Day 12, March 12, Friday

 We had a good anchorage last night.  The wind was out of the South as predicted with a short fetch so the boat laid at anchor comfortably.  I slept 5 hours continuously for the first time that I can remember.  We started the day with a little bit rolly seas which calmed down to be as smooth as a lake.  We had a waypoint set that let us set the autopilot to steer for us for 4 hours.  We arrived at Harrington Harbor Marina North at about 1;30.  Good weather to clean the boat.  Problem is that they still have the water shut off on the docks.  They offered to loan hoses from a hose bib at the end of the dock that was weather proof.  After two trips to the office and 400 feet of hose we were finally able to get water.  We lost an hour or more of good weather though.  

We found out this evening that my double first cousin (as near as you can get to a brother) passed away this afternoon at 4:30 so all plans have changed.  Until arrangements are made we will not know whether we will go back to SC or straight to WV.  We will basically turn the boat over to the broker and let him get things with the boat worked out.  

This is the last log of the sailing vessel Sea Turtle.  Thank you for following along.  We may use this forum to post some future travels with our travel trailer.  If you don't find that interesting you can always opt out.  

Day 11, March 11, Thursday

Mouth of the Patuxent River

As the morning wore on today, the seas got rougher and confused.  The mast was swinging through an arc of about 45 degrees and we were slewing down waves.  Didn't bother the boat but it made us uncomfortable. I put out some of the main sail to act as a flopper stopper. That helped a lot but it was still uncomfortable.  On toward noon things calmed down some and the afternoon was easier going.  We made it to the mouth of the Patuxent River where we had planned to anchor.  The winds are forecast to be out of the SSE so we chose a spot the was hidden behind the Naval Air Station with large planes going overhead but the area is protected from the wind.  Well, more or less.  The thing is, with the land between us and the wind there isn't enough fetch for the water to build so that makes it much more comfortable.  

We planned our trip for tomorrow, establishing waypoints along the way.  It looks like mostly one long run that will be a few hours without anyone but the autopilot steering. That should put us into Herrington Harbor North Marina where the boat will stay while the sale is finalized.  So, tomorrow will hopefully be our last day to travel on Sea Turtle.  It has been a long run but now it is time to move on.  Look out travel trailer.

Day 10, March 10, Wednesday

Near Deltaville, VA

After the helicopters quieted down, we had a good restful night in Willoughby Bay.  We got off to a good start in sunny conditions which were warming the cockpit nicely.  The anchor came up with minimal mud and we were off.  It was a short trip from the anchorage to the Chesapeake Bay.  Now we were out in open water.  We set several waypoints for the chart plotter and were able to have the autopilot steer the boat for as much as 2 hours at a time.  All we had to do was sit back and keep a lookout for other boats.  We only saw one other boat all day.  It was a catamaran and it was on a collision course with us.  With the WHOLE bay he had to pick a collision course instead of heading ahead or behind us.  I slowed down and let him pass so that he wasn't inconvenienced anyway.  

We came into the anchorage outside Deltaville.  I checked the weather and winds were forecast for to be 10 kts out of the South.  Not a problem.  The anchorage we chose is exposed to the South but there is not very much fetch so it should be fine.  We got anchored and the anchor well set but the wind picked up to the 20's.  That makes the boat a little rolly but it also keeps tension on the anchor so it should stay set well. 

Our plan is to travel to near Solomons tomorrow and on into Harrington Harbor Marina Friday.  We will have Saturday to try to clean the boat up until it is presentable and Sunday the prospective buyer will come by to get his first look at the boat.  

It is going to take a while to get a surveyor to check everything out and then a sea trial before the deal is done.  All of that is going to take until the end of the month, so Lynda and I are going to rent a car Monday and head home.  We don't need to be present for the closing.  

I have agreed to come back and help the new owner move the boat to his home port in Connecticut. That will probably be sometime in mid-April.  

Day 9, March 9, Tuesday

 Willoughby Bay

We started late from Great Bridge, VA. bridge because we knew it was going to be about a 20 mile day.  We thought it would be good to let the sunshine warm up the cockpit.  It did. 

The first order of business was to transit the Great Bridge bridge which is followed immediately by the Great Bridge lock.  All told it took a half hour to get through both.  After the bridge tender opens the bridge he leisurely walks down to the lock and operates it.  

We headed on up the Waterway timing our arrival at the next bridge which was 5 miles away.  When we got there we found that the bridge had been replaced by a 65 foot overhead that was of no concern to us.  So on to the next bridge.  When we arrived at the Gilmerton Bridge we found that the corresponding rail road bridge, which is usually always open, was down for repairs.  The bridge tender had no idea how long it would be before they opened and they weren't talking.  We did donuts for most of an hour and decided to drop a lunch hook to wait them out.  About 5 minutes after the anchor was down the RR bridge announced that they were opening.  The Gilmerton Bridge said they would open in 5 minutes and we were eventually off.  All told we lost about an hour.

We soon reached mile 0 of the Intracoastal Waterway and the end of our trusty Chart Book that we have followed from the Florida Keys to here.  Now it was time to get out the big charts and try to figure out  where we were and where we were going.  Lynda says the big charts are like putting together a puzzle with no idea how the pieces go together.  We eventually found our track and made our way through the military/industrial  complex. There are big ships and military destroyers with small boats with 50 cal. machine guns mounted on them to advise you not to get too close to them.  At the end of the day we came to Willoughby Bay which is just off the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.  Tomorrow we will make the short distance and be in the Bay.  Our current plan is to take an anchorage just outside of Deltaville.  

Did I mention that this anchorage is located just by the military base used for helicopter training.  There are copters flying in all directions. You can see them drop people from the helicopter into the water and then an inflatable zooms by and picks them up on the fly. They are flying really low and loud.  Lynda maintains they are flying over us seeing how low they can get without hitting our mast.  It sounds like it anyway.  Things will quiet down some after dark.  I hope.  We knew what to expect as we stayed in this anchorage as we brought the boat home when we bought it.

Day 8, March 8, Monday

 Great Bridge Bridge

A beautiful day to be on the water.  Sunshine warmed the cockpit. Lynda had the helm a lot. I just kicked back and relaxed.  We had two bridges to traverse that had to open.  I was running a little late for one of them and the tender delayed opening for a few minutes to accommodate us.  

The Waterway Guide that we have been using to navigate so far runs out at Mile 0 of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway which starts in Norfork.  We spent a good bit of the afternoon going over large charts of the Chesapeake Bay locating anchorages for the rest of the trip.  Here is how things look. Tomorrow we will stop in Willoughby Bay in Norfork.  Wednesday we will anchor near Deltaville. Thursday we will anchor near the mouth of the Patuxent River.  Friday we should make our final destination at Liberty Marina in Herrington Harbor. 

All in all, it has been a good trip.  Hope to enjoy the run up the Bay. 

Day 7, March 7, Sunday

 We slept in until about 7. I was considering a layover day from my warm sleeping beg since the wind was howling.  We got up and decided to move on, but first Lynda fixed bagels for breakfast.  Nice to have something warm in your belly before starting out on a cold day.  The sun had warmed things in the cockpit up some by the time we were ready to get underway.  A major chore at the start of each day is hauling up the anchor.  It usually involves hauling up a few feet and spraying the chain with the deck wash wand to get the nasty mud off the chain.  A few more feet and more spraying until you get the anchor aboard.  This process can take as much as 20 minutes in the cold spraying cold water which tends to get whatever you are wearing wet.  This is always been Lynda's job since Mark Handley showed her how to do it.  She is a real trooper. BTW the anchor came up perfectly clean.

We got under way in somewhat choppy conditions with water coming over the dodger every few minutes messing up the windshield so it is difficult to see.  Keeping a lookout is a chore.  Conditions were rather stable and when we got to Albermarle Sound the dreaded square waves weren't there.  The passage wasn't pleasant but it was not unbearable either.  The boat is built to handle much, much worse conditions. It is just a matter of the crew being uncomfortable.

Just a few minutes after the sound we came to Coinjock Marina where we are going to spend the night.  It is supposed to be cold again and having shore power for heat is a plus.  We will also go the restaurant and have a piece of red meat for dinner.  

Tomorrow we should make it to Great Bridge Bridge and Canal.  There is a free dock but without amenities.  At lease Lynda won't have to pull up a dirty anchor.

Day 6, March 6, Saturday

Alligator Cove Anchorage

You are getting this post late because there was NO cell service where we were.  So you get doubles today. 

We had a good day on the water.  It was sunny and the sun warmed the cockpit nicely.  We had spent the night in the Belhaven Marina and the boat was already warm when we started.  We traveled down the Alligator/Pungo canal.  At the end of the canal is a HUGH anchorage where we have stayed in the past.  And just to top off the good news, when Lynda brought up the anchor there was not a drop of mud on it. As usual this time of year, we were the only boat there.  That holds true for all the anchorages we have been in this trip.   Guess it is just the wrong time of year to be traveling by boat.