ALONG THE COAST OF CT AND RI

Much like many of the seaport towns in the Southeast, the coastline of Connecticut is dotted with lighthouses villages dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.  Historic homes of former sea captains, museums dedicated to seafaring pursuits, ship building, whaling, fishing, all provide ample opportunity for browsing as we take our time cruising along the coast with stops at Milford, Old Saybrook, Mystic and on to Wickford, RI.

Visits with friends have been pleasant interludes along the way!





Soon we will be heading into Boston--our final destination.  The MollyBelle is ready for a rest and some repairs...and so are we!

NYC Captain

SURFING WITH THE WIND AND THE WAVES

It's Wednesday evening in Mystic Seaport and the boats are gathering for the Wooden Boat Show here in this historic shipbuilding port in CT. The MollyBelle is tied up at the face dock of the Mystic Seaport Museum after a rough day on Long Island Sound. Our departure from Weehawken after the rain subsided on Monday provided us with awesome views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the bridges and canyons of tall buildings across NYC. More memories of times spent working, studying and playing there were brought to mind as we traversed down the Hudson River, around the tip of Manhattan and up the East River out through Hell's Gate and past Laguardia Airport into Long Island Sound. The storm clouds lifted and we made good time getting to Milford, CT, where we were greeted by our old friends, Kathy and Jim, and tied up at their dock. It was great to see them again, catch up and spend some time reminiscing about trips and adventures from the past...like our visit to Foxy's in the BVI's in 1979! Kathy reminded me that I kept a journal back then but I don't know what became of it. Back out into LI Sound again on Tuesday, heading to Old Saybrook, CT, to meet up with friends Peggy and Bill Chadwick from Grand Harbor. We enjoyed a delightful dinner with them at their lovely home and discussed plans for our upcoming annual Boston reunion with fellow members of the "Grand Harbor North" contingent. Bill has our tickets for the Sox game on August 21, and we will host a gathering on the rooftop deck of the Bullfinch Building while the group is in town. Captain Dick said we have been sailing with the wind and the waves on Long Island Sound the past couple of days. And that is a good thing because the seas have been rough--wave heights at three to four and sometimes five feet and the wind has been quite strong. He said that today we "surfed" a few five-footers. The MollyBelle is earning her sea stripes...and so are we!

UP THE COAST AND DOWN THE SHORE

It's a rainy Monday morning and we're docked at Lighthouse Harbor Marina in Weehawken, NJ, across the Hudson River from Manhattan.  The view is wonderful; the weather is not!  We were planning to cruise up to Milton, CT, this morning to meet with old friends, Kathy and Jim Mathiessen.  Perhaps we'll be able to take the short trip later this afternoon.

Last Wednesday we crossed Delaware Bay in a light fog and arrived at CapeMay NJ where we were greeted with an oppressive heat wave and a recalcitrant air conditioner on the MollyBelle.  We escaped the heat by moving to a seaside motel until a mechanic came Thursday morning and fixed the problem which was an electrical issue.  Thursday promised to be a very long hot first day of summer and the Atlantic Ocean was very calm, so we decided to leave Cape May at noon and head up the NJ coast to our next destination, Belmar, and a visit with our Florida neighbors, Doug and Susanne Sweeney.  Our five-hour cruise up the NJ coast was delightful!  The breeze was so cool--we hung our heads out over the bow like puppies out of car windows--and the memories of days gone by "down the shore" came flooding back!

Once again on land, we enjoyed our seaside day with the Sweeneys on Friday, culminating with a delicious meal at their magnificent Belmar home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean...what a view! 

As expected, it was very exciting for us to cruise into New York Harbor on Saturday under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson between the majestic New York skyline and the growing parade of buildings on the Jersey side of the River.  We were looking forward to taking some of our family out for a boat ride on the Hudson, but the conditions were very rough--Capt Dick said the waves were confused--due to all the boat traffic in the harbor.  So we visited on board the MollyBelle while tied up at the dock and then walked over to the Chart House Restaurant where we enjoyed dinner outside on the deck overlooking the skyline of New York with the buildings bathed in the light of the golden sunset.

Visitors to the MollyBelle

BACK TO BOATING

God Bless Sienna Rose!

Last Thursday through Sunday we spent time away from the boat, taking a road trip from Annapolis to Wayne, NJ for the christening of Sienna Rose, our new grand-niece.

Dave, Isabella and Molly flew in from Houston; Susan (the godmother) drove down from Boston and we all converged on the lovely home of new grandparents Trish and Nick Del'Re, where we were welcomed with open arms and bountiful plates of food...as always!

Beautiful baby Sienna Rose was the star of the visit.  We tried not to spoil her too much...but how could we resist!


Izzy & Aunt Trish--Baking & Bantering

So much pleasure is derived from these family visits and stories told of times gone by and yet to come. We are ever so grateful to Trish and Nick for extending such loving care to our family and providing a "home away from home" whenever we return to our NJ roots!

Now we are back to the business of boating.  We departed Annapolis this morning and arrived early afternoon at remote marina in Bear Delaware along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.  Tomorrow we plan to cross Delaware Bay over to Cape May, NJ where we will stay for a night or two.

Then we are hoping for calm seas and good weather as we head out into the Atlantic Ocean and up the coast of NJ...perhaps for more visits with family and friends!







ANNAPOLIS EXPERIENCES

Good things have happened while in Annapolis: The boat was repaired today.  A sellanoid problem was causing the starter to misfire.  We were lucky to find a mechanic working at the marina Monday and he came to our boat that night, diagnosed the problem, ordered the part yesterday and fixed it this morning.   Capt Dick is very happy that Starbucks is within bicycle riding distance of the marina!  He's been enjoying his breakfast cappucinos and NYT while overlooking the Annapolis harbor

Although it rained most of yesterday, we toured the Naval Academy and were very impressed to see and hear about the life and education of midshipmen and the rigorous training they undergo to become officers in the US Navy.

Last night we were invited to dinner at the home of former classmate and reunion organizer extraordinaire,  Bill Kardash and his lovely wife, Judy.  They own a faithfully restored and lovingly cared for, 18th century brick home overlooking Spa Creek in Annapolis.  It is absolutely gorgeous and beautifully furnished in the style befitting a gracious home of that period. Judy served us a fabulous dinner prepared with herbs and vegetables grown in her garden.  I think she may very well have taught Martha Stewart a thing or two! The evening was definitely a highlight of our journey!

And we finally have our American flag flying off the back of our boat again.  After we lost our flag and staff in rough seas last week, I ordered a new one from a Beneteau dealer in Annapolis who could provide us with the varnished teak flagstaff in the necessary measurements (millimeters) to fit the holder on the upper stern of the MollyBelle. The dealer attached the new flag to the staff and Bill picked it up for us.  Another "plus" for our stay in Annapolis!

Bicycle riding in Annapolis has been interesting and challenging--it is very hilly, busy and has some very narrow streets.  Dick insists that I can do this.  I'm trying--but I do walk the bike up a lot of hills!  I have to admit that it is a great way to see this fascinating historic small town.

Another wonderful experience: Dinner this evening at Caroll's Creek Cafe outside on the deck overlooking the weekly sailboat races.  We had ringside seats for viewing boats with colorful spinnakers as they swiftly approached the finish line and came about just before colliding with Spa Creek Bridge. And then there was the brilliant sunset over the "sailing capital of the world"...

SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS AND INCREDIBLE CRABS

Saturday night the docks at the Tidewater Marina were filled with animated, boisterous, party-loving people!  Anticipation for the big fireworks display over the Tall Ships in the harbor was high. The show was fabulous and we saw it all from the bridge of the MollyBelle.  The fireworks were spectacular!

Earlier in the day we toured some of the Tall Ships including the USCG Barque Eagle.  Capt. Dick was thrilled to have the opportunity to board some of these ships and now he wants to join the Coast Guard!

Sunday morning we departed Portsmouth/Norfolk and cruised up the Elizabeth River through Hampton Roads past US Navy vessels of all sizes and shapes. Very impressive and awesome to see some of our country's Navy at work and at rest!

We then cruised up Chesapeake Bay to the tiny port of Chrisfield, VA, once known as "The crab capital of the world."
Of course we satisfied our appetites with mounds of fresh crab for dinner...they were incredible!

Now it is Monday afternoon and we are comfortably tied up at the Yacht Basin in Annapolis, MD.  After a nice cruise up the Chesapeake on a beautiful sunny day, we arrived here early this afternoon.  After filling up at the fuel dock, the starboard engine hesitated before starting.  Dick managed to get it started and moved us over to our slip.  However, after we tied up, Dick tested the engine and it would not start.  So we are waiting for a mechanic.  As many of you know, this is all part of boating!

 Fortunately, we had planned to stay in Annapolis for a while.  We plan to rent a car on Thursday and drive to NJ for the Baptism of our new grand-niece Sienna Rose and a reunion with our children and grandchildren.  Our  boating adventures are on hold for now!

PARADE OF TALL SHIPS

Today we watched a spectacular parade of boats in the Norfolk/Portsmouth Harbor! We enjoyed great viewing of the event both from our boat and from the seawall of the Tidewater Marina in Portsmouth. It was so exciting to see hundreds of ships sail up the Elizabeth River into the harbor! The parade was led by the US Coast Guard Sailing Vessel The Eagle, escorted by fire boats spraying hugh plumes of water into the air and smaller Coast Guard escort boats. The harbor was also filled with all types of pleasure boats dressed in full regalia flying many flags. The parade continued for more than an hour featuring more than 20 beautiful international tall sailing ships with their crews standing at attention on decks and yardarms of masts that reached far up into the sky. Many of the ships were playing music, cannon salutes were blasting, helicopters were circling and fighter jets flew overhead! It was all so impressive and absolutely breathtaking! It was a very warm sunny day, so when we got too hot from standing in the sun at the sea wall, we went back to the MollyBelle and watched from the fly bridge. The parade ended shortly after one o'clock with some big Navy ships and a partially submerged submarine. The surrounding pleasure boats, including us, blew their horns in salute to the Navy and Coast Guard vessels. This was a fantastic experience and well worth the discomforts of the past few days at sea! Although I took many photos with my iPhone, none of them could possible do justice to the awesomeness of this event. So I have attached a photo from the OpSail brochure to my email about this blog.

BEAUFORT TO COINJOCK, NC

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Beaufort, NC, is pronounced "BOW-fert".  It is quite different from Beaufort, SC, which is pronounced "BYOO-fert" (as in beautiful).  This has puzzled me for quite some time.  Recent visits to  these two small towns along the Southeastern coast have helped me appreciate the differences between them. We spent Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning tied up at the Beaufort Docks in North Carolina.  This is a quaint small town, steeped in seafaring history and pirate lore. Blackbeard hung out here. Boat repairs, maintenance and chores such as laundry and a run to the grocery store in the marina's borrowed jalopy prevented us from seeing many of the sites.  However, during a walk around the block after dinner Monday evening we strolled past the Old Burial Ground and wished we had visited earlier in the day when the gates were open. We also bought a beautiful new American flag for the MollyBelle to replace the old one which had become very tattered.

We departed Beaufort early Tuesday morning for Belhaven, NC.  That trip was extremely rough and windy through the Neusse River...much rougher than our jaunt in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday.  The winds and the water battered the boat and we arrived in Belhaven minus our brand new flag!  Also discovered that the hatch over our stateroom leaked and all the bedding needed to be washed and dried in the single washer and drier available at the small (but very charming) Belhaven Marina.

Now it is Wednesday evening and we are tied up for the night at the 1,000-foot-long dock of the marina in Coinjock, NC, along with several other trawlers and sailboats. Today's journey on the Alligator River and the Albemarle Sound was fraught with more rough seas and near misses with crab traps and runaway branches and  tree stumps.  We had been forewarned about these things--nonetheless it was a very challenging day.  Took on more water through the hatch in our stateroom necessitating another trip to marina laundry.  Dick and I are still speaking to each other...but only when necessary!  Tomorrow we head for Norfolk, VA, where we will stay for a few days and hope to experience some of the festivities of OpSail, including a parade of international tall ships on Friday and fireworks on Saturday as part of a bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812. Perhaps we will get the leaky hatch repaired while we are there!

OUT TO SEA

CHARLESTON, SC to BEAUFORT, NC.  We spent Wednesday and Thursday in Charleston exploring the city on bicycles, shopping at the Market, touring antebellum mansions and hearing more history of the Old South. Thursday evening we splurged on a wonderful dinner at the Peninsula Grill where we enjoyed the ambiance and people-watching as much as the food. The Spoleto Arts Festival was taking place so we attended a show at the College of Charleston. A somewhat witty monologist spoke about Steve Jobs for two hours--too long for us, especially after a big meal!  Our evening bicycle rides along the Battery were delightful and brought back memories of childhood days, taking my big blue Schwinn out for rides around the block after supper!

On Friday we followed the ICW north to Georgetown, SC and on Saturday it was a very slow trip from Georgetown to Southport, NC.  Nothing too memorable about these two days other than noticing the changes in topography along the shoreline as we continued north. So today we decided to leave Southport early in the morning in an effort to beat some of the Sunday boaters and try to make an hourly bridge opening 25 miles north.  We were about five miles from the bridge shortly before 9AM when we realized that we were not going to make it in time and would have to wait around for the next opening at 10AM. However, we discovered that we were near the Wrightsville Inlet and could easily go out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Why didn't we think of that earlier?  We were just too focused on traversing the ICW where we have to go very slowly through many no wake zones and slow down for other boaters.

Out to Sea

It was a beautiful clear day, the seas were calm and we thoroughly enjoyed the four-hour run up to Beaufort, cruising at 18.5 knots and arriving at Beaufort City Docks in time for a late lunch at 1:30. The MollyBelle lived up to her reputation as a "swift trawler."  We were so happy to be at sea!