Annapolis, MD

We had a beautiful day to sail to Annapolis on Monday, June 20.  We left at 8:05 with calm seas, clear skies and pleasant temperatures.  Jonny saw several dolphins but none close enough to capture in a photo.  We also passed lots of huge container ships that appeared to be waiting to enter the port of Baltimore.  We thought maybe it was closed for the Juneteenth holiday.

Cruising into the busy and historic Annapolis harbor we passed all the little kids sailing in their colorful Optimists. Such a pretty sight!

We stopped for fuel and a pump-out at Annapolis Yacht Basin.  We tied up next to a gigantic 170 foot yacht - it was unbelievably big but yet still quite attractive with classic lines.  The dockhand told us it took three hours for them to do a pump-out!

After filling up (and emptying out), we cruised all the way into Spa Creek where we always like to stay either at anchor or on a mooring ball.  It’s a very calm and attractive anchorage and not as rolly as the main part of the harbor.  We are surrounded by beautiful, tastefully appointed homes and of course, lots of boats.

That afternoon we took the dinghy into town to try out a new place for happy hour.  We sat at the bar and enjoyed our drinks and delicious roasted Brussels sprouts.  They served as an appetizer for our dinner of the shrimp scampi from a few nights ago. 

On Tuesday morning I had a Spanish lesson with my tutor (with a great internet connection) and Jonny took Archie for a walk.  We were anchored within a short row on the dinghy to one of many pocket parks that are nestled at the end of each street leading to Spa Creek.  Each of them is so pretty with benches and flowers and a place to tie up a dinghy and sometimes a place to launch kayaks.

Later that morning, we received an unfortunate call from Stephanie who told us that she tested positive for Covid after having returned from the bachelorette party she had just hosted in Austin.  Fortunately, her symptoms are relatively mild.  At first Ryan tested negative but the following day, he, too tested positive.  This was doubly disappointing because we were supposed to stay with them this coming weekend.  We’ll still need to stop by their home because we’ve had several packages mailed to them.  We’ll just have to find another time to stay with them once they are well. 

That afternoon we met our friends Greg and Lynda who drove from Alexandria to meet us for lunch at our favorite restaurant here, the Boatyard Grill.  As alway, we had the most fabulous crab cakes and then walked into town for ice cream.  It was so nice to catch up with Greg and Lynda and they kindly drove us to the local Safeway to get a few provisions. (Jonny apologizes for not capturing Greg at his best)!

Upon returning to Zendo, I watched the January 6 hearings while Jonny prepared for the MTOA webinar he is hosting the next day. Having had such a satisfying lunch, I just had a few nibbles for dinner and Jonny made himself a salad.  We love staying in Annapolis and would happily stay a bit longer but we are bound for the Maryland Yacht Club the next day.

Solomons, MD

We decided to take a chance on cruising to Solomons on Saturday, June 18 thinking that if we left early enough we would have the best chance of a halfway decent passage. This was a distinct concern because the wind was blowing 25 knots but because it was coming out of the northwest the only part of the journey that should be really bad would be crossing the Potomac River which provided an open fetch for the wind.  We also didn’t want to stay any longer at South Point  Marina because we had absolutely no internet or cell phone service and we both had work to do.  We figured if the passage was really bad we could always turn back.  So we departed at 7:20 and headed into the Chesapeake Bay. 

It got rougher as we progressed but it wasn’t impossible, just not at all comfortable. I had to hold Archie in my arms the entire journey because he was not a happy camper, even with his CBD cookie.  We cruised for five hours in this manner.  Jonny did his best to make it as comfortable as possible.  The worst of it was crossing the Potomac where the water sprayed over the boat and at times reached us just a bit.

Finally as we turned into the Patuxent River, things calmed down some and we made it safely to Calvert’s Marina in Solomons.  We passed this interesting ship as we entered the harbor.  A dockhand helped us tie up on a floating dock and we happily settled in.  What a relief to get off the water!

Jonny washed all the salt off of Zendo and afterwards rode his bike to a local fish market to get soft shell crabs.  Even though he had called ahead to make sure they had them, when he arrived they told him they had just sold the last ones. So instead he bought some beautiful fresh shrimp.  Meanwhile I caught up on the blog.  That evening we had delicious shrimp scampi with pasta and a tossed salad. It’s always a treat to have such fresh seafood!

The next day was Father’s Day which we will celebrate with Stephanie the following weekend when we are in Philadelphia.  Jonny worked on the never-ending boat chores while I did a load of laundry.  He rode his bike back to the fish market where once again they told him they were out of soft shells!  After he expressed his dismay, they kindly went out back to their tanks and brought him four fat fresh soft shell crabs! He also bought some corn on the cob and green beans.

Upon his return he spent the rest of the afternoon on MTOA work and I spent the afternoon doing Spanish homework (I have a weekly Spanish lesson with a tutor on Zoom) and looking for flights for our trip to Seattle in September.  

We had some very nice interactions with nearby boaters.  One of the couples live aboard and were sailing on their 42 foot Catalina that was docked in front of us and another couple who we had met previously and who live in South Florida were stuck at Calvert’s trying to get their generator fixed. They were very disappointed to have to miss the upcoming MTOA Rendezvous in Greenport on Long Island in July but we benefitted from being able to take over their slip reservation for the event.

We rewarded our day’s efforts with a very delicious dinner of the bounty Jonny had bought earlier in the day.  Eating outside on the aft deck is such a nice way to end the day.  After washing the dishes we both took Archie for a long walk, mostly off-leash, on the grounds surrounding the marina.  The marina is located on a spit of land that has water on three sides.  It’s really quite a beautiful setting!

The next day we will head for Annapolis where we’ll have lunch with our friends Greg and Lynda who live in Alexandra.

Reedville, VA

On Friday, June 17 we awoke to a beautiful morning.  We thought there was supposed to be a storm during the night and we closed everything up but it didn’t materialize. Of course, if we hadn’t, it probably would have rained!

Jonny started the day by taking Archie in the dinghy for a walk on land while I caught up on the blog.

We left our lovely anchorage at 8:30 in calm seas heading north towards Smith Point, the easternmost point of the mouth of the Potomac River. We were making good time on calm seas and thought about going further. But there aren’t many places to stop in this part of the Chesapeake and the next logical place had us arriving at 7 p.m. and that was too long of a day for us.  There was not a lot of boat traffic but we did see this huge container ship.

There was also a possibility that we would be stuck for a couple of days wherever we chose because high winds and choppy seas were forecasted for the following day. So while we were initially thinking we’d anchor near Smith Point,  we decided to stay at the Smith Point Marina for the night.

We arrived at the marina at 2:40 in the heat of the day.

We could definitely have used a dip in a pool but unfortunately they didn’t have one. After we tied up we also discovered that we had absolutely no cell phone or internet service! Their WIFI didn’t work and we were unable to make calls or to text. We are now 100% convinced that we have to switch to Verizon which has much better service in these remote areas.

At least we could run the AC which we really needed because it was beastly hot. After cooling off a bit, Jonny had our tank of propane filled.  We didn’t realize how low we were and we use it for the stove almost every day when we cook. It would have been a drag to run out in the middle of cooking a meal!

We ventured out for a walk with Archie.  We met another couple walking with a dog that initially was quite aggressive with Archie who we had left off the leash because we were in a very large field. Fortunately their dog calmed down and we had a nice long chat with them. They live in Richmond and had a second home in the area and a fishing boat.  They aspired to our life style but they are busy working and putting five kids through college so they will have to wait awhile!

Unfortunately, later that afternoon, Archie jumped off of the boat again. This time it was quite a big jump as we had put the ladder on the dock because it was such a reach from the boat to the dock.  We’re not sure how to deal with this other than to keep him tied up when he sits on the bow of the boat.  Any suggestions are appreciated!

It was quite frustrating not having internet access. It’s amazing how dependent we are on it for communication, research, and especially weather forecasts.  We were especially concerned about the next day’s weather to determine if we could leave or if we had to stay another day.

After eating the last of the chicken Nona (the gift that keeps on giving), we did it the old-fashioned way and spent the evening reading and going to bed early.

Horn Harbor, VA

First thing on Thursday morning, June 16, Jonny walked about a half mile to the local Food Lion to stock up on a few essentials.  I fed Archie (including a CBD biscuit) and took him for a walk in the park to chase sticks.  He seemed a lot happier than the day before. Let’s hope that he stays that way!

We left the Deep Creek dock in the Dismal Swamp at 8:30 and traversed through the lock there.  It had the cutest lockmaster’s office!

Two days later we noticed that we must have lost one of our our nice big blue fenders in the lock because it wasn’t there when we needed it at the next marina we stayed.

But blissfully unaware of that loss, we cruised along past historic Hampton, VA, the big ships in Norfolk and onto the Chesapeake Bay.  Our initial goal was to anchor in Mobjack Bay.

It was an overcast and cool day and we ran into a little rain in Norfolk but it didn’t persist.  At first it looked like a smooth passage on the bay which can be notoriously choppy.  But as we proceeded along, it began to get pretty rolly. Archie was not comfortable and he wanted to be held the whole time.

We watched the January 6 hearings as we cruised. They are riveting!  

Although we were planning to cruise to Mobjack Bay, we decided to go a bit further and to anchor in Horn Harbor.  To get there we followed a very long and skinny channel and anchored in 6 feet of water with no other boats around.  It was a very pretty and fairly remote setting.

We took Archie in the dinghy and motored to the Horn Harbor Marina where we tied up to the fuel dock and took him for a walk.  We introduced ourselves to the owners and poked around a little.  There were a lot of boats in their boatyard in various stages of repair as well as a pool which is always a nice feature.

Afterwards we headed back to Zendo, ate leftovers for dinner and made an early night of it.

 

Deep Creek, VA (Great Dismal Swamp)

We wanted to get a somewhat early start on June 15 because we weren’t sure how far we would go through the Dismal Swamp - our destination for the day. After a quick walk through Elizabeth City to pick up some groceries, we took off at 8:30.  As soon as we went through the nearby drawbridge, we headed up the Pasquotank River which becomes the Great Dismal Swamp Canal passing several rowing skulls all powered by women!

This long narrow waterway was built between 1790 and 1805 as a pathway for trade between the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia and the Albemarle Sound. It is the only water-based stop on the Underground Railraod and it became a safe place for escaped slaves and free persons of color to hide on their journey north.  It is also the oldest operating artificial waterway in the country.

The canal is very  narrow and wooded on both sides so it makes for an evocative journey.  We traversed the first of two locks and tied up behind a cool looking boat, a Pilgrim, called Salty Dog.  The couple onboard had picked up the boat in Marathon, FL and were taking it all the way to Ontario for the new owners! We saw only one other boat on the waterway all day.

We stopped about midway through the canal at the Visitor’s Center to stretch our legs.  But it was so darn hot that we quickly moved on.

Once we got underway, we had an infestation of yellow flies!  It was so bad  that Jonny brought a fan onto the flybridge but that was only moderately effective.  Archie was also quite unhappy and couldn’t settle down. He either wanted to be held or he hid in the v-berth.  He wouldn’t eat or drink water and we thought maybe the flies were bothering him too.

But the waterway was quite beautiful and the reflection of the trees on the water was so clear it was almost disorienting - you couldn’t discern up from down!

However, the water itself was so brown from all the tannin it looked like strong steeped tea!

Because we were making good time and the flies were so obnoxious we decided to go to the end of the canal and tie up beyond the second lock.  However, the only place to tie up was just before the lock where there was a beautiful park and free dock! I took Archie for a walk in the park in the village of Deep Creek where he was able to run free and fetch sticks to his heart’s content.  In the meantime, Jonny fussed with the power stanchions for awhile but they didn’t work. No problem, it was nice to have such a pleasant place to stay and we had the generator if we needed it.

Archie was not happy when it was time to return to Zendo but by the time we got back Jonny had used the generator to turn on the AC and cool off the cabin. Archie was still not happy and just sat longingly by the door with his tongue hanging out.

I made a delicious dinner of Chicken Nona, fingerling potatoes and spinach and we ate it outside on the aft deck. A bit later, after dark, we heard a thump and realized that we hadn’t seen Archie in a while. After searching through the whole boat to no avail we realized that he must have jumped onto the dock! Jonny headed out towards the park to find him and thankfully Archie quickly came to him. This was only the second time he had tried that stunt - the last time was last year.  It’s scary when it happens and it’s a good thing we keep his life jacket on him whenever he’s onboard.  It was a rough day for little Archie and hopefully he’ll be better tomorrow!