Catching Up On Work And Boat Projects

Time flies when your having Rum. At least I wish that was the case, but in  fact it is work that has made time fly and I have come to understand more and more that work really screws up my boat time. Susan and I have done both the Annapolis Sailboat Show and Annapolis Power Boat Show for Waterway Guide. Susan has sent the final two Editions, the 2011 Northern and Great Lakes Editions, of  Waterway Guide to the printer and we have been working on a variety of other projects at the office. I will be attending the 11th annual Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association Conference  in Norfolk, VA for two days to speak on the advancement and evolution of electronic navigation. The weather is very fall like, the leaves have gone through their annual color changes, and most have fallen to the ground after our last rain and wind storm, and it is getting progressively cooler every week. A reminder that winter is coming upon us quickly. We have already made plans to haul the boat in early December and move into our house sitting routine until spring. All of these thoughts don't fill my mind with warm and fuzzies. Especially when many of our cruising friends are sending us reports from out on the water, in much warmer places.

We have finished a couple of small projects. The aft windows in the main salon developed a new leak during a very heavy rain storm not too long ago. Those have been replaced and we have had a new windshield made for the flybridge. The windsheild was installed this weekend. The work on the ports continues but at a snails pace. We did find some great shades for the new ports called Peek-A-Boo Shutters. They are not inexpensive, but they are very innovative and look much better than anything we might have come up with. They offer us privacy when we need it and light when we want it. Most of the other projects are going to get  postponed until the boat is hauled. They can be done in the winter while we are off the boat and it is not so disruptive. The main electrical panel is in need of replacement so i won't have to worry about doing without some service on the boat while I am sorting out and replacing old wiring. Now I will be able to take as long as needed rather than trying to finish in one day. Yeah, right.

Since this year will be my second winterization of the boat since we returned to the Chesapeake, it should go a little faster. We plan to move ashore in the house that we will be "sitting" until spring, on December 1st and the boat will not be hauled until the 6th. I will be able to winterize all of the systems, the fresh water, heads, engine, shower sump, etc. as soon as we move off. We are only a few slips away from the travel lift so we don't even need to start the engine to get hauled. I usually try to start the winterization  process with the engine, about a week in advance of being hauled. It is much easier to do everything while the boat is still in the water than to try and do it on dry land. I will do a detailed post on our winterization procedures here as soon as it is finished.

We have a lot on our todo list for this winter. Then again, we did last year too, The eight feet of snow we had last year until spring made shortening that list a bit difficult. Plans for this year include refinishing the floors, lots of electrical work, moving the battery banks to make room for the generator, glassing and painting the flybridge and installing new seats. And this is just the first few items. It feels ambitious but we are hoping that weather will cooperate this year. If not, we will concentrate on some writing projects we have been putting off and of course work at the office will begin to pick up again. If we don't post projects, from time to time we will add an article or two on some of our favorite cruising spots. It always makes us feel a little better on those cold winter days and nights dreaming about fun times in warmer climates. We will try and make it interesting so stick around. Spring is just around the corner.

Marine Safety Advisory------Distracted Operators

United States Coast Guard
Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship
Marine Safety Advisory 01-10
October 29, 2010
Washington, DC

DISTRACTED OPERATIONS
     Don't let it be you!

Throughout the United States, and across all transportation modes, safety initiatives are being established to address issues related to Distracted Operations.  The Coast Guard recognizes the importance of this issue, understands the potential consequences caused by increased operational risk in marine operations, and is supportive of the goals and objectives of the U.S. Department of Transportation and other distracted driving safety initiatives.



With respect to vessel operations, the bridge team management approach to safe navigation is an essential element of risk management and safe vessel operations.  The team approach to safe navigation requires the clear, frequent and accurate exchange of information between all crewmembers relative to the safe operation of the vessel.  In other evolutions, such as discharging cargo, loading fuels, etc., full attention is required by all involved in order to prevent casualties or pollution incidents.  Additionally, when mariners are navigating or working alone, the use of cellular or other devices unrelated to the operation at hand could impede the exchange of vital operational information, delay reaction time, or cause attention lapses of those involved which could  result in unwanted circumstances having very serious consequences causing injuries and fatalities, material damage, and environmental impact.

NTSB findings in investigations involving other transportation modes have found that the use of cellular telephones and other wireless devices can degrade performance, slow response times, and increase attention lapses of those in safety-sensitive positions. A recent executive order signed by President Obama prohibits text messaging by federal employees, including contractors, when driving government vehicles or their privately owned vehicles on government business. Most states and the District of Columbia (DOC) have recognized the risk and banned texting while driving. Nine states and the DOC have banned the use of handheld cellular telephones while driving.  Lastly, the United States Department of Transportation has established a national initiative focusing on Driving Distracted.  (More information is available at http://distraction.gov.)

The potential risk associated with improper use of cellular telephones and other devices in the marine environment while navigating or performing other vessel functions should be apparent to vessel owners and operators. 

Consequently, the Coast Guard strongly recommends vessel owners and operators to develop and implement effective operational policies outlining when the use of cellular telephones and other devices is appropriate or prohibited.

This advisory is for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement. Developed by the Headquarters Office of Investigations and Analysis.   Questions may be forwarded to HQS-PF-fldr-G-PCA@uscg.mil.

+++++

Office of Investigations and Analysis:  http://marineinvestigations.us
To subscribe: Kenneth.W.Olsen@uscg.mil

15 Steps To New Ports On The Boat

Our original 30 year old ports were really looking pretty shabby and a couple of them had begun to leak. We did some temporary caulking, which I don't like to do, but it was obvious that it was time to replace them. After a lot of research, we found some very good looking stainless steel ports at New Found Metals   and ordered the 5X12 Stainless with screens and all of the needed materials for installation. We have received a lot of positive feedback from other boaters that have installed their ports and were very happy. The price was pretty good, and the ports arrived in short order. It was time to start the replacement process.

Step 1. Removing the old ports is always a messy process. Ours had a teak trim ring on the outside that came off in pieces. It is hard to tell in the photo, but we used white duct tape around the trim ring so we could get a wide putty knife behind it and not damage the paint in the process. Beach House has had the cabin sides painted with AwlGrip so it is not just gel-coat.

Once the trim ring is removed, the old caulking and crud that has collected under it had to be thoroughly cleaned. We used Acetone and then carefully sanded where the new trim ring would go to help with the bonding of the new caulking.

Step 2. Next, the inside main section of the port had to come out. This is the worst one on the boat and also the one that began to leak again. (Not to mention the fact that it looked horrible.) That is why we started here. The screws came out fairly easily, but since the interior plywood is pretty thin, we had to be very careful to not damage the surrounding wood when pulling this off.

The wide putty knife was used again, and slowly and carefully, we coaxed it off without too much of the veneer on the plywood coming with it. It was actually surprising that it came off so easily. Next, the old caulking had to be gently removed and the wood repaired.

We taped a box over the opening in order to continue working without making a mess on the interior shelf just below the port.

Step 3. There were some spaces and gaps in the plywood core between the outer fiberglass and the interior plywood. We filled the space and gaps with an expandable water resistant foam. Once the foam had set, it was trimmed even with the old opening.

Step 4. We would need to make a template since the new ports were a different shape than the old ones. The new ports have a drain built in, and the corners are shaped slightly different. The overall size of the new ports is very close to the size of the old ones. We took a heavy folder and laid the trim ring on top. With a rubber mallet we tapped all around the trim ring and made an impression of the hub marks. This is where the fasteners will come through from the inside.

With the trim ring still in place, the ring is traced on the template materials. You can trace both the inside and outside of the trim ring, or do as we did, and only trim the inside. If you do this, take care to be sure the top of your template material and the trim ring are in perfect parallel. With the trim ring removed, trace out the locations of the hub marks. These will be used to drill your holes. Once the actual trim ring is traced, the inside perimeter will need to be offset about 3/16 of an inch as will the hub marks.

The template will need to be cut out and we used an exacto knife that can be found in any hardware store.

Step 5. Once the template is finished, it needs to be secured to the outside of the cabin. Take care that it is flat and will not move around as you trace it on the cabin side and also that it is lined up properly. You can take measurements from the surrounding area, or, as we did, use the top inside edge of the template and the top edge of the old cutout for alignment. The area for the drains and the minor adjustments for the corners were marked with a felt tip pen and the template removed. The minor cutting to make the new size fit was made easy with our new Dremel Trio. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite tools. The holes for the fasteners are also drilled using a drill guide supplied by New Found Metals. The drill guide assures that the holes are drilled at the correct angle so that the outer trim ring and the port itself will line up perfectly for the fasteners.

Step 6. Once the opening was cut, we did a dry fit to make sure everything was going as planned. So far so good, and it was time to seal up the core between the outside fiberglass cabin side and the interior wood. This is a messy process so we make sure the inside is covered with duct tape to keep the epoxy off the interior wood and the outside is protected with heavy paper taped in place. The core is coated using West System Six10.  A two inch strip of fiberglass tape wetted with West System is carefully laid around the opening to completely seal it and add strength. This is the same process we used in repairing the windows.

The one inch fiberglass strip should be trimmed with a utility knife along the edge of the opening, just before the epoxy kicks off completely. This is much easier than trying to cut and grind after the epoxy has hardened. Once the epoxy has set, it needs a thorough sanding and wiping down with water and a 3M pad. This removes the blush from the epoxy which can prevent anything from sticking to it and get the opening ready to accept the bedding compounds.

Step 7. The holes on the outside will also need to be counter bored about 1/2 inch to accept the trim ring. We also purchased the counter bore from Newfound Metals and it is of good quality. Be careful not to let the counter bore get away from you.

Step 8. The stainless trim ring and the port itself need a good cleaning with Acetone. This removes any dirt and residue left on the ports from the manufacturing process and assures that the bedding material will stick and seal the ports.

Step 9. The fasteners will probably be a little longer than they need to be and will bottom out before the ports are tight in the opening. We took careful measurements of how long they needed to be and cut them shorter with our handy Dremel tool and heavy duty cutting wheels.

Step 10. The bedding process is probably the most important step in the entire installation. Remember that beside them being ugly, they leaked and we did not want to go through this entire process only to have them leak again and start over. We did one final dry fit before applying the bedding compound. For bedding ports, our preference has always been butyl tape. The stuff is tenacious, lasts forever and is really really sticky. It can be found at most any RV supply store or it can be ordered with the ports. Newfound Metals recommends the ports be sealed really well on the inside and outside. We prefer minimal sealing on the inside and serious sealing on the outside. We want to keep the water on the outside of the boat. A single bead of the butyl tape around the inside of the port is all we used. The space under the drain portion of the port needs a few extra layers. This is more to hold the port in place than it is for bedding purposes.

We also put a thin bead of butyl tape around the hub marks on the trim ring to seal around our counter bore holes.

Step 11. The main section of the port needs to be clamped into place. It is very important that the port line up properly with the holes drilled for the fasteners and the outer trim ring. The port and trim ring should be lined up in place, the port clamped and the trim ring removed. Do this before you put the butyl tape on the trim ring. Tighten down on the clamps. The strip of butyl tape that was placed on the post should squeeze into the opening and allow the clamps to be removed for a short period of time to position the trim ring. But there is a little more that needs to be done first. Once the port is positioned where it should be, the space between the port and the opening in the cabin side has to be filled in with butyl tape. We added two complete rings. Running a ring around the entire port by using the paper that the tape comes on and a plastic handle from putty knife, we forced the butyl tape into the opening. Unfortunately, I was too busy with the project to take a photo. At a minimum, two rings should be forced into the opening. We pushed it in as far as we could, being careful to not leave so much along the outer edge of the port that when we installed the trim ring, it would squeeze out all over the port and ring.

Step 12. With the butyl tape added to the hubs wrapped with butyl tape, the rest of the trim ring needs to be well caulked. For this, we used 3M 4000 UV just in case we will ever have to remove the trim ring in the future. I can't caution enough on the butyl tape. Use enough to completely seal everything, but not so much that it will squeeze out from behind. The stuff is really sticky and hard to clean off.

Step 13. Remove the clamps and bolt the mainframe of the port and the trim ring together. We put a dab of 4000 on the beginning of the threads and a dab of Tef-Gel just under the bolt head. This seals the threads in the trim ring and keeps the head of the fastener from seizing when it comes down to tightening. We tighten down each fastener a little at a time, going round and round until the port and trim ring are tight. We try not to over tighten so that all of the bedding will squeeze out. There should be enough bedding to form a gasket.

Step 14. The 3M 4000 should be applied so that it DOES squeeze out from all around the trim ring. For that, we tape around the ring and the mainframe flange to make clean up easier. But the excess caulk needs to be removed right away before it dries. We use a caulking knife to remove most of it and then Acetone and lots of rags for the final clean up. If any of the butyl tape did squeeze out, it can be cleaned up with metal polish or car wax.

Step 15. Give the entire stainless mainframe and trim ring a good cleaning with a quality metal polish. The finished port will look fantastic.

The interior wood had suffered some damage and the teak had been water-stained from the leaks. No matter what we did, it was not going to look nice, and with the new port, we did want it to look good. Since this area is a storage shelf and in a corner, we decided to try and paint just this area and see how it would look. It could not be any worse. We were very pleased in how the paint turned out, and except for some wiring that needs to be covered, we are declaring this project a success. So, one down and four more to go.

The Okeechobee Waterway

Excerpt from the 2011 Southern Edition Waterway Guide, Editor, Susan Landry :

The Okeechobee Waterway is considered by many to be the dividing line between Central Florida and South Florida. When traveling from the north, this is where you will begin to see greater changes in the climate and vegetation, and even in the people—more “Northerners,” either seasonal “snowbirds” or full-time transplants, and a decided increase in the Latino culture. And please journey along with us on our photo tour of the Waterway here.

During the last week of May 2011, we transited the Okeechobee Waterway from Stuart, Florida to Ft. Myers Beach Florida. You can read about our transit here and here and get even more details.

Opened in 1937, the Waterway offers a chance to see rural Florida, with small towns much as they were early in the last century. The scenery varies as the passage progresses from east to west from river to canal, to lake, to canal, and back to river again. On the Okeechobee Waterway, ranches and big commercial farms alternate with moss-hung wilderness, while bustling boomtowns coexist alongside sleepy villages that popped up long before Miami was built. With its backwaters and “bywaters,” its islands and coves, and its flora and fauna, the Caloosahatchee River was once the only way to get from the Gulf of Mexico to Central Florida, via small steamers and freighters. Some still consider the Caloosahatchee (76.6 miles) the most scenic part of the Okeechobee Waterway, thanks to the old river’s off-channel oxbows. Small cruise ships now occasionally make the trip.

For the boater, the Okeechobee Waterway and Lake Okeechobee provide quite a transition from the pace of busy coastal cities to the tranquility of Florida’s heartland. The Waterway is also a tremendously efficient route from the east coast to the west coast of Florida, the only alternative being the long trek down around the Keys and up across Florida Bay, or vice versa. The Okeechobee Waterway is 154 or 165 statute miles (134 or 144 nautical miles), from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, depending on whether you take Route 1 across Lake Okeechobee (8.6-foot depths in 2010) or the Rim Route (6.0-foot depths also in 2010; use at your own risk because of debris) along the lake’s southern shore. The Waterway can be divided into three distinct sections:

1. From Mile Zero (the intersection of the Okeechobee Waterway and the Atlantic ICW at St. Lucie Inlet) up the South Fork of the St. Lucie River to the St. Lucie Canal to Lake Okeechobee.
2. Lake Okeechobee itself (either the “Open-Water Route” directly across the lake, or the “Rim Route” along the lake’s southern shore).
3. From Clewiston through the Caloosahatchee Canal and down the Caloosahatchee River to the end of the Okeechobee Waterway in San Carlos Bay, at Mile Zero of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) heading north.

On Lake Okeechobee, a skipper has the choice of two routes for crossing. The first, Route 1, is an open-water crossing (39 statute, 34 nautical miles, 8.6-foot controlling depths at publication), and the second, Route 2 which is also referred to as the Rim Route (50 statute, 44 nautical miles, 6.0-foot depths at publication; use at your own risk), follows the shoreline south from Port Mayaca, on the eastern shore, before entering a tree-protected rim canal and running past Clewiston to Moore Haven.

Cruising Characteristics
Chart 11428 covers the area from the intersection with the Atlantic ICW to Fort Myers, and Chart 11427 continues down the Caloosahatchee River to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) and the Gulf of Mexico. From that point, cruisers have the option of moving north on the GIWW to the Sun Coast, outside in the Gulf to the Big Bend or the Panhandle, or south to southwest Florida and the Keys.

Caution: Much of Chart 11428 is at a scale of 1:80,000; this is different from the charts adjoining at either end, 11472 and 11427, both at 1:40,000, the usual Waterway scale. Chart 11428 has two insets at its eastern end and one where it reaches Lake Okeechobee, plus an extension at its western end—all of these are at various larger scales.


Navigating Locks
The water level in Lake Okeechobee is higher than anywhere on the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf ICW. Whether you are headed east or west, you ascend through the locks to Lake Okeechobee, and then descend after you leave. The Waterway has five modern, spacious and well-handled locks and more than 20 bridges, ranging from electronic-controlled to hand-operated. Normally, locks operate between 6 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., but check ahead for current lock-through schedules.
Locking through is simple compared to procedures necessary in the northeastern U.S. canal systems. Lock personnel furnish all necessary lines and regular fenders will suffice when locking through. Allow approximately 15 minutes once inside a lock. The Okeechobee Waterway locks are easier to transit when you are the only boat locking through, and if the lock attendant gives you the windward dock line first when winds are strong. Gusty winds can set up a surge in the locks, so use caution. The attendant also might warn you that you could be locking through with a manatee or an alligator. Lockmasters on the Okeechobee are usually helpful and courteous.

Note: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires boat operators to turn off radar units during lockage to avoid exposing lock personnel to possible radiation risks. It is recommended, however, that engines be left running.

When you reach the dolphins and the sign ARRIVAL POINT before each lock, contact the lockmaster on VHF Channel 13, give your vessel’s name and direction, and request lockage. At that time, they will inform you of the current lockage status and estimate your wait time. It could be as long as 45 minutes to an hour in the unusual case where they have just started locking through from your side. The lockmaster will also instruct you as to port- or starboard-to, indicating which side of the lock to steer to and how to arrange your fenders; see the Bridge Tables in the Skipper’s Handbook section for the side normally used. The lockmaster will then indicate for you to enter when the traffic light is green.

If you receive no response on VHF, sound two long and two short blasts. (Not a part of the Waterway, Clewiston Lock is used to leave the Waterway and reach the facilities at Clewiston; it is the only lock without VHF radio.) At each lock, for the smallest of craft, there is a pull-cord hanging down by a sign marking its location. The green light is your signal to enter the lock. The lockmaster will then hand you, or drop to you, a bow line and a stern line, or the lines will be hanging down from the top of the lock’s sidewall and you will have to steer to them and pick them up (in this case, keep a boathook handy).

When your boat enters at the lower level and is to be raised in the lock, take care that the line does not hit you in the face when it is dropped by the lockmaster. Be prepared for moderate turbulence as water rushes in or out of the lock. Two people can safely handle a small or medium-sized boat, but an extra pair of hands is always useful on large boats. Single-handing through the locks is not safe and is strongly discouraged.

Check when you are doing your pre-cruise planning, and recheck again at the first lock, to make sure the entire Waterway is open. Maintenance on the locks is normally done each summer, and through-passage from the East Coast to the Gulf Coast may not be possible for as long as several months. During such times, Lake Okeechobee may be accessible from one side or the other, but not both. During a drought, lockage may be restricted depending on water supply. Call the Corps of Engineers at Clewiston (863-983-8101) for information or go to the Internet at www.saj.usace.army.mil and use the “Coastal Navigation” selection from the menu, followed by the link to “Navigation Projects and Studies.”


Depths and Clearances
The depth of water in Lake Okeechobee can vary widely as a result of rainfall onto the drainage area to the north and the lake itself. As a result of an ongoing drought, the level fell to a record low of 3.36 feet in mid-2007 — the lowest level ever recorded — but lake levels had recovered to 8.6 feet in early 2010, due to hurricanes in 2008 and a tropical storm in 2009. The Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District manage the level of the lake. There are a variety of ecological, environmental and economic reasons for various levels, and some of them conflict with others.

The depths charted in Lake Okeechobee are based on a datum of 12.56 feet. If skippers know the lake level, they can determine the difference between the datum and the current level and modify the charted depths accordingly. Depths in the sections between dams on either side of the lake vary slightly with lake level changes, but the differences are seldom enough to affect navigation.

The Port Mayaca Railroad Bridge, Mile 38.0, sets the 49-foot controlling vertical clearance of the Waterway. If you have any questions about clearance, call the Corps of Engineers at Clewiston (863-983-8101). Sailboaters can have their masts unstepped at Stuart, or wait and have it done at the Indiantown Marina, which is closer to the Port Mayaca Bridge.



Navigating the Okeechobee Waterway
With the exception of a lake crossing in imperfect weather, passage along the Okeechobee Waterway is easy, piloting is simple and navigational aids are adequate for daytime running. Aids to navigation are numbered in several sequences from east to west all the way across; even-numbered red aids are on the starboard side (as they are southbound along the Atlantic ICW). Conversely, leave red aids to port eastbound on the Waterway, as you would when northbound on the ICW. Reservations are recommended at marinas on the Okeechobee Waterway.

Nighttime navigation is not recommended, because shoals and deadheads (partially submerged objects) are obscured. Fortunately, ample facilities and occasional anchorages make after-dark travel unnecessary. Some of the bridges operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and require a minimum of three hours notice to open at other times. Phone numbers are posted on each bridge; calls are best made during normal office hours. You can use adjacent dolphins for tie-ups. Anchoring in approach areas to some of the locks is also possible, and the lockmasters can provide local knowledge concerning depths and conditions. As mentioned before, aids to navigation are the same as the ICW pattern: going west, keep red aids to navigation to starboard, green ones to port; yellow squares and triangles are shown on dayboards and buoys.

Currents are not a problem in the Okeechobee Waterway, except for the turbulence that occurs when locks are opened. Average tides at the mouth of the St. Lucie River are 0.9 feet; 1.2 feet at Fort Myers; and 2.4 feet at Punta Rassa (at the western end of the Okeechobee Waterway) near Mile Zero of the GIWW heading north.

Weather
Central Florida weather is generally benign. In winter, the prevailing wind is north to northeast, as opposed to summer, when wind is normally east to southeast, with very little rain except when cold fronts from the north pass through. Summer days are calm in the mornings, with occasional patchy fog; winds pick up at about 10 a.m. Afternoons often bring showers and thunderstorms, particularly late in the day, so it is a good idea to plan on getting in early. Hurricanes do occur in season, June through November.

Since Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake located wholly in the continental United States. (Lake Michigan is the largest), it can get nasty. You should know which forecasts cover the area. The continuous NOAA marine weather comes from West Palm Beach and Fort Myers on VHF Channel WX-3, and from Belle Glade on WX-2.

A Chesapeake Cruise

We finally untied the dock lines and left the dock for a few days of cruising instead of working on the boat. All of the must-do projects are done for now, and we need a little time off to relax and enjoy some of the fruits of our labors. One of the great things about cruising for as long as we have, is that you meet a lot of wonderful people, and we have met many. Over the years they have become friends and even if you don't see someone for years, when you next meet, it is like you saw each other yesterday. Our good friends Paul and Gail were anchored in San Pedro, Belize when we sailed over the reef early one morning and dropped anchor. We were very surprised to find two boats already anchored there, not because they were there ,but because both of the other boats were from Maryland and one lived within five miles of us. We continued on with both boats through Belize and into the Rio Dulce in Guatemala.

Paul and Gail live in North East, Maryland with a house right on the water near the entrance of the Susquehanna River. That would be our destination for Saturday, about 35 miles north of our marina. The weather forecast was for fabulous weather for the next four days, more about that later. The morning was sunny and very pleasant, a perfect day to cruise the Chesapeake Bay. We did not get under way until 10 a.m. as we had a few chores and preparations still to do. The winds were light and out of the northwest, the direction we needed to go, but all in all, a great start. We estimated the run to North East would take us four to five hours.

Being a Saturday, the Bay was very busy with all manor of craft, needing to get somewhere really fast before the last (fill in the blank) _____________ was sold, used, taken, claimed by someone else. We headed out of Rock Creek and turned north at the alternate small ship channel that runs near Pooles Island.

We always carry paper charts aboard no matter where we are cruising ,but since Susan and I were both born and raised on the Chesapeake, we don't find it necessary to have the charts sitting at the helm as we normally would. For the next few days, we would use our trusty Waterway Guide, our log book and, of course, our Standard Horizon Chartplotter at the helm of the flybridge. We also have our Toshiba laptop running at the lower helm station as a back-up and if we need to move to the lower station. We have been using an older version of the Capn First Mate navigation software for many years. It does not have all of the bells and whistles of many others, but it does everything we need it to do and, most of all, it will run the free NOAA charts that can be downloaded on-line. The laptop is connected to a handheld Garmin GPS via a USB to Serial cable and gives us the ability to use the handheld if needed. This has worked well for us now and for many year cruising on Sea Trek, our former sailboat. 

The commercial waterman were out on the water working their traps and trot lines. On the Chesapeake, this means keeping a sharp watch at all times while under way. The polypropylene lines and floats on their traps are everywhere just waiting to wind themselves around your propeller and shaft. The results can be a minor inconvenience, an unexpected dive over the stern, or a tow to the nearest haul-out facilities and an expensive repair. These floats are everywhere in the Bay except the ships channel. Although we so love the results of their hard work, it is really annoying to have to constantly dodge the floats and add many extra miles to our trips weaving back and forth to avoid them. 

The Corps of Engineers was also busy dredging the ship channel that leads north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. These dredge operators do a fine job of keeping our Waterways open, when the funding is there to pay for the work. We did have one encounter with another Corps of Engineers boat, the Shuman. The Captain of the Shuman was kind enough to pass us close by, even though we were well out of the channel, and rolled us from side to side with a VERY large wake. Not even a hello, we are going to pass you or, sorry about that. And once they had tossed everything around on the boat, they came to a full stop a quarter of a mile ahead of us and sat there until we passed them. They were still there when we motored out of sight. I suppose the Captains are now recruited from sportfishing Captains, and the Corps has seriously lowered its standards. If you happen to see the Shuman coming, you might want to prepare yourself. We would have taken photos of their display of seamanship, but we were too busy holding on for dear life. But here is the Shuman in case you see them coming:

Whatever this job was, it must have been really important that they arrive at that very spot at precisely the exact second.

Other than a few inconsiderate operators, the trip went very well. Beach House behaved herself, and we arrived off Turkey Point at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The National Weather Service guesscast for the day was NW winds 5 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 - makes sense. We knew a front was coming through over night with rain and unknown winds since the NWS had changed their guess at least five times since we started the trip. Our original plan was to anchor off our friends house and dinghy in for our visit. But without enough information to determine just what weather was coming, we decided to take a cautionary approach and take a slip at a local marina. Our friends had made arrangements for a slip at Bay Boat Works, about seven miles from their house by water. Bay Boat Works usually does not have transient slips, but they do have a few from time to time. 

This is a working boat yard with a travel lift and haul out facilities. They have both open and covered slips, but most are long-term slip holders. They also have a mooring field, but the moorings are for sailboats only. We never did find out why. The folks at the marina were very helpful and friendly. We found the restrooms, while not fancy, very clean and maintained. There are showers for use by the slipholders and transients. We decided to stay at the marina both Saturday and Sunday night since the rains started Saturday night and were forecast to end midday Sunday. The NWS missed again, and it rained all day Sunday and into Sunday evening.

We had a great visit, and Susan was adventurous enough to walk out to the lighthouse on Turkey Point. It is really beautiful in the area. We spent some time in downtown North East, visiting the antique shops and doing a little shopping. It is a very friendly and quaint town with friendly locals. A stop at a roadside vegetable stand and some great meals at our friends made for a perfect weekend, in spite of the weather.

This is the view from their back deck and the approaching front Saturday evening. After the rains all day Sunday, we looked at what information was coming from the Neverright Weather Service. The guesscast was for another front to come through on Monday afternoon. We had planned to head south and visit other friends on the Wye River. The front coming through would be preceded by southwest winds and predicted at 20 knots by midday Monday, we would be heading south all day. On Tuesday, when we would be returning and heading north on the Bay, the winds would be out of the north and 20 knots. Now it is not that the boat can't handle this, but the question was, did we really want to pound into 20 knots for two days? And the answer is..., no. So we changed plans and headed back to our marina and back to our slip. 

Monday morning, we were under way very early to get back to the slip before the 20 knot winds kicked in. The morning started clear considering all of the rain, with just a light fog. The winds were calm, and there was an autumn chill in the air, a sure sign the season was changing. But a very pleasant change from the 100 degree temperatures we have had over the summer. The return trip was as pleasant and uneventful as the trip north, and there were a lot fewer boats on the water since it was Monday. 

We passed a few trawlers we were sure were heading for the MTOA Rendezvous in Baltimore, but no one we recognized. With the wind building on our nose and the currents against us all the way back, we added an extra hour to our time back to the marina. Once the boat was secured in the slip and everything connected and stowed, we jumped in the car and drove to our friends on the Wye River. We had a great visit and it was a whole lot less stressful than slogging into 20 knot winds and waves on the Bay for two days. The winds did materialize, so our decision turned out to be a good one. All in all, we declared the cruise a success. We did get to spend time with our friends and, more importantly, we took the boat out of the slip and spent some quality time on the water. We promised ourselves we would do this more often before the season comes to a close. We hope we will be able to keep that promise.

We did promise to report on the new Livingston Dinghy. Unfortunately we don't have much to report. Staying at the marina meant we did not use it. We can report though that it rode on the swim platform quite well, even with the big roll from the Corps of Engineers boat. We added the stand-offs and they helped keep everything in place and stabilized. More next time.