This is John. I took a long walk across Annapolis early this morning. All the downtown shops and businesses are putting out flowers to celebrate May Day. The bouquets are beautiful and many have a wonderful fragrance.
I took photos of a bunch of the arrangements to share with everyone.
While in Reedsville we met up with some friends in Washington DC to tour the Clipper Ships that had stopped there for a few days. A group of these boats race around the world and people can sign up for different legs of the trip. It would be a lot of fun.
Next we returned to Solomons for a stop and met some more friends from Urbanna also going north. While there we decided to test the generator since it hadn’t been used in a while. After the smog and thick horrible gases cleared the air we decided that there was something very wrong with the exhaust system, Turns out the exhaust gasket was quite worn out and needed replacing. But it’s such an old model that we had to have someone hand cut a new one. Now the generator doesn’t gas us out any more.
Also the alternating current inverter batteries had died so we had to get new batteries. This meant moving the old DC batteries to the AC battery spot and putting the new batteries in the house bank (DC) spot
John had purchased a table created by one of his favorite artists. It was in Philadelphia and the shipping to Texas was not inexpensive so we drove up from Solomons to there to pick it up. And of course while in Philadelphia we had to do some sight seeing.
Also Solomons Island has an Anna Marie Sculpture Garden with some really nice sculptures and some definitely whimsical ones.
Sadly Mischief was “abandoned” again for a couple of months after de-winterizing her. But a wonderful trip to Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosinia Herzegovina during the month of May was worth not sailing for a little while. Finally in June we made it back to Virginia and Mischief.
Once again we stopped at Jennings Boatyard in Reedsville, VA for month. The marina was used a base for day sails and over night anchoring around the area. The regulars took us under their wings told us their favorite places to sail to and loaned us books on the history of the area.
Once again ANOTHER pump failed. We went to the pump out station and the engine died! It would not stay running run. Hmmm. Figured out it was probably the fuel pump. Fortunately there wasn’t a demand for the boat lift or the pump out station before we could get it fixed.
We stayed to watch Fireworks since Reedsville was celebrating its 150 year anniversary. It was a great show and the best seats were on the stern of the boat looking directly at where they were being fired from. It did prove that poor Mitzi is pretty deaf, she slept through the whole show outside with us.
(March 2024, I know we’re behind in posting)
After a wonderful time with family over the holidays we finally made it back to Mischief. We were missing Mischief and were glad to get back to Urbanna to check on her. It was the longest time we’ve been away from her since we bought her in 2016.
No real surprise but we were greeted with a thin film of mold. Not the worst infestation but enough to entertain ourselves with for a few days as EVERYTHING was wiped down and Mold Control sprayed everywhere. She was finally livable again. Next on the agenda was de-winterizing her. This meant filling the holding tanks emptying them, letting water flow out of every faucet until no longer pink then repeat over and over again until all the antifreeze was flushed out. We also ran the engine and genset to flush out the antifreeze.
Next on the agenda was installing a new water heater. The old one had stopped working and was removed in the fall. And like any boat project we became distracted and decided to work on a few other things while the heater was out and there was room. Like painting inside of the cabinet where much of the plumbing is and checking many of the boats PEX connections for leaks. Putting in the new heater just meant removing door frames, taking out shelves , dropping the new heater in, reconnecting everything, topping off antifreeze for the engine since it goes through the heater and some was lost, and finally reassembling everything. A good days work but we felt accomplished.
Pumps, Pumps, and more Pumps! According to general consensus winterizing doesn’t “harm” the boat but… After dewinterizing we first had to replace the shower sump pump. Okay that one was not a surprise. It had been acting up in the fall and was probably 24 years old. But next we had to replace the freshwater pump, next to the newly installed heater. It would have been nice if it had stopped working before we put the new heater in. Oh wells. That one was only 5 or so years old, hmmm – was it the antifreeze? Then the joker valve had to be replaced which meant removing the toilet since designers can’t put screws where they are accessible. We were warned about the joker valve, antifreeze can be hard on them. Getting ahead of this blog we also had to replace our macerator pump that was only 6 years old, again hmmm. That was 3 pumps in a very short span.
Other than that Mitzi re-trained everyone to give her treats on demand, and we just hung at the marina, caught up on the local gossip, and enjoyed being back on the boat.
We returned to the boat in Reedville tome it to Urbanna Town Marina for the winter. Their big festival of the year, Urbanna Oyster Festival was over and the marina had space again.
The reason why there are not more photos of the Annapolis boat show and afterwards is that on the way to Urbanna Neptune decided he needed John’s iPhone that hadn’t been backed up to the cloud. So his phone and photos went to the bottom of the Rappahannock River.
Once in Urbanna we began the mysterious process of winterizing a boat. Poor Mischief, in 23 years of being in the water, she and her owners had little idea of how to prepare for the cold. Our friend Kevin DeNicola sent us a check list and how to’s. So off to West Marine we went to buy gallons upon gallons of pink antifreeze.
Winterizing really isn’t that hard but it does take some time to accomplish. It will be easier the next time. Since now the boat no longer had water to drink or shower with and the head was pickled we didn’t stay too long to wait for the cold. We are Texans after all and cold is not our thing.
Before we left a diesel smell had to be addressed. It turns out that the crush washers on the injectors had vibrated loose and needed to be retightened. This was above our pay grade so we hired a mechanic to help. Also we discovered that the fuel tank was leaking around the screws that hold the inspection port cover in place. We had inspected the fuel a few months back and had not put teflon tape around the threads when resealing, oops.
So we returned Texas for the holidays and getting some of the repairs made to us that older people sometime need. My motto is “don’t act old, get it fixed and pretend your still young”
Wow it’s been so long since we’ve added to this blog. Sorry about that. Okay so back to the Annapolis Boat Show…
After leaving Solomons, MD we sailed to Annapolis for the boat show and so did a whole lot of other people. Fortunately we found a spot to anchor in Weems Creek where we stayed for 5 nights. Maryland makes it easy for boats to anchor and follow the rules. In Annapolis at least, every road that ends at the water is a place anyone can tie up their dinghy which makes getting to land to explore easy. Also they have a pump out boat that will come to your boat to empty the boats holding tank, free of charge (but tips are appreciated), on request. This really helps to keep the waterways clean. While at anchor a couple on a boat near us noticed our Texas flag and came over for a chat. Turns out they started from the marina next to ours in Kemah. It’s a small world.
Our hot water heater decided to stop working while on anchor and the nights were getting a bit chilly without heat (heater needs AC current to work) so we went to the Annapolis Capital Yacht Club marina for a couple of nights. This was much closer to the boat show and allowed us to easily meet up with some friends from Kemah.
I will say John showed some amazing boat handling abilities as we tried to get out of the marina. It was tight maneuverability, winds and current not cooperating, and just general YIKES. But we managed to get out of the marina without hitting anything by backing out. Backwards? yup the conditions didn’t want to let the boat go out bow first.
The boat show is always fun but still hasn’t completely rebounded from COVID or on line sales. We like to see products for the boat and be able to ask questions about them before we buy. But some companies/products that use to be there weren’t. We think some companies think the “Chat” feature online is enough and more economical.
John was happy since he was able to talk and drink rum with Bob Bitchin’ again. Also we were able to meet the Shards who produce “Distant Shores”, once a TV show now a YouTube option. They had an episode about the ARC and interviewed a boat sponsored by Girls for Sail. This is what inspired me to look up that organization and sail across the Atlantic Ocean in 2016. They seemed very please that they helped to encourage others.
After the boat show we sailed back to Solomons for the night and then went back to Reedville. We left the boat in Reedville for a month while we went back to Texas to see Grandchildren, their parents too, friends, and participate in the Harvest Moon Regatta. It was an interesting HMR on a friends new to her boat. We finished the race, learned a lot as you do with a “new” boat.
Lighthouses seem to be everywhere on the Chesapeake. They are now run electronically with no one living on them or have been replaced by flashing buoys. But the structures still stand to remind of past times. Many have been sold to private parties who just think lighthouses are cool.
Need to thank Wikipedia.
In Solomons Island (or just Solomons) Calvert Marine Museum is great museum that shows the history of the area including shipbuilding, the environment and life in and around the Chesapeake, and even an old lighthouse that was “saved” and brought to the museum so that people could get an idea of what it was like to live in a small, isolated home on the water. This museum also has a shed with a variety of old Watermen boats to show how the boats have evolved over the years. Definitely a good place to stop.
The marina where we stayed allowed us to reprovision for our next adventure, only a mile and half walk to the grocery store and another mile and half back. Yes we are getting some steps in even though we spend quite a bit of time on a small boat.
Once again we are reminded how small this world really is. We ran into a former dock mate’s boat from Waterford Harbor Marina back in Kemah. They left before we did and now hide from hurricanes in the Solomons. Unfortunately we did not see them. They were arriving the day after we left. But on our way back south 2 weeks later we saw them sail by going south too.
On the island there remains the remnants of the Naval Amphibious Training Base. This is where 3 naval bases were established during World War II to practice and learn techniques used in some major battles such as D-Day, Tarawa and Guadcanal.
Looking for shelter from a tropical system Mischief ducked into a town called Reedville. There is a little Mom and Pop marina there where we spent 1 night. It is definitely a work in progress and thankfully someone is trying to bring back the marina to better conditions, but it still has a way to go.
The next morning Mischief moved to the marina, Jennings Boatyard, next door. Wow what a great find. Some of the best transients rates we have yet seen for any marina and it has floating docks (a little rough but they work), a newish nice bathhouse and free laundry! There was also a car available to get provisions. The only downside is that it’s about 10 miles from any store and all but one restaurant. But many other restaurants and the actual town is easily assessable by dinghy. Mitzi gave the marina her paw of approval since the very nice dock master always had oversized treats available and there was plenty of room to run and sniff.
Reedville was one the richest towns in the US at the turn of last century due to a thriving Menhaden fishing industry. This oily fish is not eaten but cooked down to make fish oil, can you say Omega 3 fish oil. The oil is also used in many products besides health supplements. Unfortunately when the fish are processed they are “cooked” down and emit a rather pungent fishy odor that permeates the town. The locals tell stories about the schools having to close early somedays because the stench was so overwhelming that the windows could not be left open (before air-conditioning). We noticed some smell a couple of days but not that bad probably due to scrubbers on the new plant. This is probably why the marinas in the area have such reasonable rates.
While in Reedville we dinghied over to some new friends, Chris and Chrissy on Wind Pleasure we met in Urbanna. The town has a nice maritime museum emphasizing the importance and history of the Menhaden fishing industry. The museum also has a fantastic model train display in a building of its own.
There is also a ferry that goes to Tangier Island from Reedville so we dinghied over to that dock to catch a ride. Tangier Island is a sinking island where a few families have lived and worked for generations. The people there have a unique way of talking that is derived from 17th to 18th century British English. It sounds more British than American and has some very unique phrases and words, fascinating to listen to. Around the island are many fish huts where piles of crab traps are stacked up eluding to the importance of fishing to the community. The town’s one marina was once run by Mr. Parks but since he passed away a couple of years ago it is barely maintained. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch and had the most delicious soft shell crab. It was great if you can get over the sight of the legs poking out of the side of the bun.
We are spending today at anchor in Dymer Creek just up from Fleets Bay. It is about the first place to duck in on the northern neck (between the Rappahannock and the Potomac).
Yesterday morning we said goodbye to Urbanna. The rain moved out a little before sunrise. We made a last run to IGA, said our goodbyes, and cast off. Once clear of the channel and out on the Rappahannock we put up the main sail with one reef and let out about two thirds of the jib. Wind was 15 to 16 knots downwind and it was an easy ride for a while.
When we turned out of the mouth of the Rappahannock and turned north things got sporty in a hurry. The wind was just a little west of north and straight down the bay so we were now beating to weather in short period slop. You would have thought we’d have learned by now not to fight the wind, obviously not. It wasn’t as bad as when we left Mobjack but Nancy was queasy, but she probably had Covid. In addition to the destruction down below from heeling poor Mitzi got very sick all over, everywhere.
Things calmed down once we got in the creek and a little protected from the wind. We got a good set on the anchor and a night’s rest. Mitzi took us to a little beach in the morning. Her spirit was good even though her tummy was still bothering her a little. It was pretty here and we are comfortable, so we decided to wait a day for the wind to settle. Then we moved up to the north end of the neck, right before the Potomac, and tied up in a slip at a marina to wait out something tropical moving through.
We turned the tracker off when we set anchor but the link will take you to our position and show our track. More later
https://inreachlink.com/B3WO73B
Leaving York River Yacht Haven Mischief set her sights on Mobjack Bay and the East River. The plan was to anchor on the East River for a few days and enjoy the peace. It was HOT! At anchor we try to run the generator as little as possible and so there was no air conditioning. Ugh are we spoiled. To keep cool Mitzi insisted on taking the dingy to shore to walk around. One time she couldn’t believe her humans even tried to take the dingy up Put in Creek, honestly that’s it’s name, to go to a town called Matthews. A little over half a mile from town we grounded. So much for a short stop in civilization.
After a few days the heat got to us so it was time to continue slowly north towards Annapolis. On the way out we had a possible health issue. Compass Marina which normally doesn’t allow short term transients allowed us to dock there. A big THANK YOU to them!!!! A live aboard couple there kindly drove us to get checked out since Uber, Lyft, taxi’s etc don’t operate in rural Virginia. Fortunately it was not life threating but still took a few days to recover from.
The plan leaving Compass Marina was to go to Urbanna, VA. A quaint town our friends Hope and Kevin had mentioned. This where an important lesson was learned. The Chesapeake can be challenging. Do not head north when there is North wind, nor south on South wind. The fetch is long, so the waves build, the sides are close enough to reflect the waves and make big confused sea states that are very uncomfortable. So much to learn – new tides, new wave patterns, current due to outflow of major rivers… At least this will keep our brains active learning.
On the way up the Rappahannock River we stopped at Regent Point Marina for a night. A nice marina with a channel barely deep enough and tight docking for transients. We did see another Catalina 380 there, that’s always fun to see a sister ship. The next day Mischief finally made it to Urbanna, VA and docked at Urbanna Town Marina. What originally was planned, there’s that silly word again, for a few nights stay turned into almost a month stay. The people at the marina made us feel very welcomed and it has a great community feeling. The marina host bi-monthly music nights with hamburgers and hot dogs provided, almost nightly happy hour gatherings often with snacks, dingy drifts, very dog friendly – definitely Mitzi approved, and just a nice place to be. Staying there longer allowed Nancy to fly back to Kemah to participate in the Carol Becker Regatta with TASS while John and Mitzi guarded the boat.
Like most towns on the east cost there is a ton of history there. One of the first and oldest maps of the New World from around the middle of the 1700’s is there in a small museum.
“The map John Mitchell produced, which became known simply as “The Mitchell Map,” was recognized over time as an exemplary work of cartography and research, and the map became widely used in a variety of official diplomatic, legal, and administrative forums for reference on boundaries and land features, most notably at the Treaty of Paris, but even in some American legal proceedings as recent as 1932.* https://urbanna.com
There are many good restaurants within walking distance, an IGA grocery store where you can be sure you won’t go hungry but maybe not get everything people from the “big city” want, and several stores that remind of a simpler time.
One of the many great things about sailors is their willingness to help others whenever needed. A small sailboat just off the marina started taking on water. It was amazing how fast several us from the marina put dinghies in the water to go help. It took awhile but the boat was finally towed to a sand bar, bailed and then towed back to his slip.
Eventually it was time to leave and so onward north we sail.
Adventures of Mischief 