Our niece's wedding party As April turned to May, we bid Pat and Fred safe travels as they drove a carload of Marianna's contents north. Fred was returning a few days later, but Pat had to stay in NH to start up her canvas business for the season. The next weekend, we headed to NC for our niece's wedding on the same day our son closed on his first home. You can guess what we were doing the next weekend, as furniture and boxes were moved to the new house. By mid-week, we were on our way north on Marianna, as crew to help deliver her home. Where did the time go?
Cathy's family all decked out for the wedding Wedding Festivities
Our niece, Christine and her fiance, Harry, had a beautiful wedding on a chilly Saturday evening. (Needless to say, the sleeveless dresses were a bit of a regret in face of the cool weather.) After a pig pickin' rehearsal dinner on Friday, we had time on Saturday to help with some wedding day chores before heading out to the ceremony, which was beautiful. The reception took place in Winston-Salem's Millenium Center, which formerly housed the main post office, a bit ironic, since the father of bride spent his career working for the post office. We managed to stay for most of the festivities, but we couldn't keep up with the young ones, saying our goodbyes and best wishes to the happy couple before heading home.
Our niece, Christine and her fiance, Harry, had a beautiful wedding on a chilly Saturday evening. (Needless to say, the sleeveless dresses were a bit of a regret in face of the cool weather.) After a pig pickin' rehearsal dinner on Friday, we had time on Saturday to help with some wedding day chores before heading out to the ceremony, which was beautiful. The reception took place in Winston-Salem's Millenium Center, which formerly housed the main post office, a bit ironic, since the father of bride spent his career working for the post office. We managed to stay for most of the festivities, but we couldn't keep up with the young ones, saying our goodbyes and best wishes to the happy couple before heading home.
Jayden shows off his new room. Moving In
When weather delayed our travels up the coast on Marianna, we made arrangements to travel to Richmond to help our son and his family move into their new home. Much of the boxes had already been taken over in small trips during the preceding week, so the day was spent mostly in moving the furniture and appliances, as well as unpacking boxes. Dave took on a project of wiring 2 new outliets for TV mounts, working with our son's brother-in-law to reinforce the studs to support the installation and with Droz helping with the wiring, which he was getting pretty good at. Cathy spent time with the kids, helping them sort out where to put things away in their rooms. By evening, we had put in a long day's work, but the house was beginning to come together. We drove home glad we were able to be there to help.
When weather delayed our travels up the coast on Marianna, we made arrangements to travel to Richmond to help our son and his family move into their new home. Much of the boxes had already been taken over in small trips during the preceding week, so the day was spent mostly in moving the furniture and appliances, as well as unpacking boxes. Dave took on a project of wiring 2 new outliets for TV mounts, working with our son's brother-in-law to reinforce the studs to support the installation and with Droz helping with the wiring, which he was getting pretty good at. Cathy spent time with the kids, helping them sort out where to put things away in their rooms. By evening, we had put in a long day's work, but the house was beginning to come together. We drove home glad we were able to be there to help.
Droz helps Grandpa with a wiring job.
Trip North
After several weather windows for an outside run had disappeared into thin air, we were beginning to wonder whether Marianna was going to make it north any time soon. Finally, another opportunity appeared and we made plans to take advantage of it. By the evening of the 13th, we had loaded the last of our stuff on Marianna, and had stuffed the fridge full of food. One way or the other, we were leaving Tuesday morning. But once again, the outside forecast looked iffy, so we resigned ourselves to a trip up the bay. We initially aimed for Solomons, MD, not expecting to arrive until after 10pm. However, as we evaluated the Wednesday forecast, it seemed to be a better decision to make it an overnight run into Annapolis.
After several weather windows for an outside run had disappeared into thin air, we were beginning to wonder whether Marianna was going to make it north any time soon. Finally, another opportunity appeared and we made plans to take advantage of it. By the evening of the 13th, we had loaded the last of our stuff on Marianna, and had stuffed the fridge full of food. One way or the other, we were leaving Tuesday morning. But once again, the outside forecast looked iffy, so we resigned ourselves to a trip up the bay. We initially aimed for Solomons, MD, not expecting to arrive until after 10pm. However, as we evaluated the Wednesday forecast, it seemed to be a better decision to make it an overnight run into Annapolis.
Dave takes the helm on Marianna As Tuesday's daylight dwindled, the winds and the seas that had calmed during the day, slowly started building behind us. As we continued on through the night, the winds and seas built, but, since they were following seas, did not really make the ride uncomfortable. We dodged the big ships moving up and down the bay by hugging the shallower green side of the channel as we made our way north. Using the AIS app on Dave's phone, we identified the commercial traffic and were able to make sense of the blobs on the radar screen and the lights on the horizon. By 4am Wednesday, we had secured a mooring in Annapolis and were quickly asleep below decks.
Fred relaxes in Annapolis Wednesday was cool and windy, but the sun came out late morning and made it a beautiful day. With much second-guessing going on throughout the day, we decided to stay put and head out again Thursday morning. This gave us some time to stretch our legs ahore and connect with George and Gail who drove down from Pasadena to see us. We awoke Thursday to warm weather, calm winds and overcast skies, that stayed with us much of the day. After making several calculations of current, wind, waves and storm forecast for the next 2 days, we finally decided to stop short of the C&D canal in the Bohemia River at the top fo the Chesapeake Bay. We'd anchor there for about 12 hours before leaving again around 2:30am for the run down the bay and, hopefully, up the coast. Since the winds were kicking up and storms moving about north and south of us as we were setting anchor, it seemed we'd made the right choice.
Clearing Brandywine Shoal Light at the mouth of Delaware Bay As forecast (for once), the conditions calmed overnight and our 2:30 departure and canal transit was uneventfll. We resumed the watch schedule we had begun with the trip up the bay. Each of us had 5 hours on and 7 hours off. Our watches overlapped with the person we relieved by one hour, giving us time to transition and an extra person to talk to when we were most tired. The schedule seemed to work pretty well. As we made our way down the Delaware Bay, the northwest winds gradually shifted to the southeast, so that as we turned around Cape May, the wind continued to be from behind us. With winds and seas calming down overnight, the trip was another easy one, putting us in NYC harbor off Sandy Hook by 10am. The only excitement occurred on Fred's watch, when just after sunrise, the Coast Guard boarded us. With Cathy and Dave sound asleep in the V-berth and none the wiser, they conducted a safety inspection, which Marianna passed. If we hadn't seen the boarding report on the nav station, we would have thought Fred was making it up.
The Manhattan skyline has changed since our last trip north Another consultation of the current tables said we were in perfect position to continue around Manhattan to Long Island Sound. We were near the max favorable current as we rounded Hell Gate and with the help of its push, were picking up a mooring in Manhasset by 2:30pm. After a couple dinghy runs to shore for diesel, we had an early dinner and were all out of it before the sun set.
With a few more travel days to go, we are within sight of the goal of Newburyport and the Merrimac River. With any luck, the weather will get us there in less than a week.
With a few more travel days to go, we are within sight of the goal of Newburyport and the Merrimac River. With any luck, the weather will get us there in less than a week.
Boat Stuff
Although we originally were planning on leaving the bimini down until we returned, with the delay in our departure, Cathy finally pulled it out, re-stitched any seams that were questionable and put it up for the season. With no enclosure panels in place, it was easy to waterproof it, and the rain the next day proved that it was doing its job. The next job to tackle was the Cetol on the woodwork, which Cathy managed to put on a little more than half of the wood on deck. The remainder will wait until we return.
Finally, you may notice, some variability in the pictures taken for this entry. Cathy's camera finally died and was replaced. While we were waiting for the replacement, she had to use Dave's phone and her tablet. Now that the new one is here, it's a matter of getting used to it and its capabilities. It won't take too long, though.
Although we originally were planning on leaving the bimini down until we returned, with the delay in our departure, Cathy finally pulled it out, re-stitched any seams that were questionable and put it up for the season. With no enclosure panels in place, it was easy to waterproof it, and the rain the next day proved that it was doing its job. The next job to tackle was the Cetol on the woodwork, which Cathy managed to put on a little more than half of the wood on deck. The remainder will wait until we return.
Finally, you may notice, some variability in the pictures taken for this entry. Cathy's camera finally died and was replaced. While we were waiting for the replacement, she had to use Dave's phone and her tablet. Now that the new one is here, it's a matter of getting used to it and its capabilities. It won't take too long, though.
