were the only boat, but before the end of the evening 3 other boats also arrived.  First order of business was a shower - and the water was a nice 104F in the sun shower.  I went first and there was plenty of warm water for Phil.  Then I started supper of Brats & cabbage, baked potatoes and a baked acorn squash.  I checked our fresh fruit/vegetable stores in the hammock, and we have 2 tomatoes, half a cabbage, 4 apples, potatoes and 1/2 pound of carrots left - oh and onions under the oven.

After supper, we noticed that Sail Away - a Beneteau First 345 was anchored close by.  We had seen this boat before, but couldn't quite remember where.  Lucky for us, they got in the dinghy and it was Ken and Jeanne Blyth from Windsor, Ontario, Canada that came over.  We had met Ken with 2 other friends as crew in Sylvan Beach, NY the same night we met the Andy, Debbie and their almost 2yo Henry on their boat Island Eclipse, a Gulfstar 44.  We enjoyed conversation and some wine until they rowed back to their boat shortly after sunset.  Jeanne also quilts, so I had to show her Calvin's quilt that I'm working on.  She's working on making an applique quilt by hand.  She's on leave from her job until the end of December, and then has to decide whether she will work some more or quit her job and go cruising.  Ken has been offered a contract in May that will last till the end of the summer, so that will give her another year to make a decision with only the winter away from each other.  I told them about buying my Sailrite sewing machine and it turns out Robert and Cathy of S/V B&G were in a mooring right next to them at the boat show.  We had been looking for them but didn't see them.    They also got the same sewing machine, so I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about when we next meet up with them.  I understand that they have left the boat somewhere and have returned home for a few days to close down their rental home.

Tomorrow we plan to go to Solomon Island Area.  Jack and Sue say it's a must place to stop, so are taking their advice.