Spring/Summer 2010 cruise of the Bay E-Mail Log
Salt Ponds Marina
Slip D-11
Hampton, VA
Monday, May 17, 2010
Latitude: 37 03.18' N
Longitude: 076 17.26' W
Question:
" Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble."
Answer:
A) Shakespeare Quote
B) Traditional beginning to any well planned cruise
C) Both of the above
We arrived Saturday late afternoon for what we are thinking of as our 95/5 cruise, that is, there is a 95% chance we are going to plan to get to the upper Bay and a 5% chance we will make it.
In past weeks (we thought) we prepared our trusty old 1990 Hunter for its immanent departure with its two "Ancient Mariners."
Our first task on arriving Saturday was to activate our equally ancient Air Conditioner, which was recently revived from immolation by fire and now equipped with a brand new super-duper salt water pump. Our A/C like most marine ones operates by moving heat from the cabin to water pumped to, through, and out of it. Hence the new pump.
I turned it on and ... after a minute ... it blew the Circuit Breaker. Yikes. This lamentable event inspired Kay to ask me if I had remembered to open the water thru-hull. While assuring her that I was not such an idiot, I quickly opened the thru-hull. Too late, as it turned out, the pump was now hopelessly airlocked. After many attempts to fix this, all to no avail, I called the air conditioner guy. He is the one who fixed the A/C for us after it was flambéed on our last fun cruise. After hearing my sad tale, he was sure it should have worked and asked if I had remembered to open the thru-hull. Of course I did, I said, with fingers crossed. He reminded me that if I unplugged cord A from electric socket A and cord B from socket B and then plug cord B into socket A that should convince the pump to do its thing. Sounded like magic to me, but I said I would try and call back. Well I did as he said and now the pump would have made a fire truck proud, but, of course, still no "Air" because cord A was still unplugged from A as B was in A.
I called him back with the good news and he said "that's great, now when you moved B from A and back to B and A then to A is everything working. I thought quickly and said "We have a bad connection I will call you right back." After figuring out my alphabetical puzzle I was able to call back and report both a good phone and A/C connection. I hope he never reads this.
Sunday morning, after freezing through the night because, of course, it was cold outside and the A/C had to be run to make sure it really worked and would keep working, I decided to test my connections to the "Information Pipe Line."
I have two options, Wi-Fi and via Cell Phone. Neither worked, the marina had changed the Wi-Fi service and the cell phone, which normally pairs with my computer for a web connection, would not turn on, or charge, or uncharge or bounce!
If I had connected yesterday, all I wanted to do was find the weather forecast for today. I needn't have bothered:
"Breezy with highs in the mid 60s. East winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.Small Craft Advisory in effect through this evening. Waves 3 to 4 ft."
Wednesday looks OK?
Salt Ponds Marina
Tuesday, May 18
Today we are using the Marina Dryer to correct a slight error of optimistic excess. Last night with winds of 30 knots blowing horizontal rain from the North, we thought it reasonable to take our 3 Yorkies for their 10 PM "walk". The stern and dock were at the North end of the boat, to which Kay and I headed. The Yorkies, however, were intent on going South towards the protection of the cabin. Much confusion ensued. Each Dog sports a blinking red light and in the struggle getting them off the boat and onto the dock one of the red lights with dog attached ended up in the water, followed shortly by Kay and Carl. Meanwhile two thoroughly traumatized Yorkies stood there wondering why, of all times, everybody was going for a swim.
We got the diving dog out and three fleet of foot Yorkies took off at maximum speed for the neasest grass oasis. They were followed by an equally fleet Kay and a somewhat slower me. In fact, I met my fleeing flock as they fled back to the safety of the boat. Once all aboard and safe in the cabin, Kay quickly drew her Heat "Gun" and corrected the two wet bystanders and the thoroughly wet diving dog.
Wednesday still looks good if we manage to get everything dried out by then.
Bay Creek Marina
Slip D-12
Cape Charles VA
Thursday, May 20
Latitude: 37 16.73' N
Longitude: 076 00.57' W
Despite my best efforts to the contrary, we crossed over to Cape Charles yesterday as planned. I always get up between 7 and 8 in the morning, and our three junior crew members, Mac, Hunter and Chessie, shortly thereafter. However, yesterday morning found us all asleep at 10, not exactly the optimum time to prepare to leave at 11 as was planned.
As I studied various weather reports and patterns on our computer/GPS, Kay and the three Yorkies walked down to the Bay and came back with a one word report: "POND." So despite my best efforts to hang on to the shore, "a sea", we went, shipping out at 12:30.
We reached the entrance to Cape Charles two and a half hours later and the Marina slip an hour after that. With little waves, light winds and only a couple of other boats on the water, it was very difficult to get in to trouble. I am sure all are happy along with us that absolutely nothing went wrong. Well there was a little confusion on following the rather serpentine entrance to Bay Creek when we found ourselves at a marker different from what we expected and not on our charts. But good luck and a high tide saved us from any interesting consequences and onward and into the marina we went. (The "magic marker" is now on our charts.)
Carl
80