Anniversary of Hurrican Irene

It's now the anniversary (well, within a few days, anyway) of us running to the Hudson to anchor out, and weather Hurricane Irene.   It's hard to imagine it was only one year ago.
wow...

so much has happened, and this blog entry will not be a re-cap of the year. 

We're now getting ready for our sixth year "out".

Post summerfolk post

Riding Train (Amtrak 284 Empire Service) back to Hudson, NY
Thought I'd try and load some photos that really belong in the previous posting...Oh well.
:)

the HERD at the campground
Summerfolk 2012 - Owen Sound - Georgian Bay

we're BACK !!!!   Back in the USA that is...after the Summerfolk Festival 2012 at Owen
Sound (Georgian Bay - Lake Huron).

It's Monday afternoon, (when I first start to write)...8/20/2012. 
It was an event filled "weekend...".
We actually started our trip on Thursday, because we like to get up to Owen Sound in
the daylight, and set up camp in the KOA camp ground; play some guitar, enjoy a
campfire, and just talking with the "herd"...(as they say in a song "catching up on
the things we've tried to do"). 
 
The Festival starts Friday PM...so Friday we get to sleep in and "veg"
The first change in plans was when one of the Herd members, (Gary) decided that he
wouldn't be traveling with the Herd (caravan of three vehicles)..but he would be
traveling separately Thursday NIGHT!!!! (Buffalo to Owen Sound)... WELL..he made
it...sort of... to Owen Sound but finding our campsite was a little more difficult.
So...he was basically "UP" (as in awake) all Thursday, AND Thursday night. 
So..Friday he was working on marginal sleep...
Anyway...The Festival started with a great Concert on Friday night...lasting until
after midnight...(typical for all three night concerts at Summerfolk). Obviously that
makes for a short night's sleep... because by the time we drive back to the
campground, start a fire...have a beer or two...talk, and get ready to 'crash' it's
around 2:30 AM.  Daylight comes not too long after that....(for three days).

Passing information about the festival will take a few emails, and blog posts...

One thing that was painfully obvious is that Susan and I have gotten used to the
Florida Keys, or Island temperatures... Owen Sound nights were "COLD"...
(I even resorted to wearing socks at night...which if you know me.. is a very large
STEP.... because I hate socks!!!!
 :)
Days, at the Folkfest, were wonderful, but had the potential for torrential downpours,
coming off Lake Huron.  Fortunately most of the downpours, and t-storms came at night,
after the campfires, and when we were nicely tucked into the tents.  :)  yeah!!! 
Gary did get to play in one OPEN Stage, and Bill Pomerhn sang in the Summerfolk Choir
again. 
We had one hospital event, when Gary, ostensibly started to pass a kidney stone..(i.e.
extreme pain)... So that took Gary and Gar out of the festival grounds for Sunday
afternoon... (Gar had to drive Gary to the local hospital...).  
Several stories surround that incident...which will have to wait 'til later to be
told.

But the hospital did erroneously KEEP Gary's "enhanced Drivers Licence" after issuing
him some pain meds...so that made getting back into the USA a bit of a scene.

Kelvin and Bill also had a few tense moments at the Peace Bridge when Bill accidently
dumped Kelvins NEXUS card into the back seat, and under all the camping gear...when
they were one car from the customs/immigration inspector station.  :(   BUT, with a
lot of out of the car scrambling...they found the card, and were allowed to come
home...;)  yeah !
The music at the festival was phenomenal...we did get to see a lot of Nathan Rogers
(Stan Roger' son).  Wonderful.
OK... more to follow...company has just arrived...

Monday was a busy day... We (Susan and I) met Ruth at the Fleetwood property at about 11:45 AM, and began work to further raise and stabilize the garage roof.

After a short while we discovered that main ridge pole was, indeed, rising, but we were also flexing the existing roofing shingles, to the point where they were becoming unstuck from each other... showing slight signs of buckling... Not bad but...we decided that enough was enough, before we "broke something"... ;)

So we started installing the collar ties to keep the roof rafters in the present position.

the day was filled with a lot of "up and down ladder" stuff...but the job is done... a nice feeling.

It's a good feeling to be able to assist Ruth with this sort of thing, while we're in the area.  

Good to be back home on AB

Nice to be 'home' on the AB. Still amazed that there wasn't more mold inside,... considering how HOT the weather was, all the time we were away. 

I guess we left the correct portlights, and hatches open (to give some air circulation).

We did "luck-out" with the creek flooding too... Scott send us an email at one point during our 'lake cottage' stay... saying "THE CREEK FLOOD WARNING IS NOW OVER".

wow..
We never knew it was "ON"        ;)

 Yesterday I pumped up the dinghy...

It was pretty deflated after nearly three weeks away...I knew there was at least one 'semi-major' leak. 

So I sprayed it with a soapy water solution, and discovered two leaks... one new one where the rubberized fabric has been worn away from the fabric, near the transom, and one old leak where the patch, near the bow, is coming loose.      :(

SO...over the next month, I'll have to complete the patching, and internal sealing (with the liquid "fix-a-flat" stuff for inflatable boats...

Mid-Week - Second Week at Cottage - Angola, NY

Wed. August 1st 2012 -- Now, mid-week of the second week at the cottage.  We had a wonderful crowd here over the first week, and the middle weekend.   On Wednesday of the first week, Ruth, Matt, Charles, and Billie showed up at the cottage.   That same day Gar, and Sandy Davidson drove in from Bethlehem PA, and the place began to "humm" with activities.  
Ruth had one of her best friends from High school come that first week (Gretchen Kampf).  Gretchen brought her children (pic below).  
As the crowd at the cottage grew Matt pitched in with the cooking chores (breakfasts, lunches, dinners), which was a Godsend.   He even volunteered to use the charcoal grille for one huge meal;  talk about nerve!!
I (dean) elect to use the propane grille that Ed Speidel lent us for the two weeks... (just lazy I guess).
All the kids from the Speidel clan (i.e Eddie, Katlyn, and Danny), and Charlie, and Billie (Matt's kids) seemed to get along and have a great time in the pool, and playing games in the cottage.   

Some of the pictures were posted before, and now some add'l pics are streaming in from family, and guests.  NICE!     Here's some with brief captions.

Ruth, Matt, Gretchen and families.

Ruth, Billie, Charlie, and Matt enjoying the pool.

Gar and Sandy Davidson - relaxing on the back porch.

Beverly and Rob's 30 foot travel trailer at the cottage.

Susan, Ruth, and Billie enjoying the pool.

Dean and Ruth cooling off in pool.

Dean and Gar providing entertainment while Spaghetti Dinner is being prepared.

Sunday's Guest line-up (actually several are missing).
Rob;Bev;Gar; Susan; Matt;Billie;Dean;Charlie; Lauren;Sandy;Kelvin;Ruth

Ruth, and Billie keeping the Styrofoam ball supported in mid air.

I did take my guitar into Buffalo to have a certified Gibson Technician take a look at the inlay-type binding that's coming off the face edge of the instrument.   He did take a look; and gave me a price to fix it that 'stunned' me... (probably more than the instrument is worth on the market). 
SO...............the end result of that is that I'll patch it up myself with 'stuff' on the AB, and keep enjoying the great sound of the Gibson, as it is.... :)

Billie, and Gary S. (floating ball - science experiment)

Susan and Debbie Kampff

Herd members at Mickey Rat's (traditional Fish Fry night)
Gar; Bill; Dean; Susan; Sandy

Sunday Evening music makers (The Herd).

Matt cooking dinner on the charcoal
grille -  Delicious.

One of Susan's best friends from East Aurora came out too... Debbie Kampf.  It was great catching up on the stories from EA. 

Gary S. came to the cottage as usual, with a science project, and kept all the kids (and some adults, busy...at keeping a ball suspended in mid-air with flow from a lung powered nozzle (aka straw).  (See photos above).

At the end of the first week, Gar, and Susan took a bike ride toward Sunset Bay, for exercise.  

more later.

It's now the beginning of the second week at the cottage (house) in Angola, NY (southern shore of Lake Erie).
It's been busy here... with friends and family coming and going.  
The music took a backseat to the opening of the Olympics last Friday night.  But, we made up for that on Sunday evening when the guitars came out, and music flooded the back porch.  NICE!!!

The Olympics didn't keep every one awake.
Ruth, and Billie zonked early.

The Instrument end of the porch; Singers everywhere else!  NICE!

Ruth, Matt, Billie, and Charlie came mid-week, and stayed until late on Sunday, making one of those "hard to stay awake" trips, back to Glenville.   It was wonderful to have them here.
It's one of those Summer traditions that mean so much.

the Kids (Danny, Charlie, Billie, and Eddie)
playing games in dining room on rainy day.

Two cruising couples came for the mid-weekend party.   Vickie, and Mike McKinnon (s/v Double Exposure) came down from Ontario.  Their boat is sitting on land in St. Kitts (Caribean), waiting for them to return in the Fall.   The second cruising couple to come is Beverly, and Rob Davidge (p/v R&B Haven).  They came down from a town east of Ottawa, bringing their 30 foot camping trailer. 

During the first week, the Besants (Margaret, and Marty) came to visit, at the cottage.  Ed Speidel (co-cottage renter), also shown in photo, above, was major cook, and host during his stay at the cottage. 
More later.

AB moved to new home (slip) for summer 2012

Autumn Borne has finally been moved to her new home (slip) at Hop-O-Nose Marina. 
(photo).

AB at end slip - HON

In our old location we literally rolled the fenders along the dock, and the boat next to us, as we came in... so leaving for a pleasure sail/cruise was pretty much, 'out of the question'.
Now...we're on an end slip, and can use the boat whenever we please...
There's no boat to our port side... so we can load and unload the dinghy...

Catskill Creek

We did purchase some dinghy sealant (internal to tubes), and will have to roll the dinghy down the dock (end of end, upside down, etc.) when we return to the AB, after vacation.

We're packing for WNY, and the cottage along the southern shore of Lake Erie.   We're looking forward to catching up with friends of ours from WNY; playing some music, and just "vegging"...

Mid-week at HON:

Another project finished...

The starboard side teak plank, that secures the scuba tanks, and jerry cans of fuel, etc. has now been sanded and varnished (Cetol really). 

The plantation teak plank had been left to weather (gray) for 5 years...

but in it's location right above the now finished cap rail...started to bother me.... SO.......

Out came the sander, brushes, and Cetol. :)

scuba tank securing plank - refinished

I was very pleased with the result... didn't know how the plantation teak would look when sanded... it's a hybrid teak with a higher growth rate, than old growth teak...

Jerry-can end of teak plank - Scuba racks at far end.

We purchased new plastic cups yesterday to cover the air valves on the scuba tanks (They keep the salt water off the valves, and also keep the sail sheets from catching the valves, and opening them (thus freeing 3000 PSIG of compressed air, and scaring the hell out of you))

starboard side finished and scuba tanks, etc. re-stored.

[the old plastic cups were hardened to "brittle", from continuous UV exposure]

Yesterday, Susan and I used part of the afternoon to take a British sailor, named Penny, over to the Catskill Marina pool and laundry facility. We all really enjoyed the pool, while the laundry was finishing. NICE afternoon.

Last evening... we just walked the docks with our glasses of wine, and assisted some fellow boaters, with installing,and storing anchor rodes; or just communing.

Nice evening.

Independence Day and July 3d

Belaying Pin Rail - Starboard

Today (July 3d) was a heavy labor day...(as long as we can't move to our "more permanent location (slip))... I hauled all of the primary anchor chain out of the chain locker, and stretched it out to 25 foot lengths... wire brushed some areas...and then Primed those 25 foot areas for color coding later... maybe Thursday or Friday...

The other project (twin belaying pin rails - port and starboard) is also complete, now.

Belaying Pin Rail - Port

I wanted to make the belaying pins (oak, and poplar dowels) so if this didn't work...we wouldn't be out so much money. 
Not bad looking (if I do say so myself) :) and a nice place to keep lines, besides on the life lines, or stern pulpit, which is crowded already, with outboard motors, grilles, bicycles, etc.

Tuesday night (July 3d) we saw Phil, from the sailing vessel 'Acadia', come into the Creek....
He came to the AB to share a bottle of wine with us...

After enjoying the wine with Phil, on our "porch" (aft deck), we drove him up-town to the Italian restaurant, Pomodoro's, for dinner....

NICE evening... (I mentioned Phil before... Afghanistan Veteran - multiple tours- now looking forward to the cruising life).  

Today is party day at Ruth's new home, near Schenectady.   Should be fun.  Enjoy the holiday. Be Safe!!! 

Lucas in South African PICU

One thing that wasn't posted was our visit with Margaret, and Marty Besant, on their way back home from South Africa.  They came to the AB directly from JFK airport.  

It was wonderful catching up on their journey, and the status of their daughter, and her new baby (in South Africa).

Hop-O-Nose - Summer "home" for AB

We're back at our summer "home" at Hop-O-Nose Marina in Catskill, NY, just off the Hudson River.  The marina owner is still moving boats around, and we're not in our "semi-permanent slip yet, but it's still comfortable, and secure.  

AB at HON

We even flew the spinaker part way up the Hudson to get to HON before dark.  Scott Irwin was the only one at the marina to assist in docking...   so we all (Susan, Scott, and me) went to dinner that evening. 

AB flying spinaker  - Northbound on Hudson

We've also been trying to replace our Honda Element (flooded in last fall's Hurricane/ TS Irene).  

We've now done that (photos below), with a Honda Pilot.  

 2005 Honda PIlot -  new land dinghy

Buying the car was simple; Insurance companies were the biggest pain.  But that's another story.

C&D Canal traffic - Typical of
Delaware Bay, and NYC Harbor traffic

space shuttle Enterprise - welcoming us to NYC

We did have a great 'rounding of NJ this year... Overnight passage (one day, and one whole night)...from the top of Delaware Bay (Delaware) to Haverstraw Bay (half-way up the Hudson River) in one shot.  

We did buck the currents in NYC Harbor... that was poor planning on my part, but coming in from the ocean, after a night passage... you just want to get into the harbor... BUT, in retrospect, we should have just anchored at Gravesend Bay, and waited for the tide to change.   The passage under the Verazzano Narrows bridge did seem to take forever.

:)

It seems like a long time since I've posted a log entry... We have now worked our way up the Chesapeake Bay... stopping at Deltaville to see Carla, and Rick Rister (s/v Euphoria - cape dory 40).   We also stopped at the Solomon Islands for the night... and weathered quite the storm - (10 tornados touched down that night in inland counties)... It was fairly exciting... even though we have great confidence in our anchor, and that particular bottom.

The max wind we saw was a little over 30 knots... which is still up there... but no where near what they saw inland.

Dean, Susan, Deb, and Lili at B-Day dinner - Mexican.

So...our next stop, after an all day upwind 'slog' was Annapolis MD.  We came here to celebrate Deb Taber's Birthday... and visit with friends Morina, and Owen Ware (Gulfstar 44).  We met Owen and Morina 5 years ago at Charleston, SC, and have been communicating, and visiting with them every chance we get... while going up and down the coast. 

Susan and Deb - B-day celebration - Annapolis MD

We've been doing small boat projects, and enjoying the area.

Autumn Borne in Weems Creek - Annapolis, MD
(photo taken by s/v Ilene)

The night before last, we were picked up by Owen and Morina Ware, at the Port Annapolis Marina (where we looked over, and took pictures of a boat "on the hard" for a friend). 

We had a great time on their Gulfstar 44 ketch... and a phenomenal dinner. Our conversations took us well into the wee hours...(that would be after midnight....as you must know by now...'crusiers midnight' is about 9 PM)....So after midnight is like staying up all night.

Morina, and Owen Ware on their Gulfstar ketch;
(Almost ready for Cruising)

We just got back this morning (WED. 6/6/2012) from a night's stay at Deb and Scott Taber's house, in Cape St. Claire.
Wonderful time. great conversations...  and we were introduced to a new British drama series (Downton Abbey).

I washed and waxed the hull before being picked up for dinner, and the nights stay at Debs, yesterday... the hull was looking pretty scruffy, from the tannin filled ICW, and the "Diesel butt" from exhausts (gen, and main engine).

Some of the waterline was getting a green tingh to it...from growth...yuck.. That's all gone now...and she looks pretty spiffy...If I do say so myself... :)

One other project that was accomplished while sitting here at anchor, is the use of the mid-mast antenna for the TV system on AB. I connected it to the TV antenna amplifiers, not really thinking it would work... It's not rated as "digital" etc.

But...wow... works like a whole lot better (high)  

So even in this anchorage between two cliff, the TV reception isn't bad.... COOL!!!!

(The original mid-mast antenna was connected to a printed circuit card amplifier, but it was 'toasted' before we bought the boat... So...I bypassed that amplifier, and went straight to coax connecting the two TVs.) Anyway, it works... :)

Roger and Ilene (s/v I lene - Saga 43) at Charleston SC

Roger and Ilene from the s/v I Lene, have been writing, and expect to be in Weems Creek in the next couple of days..    They make some mean "mango pancakes"!!!

It would be nice to see them again... they came into Beaufort, NC from an ocean hop as we were going up into Cedar Creek (north of Beaufort)... and they've not caught up yet, with visiting friends along the way, and weather. But maybe we'll see them this week before we take off for the northern part of the Chesapeake, and the C&D Canal....Delaware Bay, etc.

Roger and Ilene on their Saga 43 at Charleston, SC (Roger and Ilene live in Greenwich Village, NY, NY)

Tuesday, 29 May 2012  -  Norfolk VA

We're now anchored in Lafayette River mouth, ready for Cheasapeake sail tomorrow...

 

I guess we're getting some 'weather' tonight, and tomorrow, so it'll be WET.

It's only about 40 nm to Deltaville... more or less due north...

The winds are 'supposed' to be out of the SW tomorrow....

we'll see.  They are so often WRONG!!!!

 

Our friends Roger, and Ilene (s/v Ilene - saga 43) caught up with us... and were going to anchor out here with us...but opted for a safer in-town dock.  Can't blame them there... but we've been here a few times... and know the anchorage...AND we weigh considerably more than their SAGA 43...so we don't get bounced around as much...

 

We've talked (via email) with Carla, and Rick Rister at Deltaville...(s/v Euphoria)... They're in the middle of a small repair on their engine (transmission cooler hose connection)....

So...we'll stop there tomorrow, and have dinner with them.

 

The Plan would then be to be in the Solomon's the next day... (weather permitting), and by the weekend, we should be in the Annapolis area.

 

Of course those are just plans... which Neptune, and the weather 'gods' find infinitely amusing.

 

More later.

Propeller Problem and Fortunate TIMING!

WELL...this had been an interesting day and a half (May 21,22). When we docked at Barefoot Landing in a 24 knot wind, (on the 21st)...and opposing current...the dock master asked me to come in "hot"...and he and assistance would catch lines... Now normally coming in hot isn't a problem... because we swing a 24 inch diameter 'wheel' (propeller), and a little reverse throttle stops even this 20 ton vessel on a 'dime'. NOT so at Barefoot...we careened straight ahead when we hit the reverse... Looking like rookies... "HUMMMM????" I said... "that's unusual" (not that we're not still learning... we are).

Anyway, in the morning, we tried to "spring the bow off the dock" using an forward spring line... Now usually in backing up against the fwd spring.. the bow usually JUMP off the dock... that morning.. it more or less 'wandered' out into the channel... NO springing!!!!

"Hummm ???? that's unusual!!!" I said.

We made it all the way through two swing bridges, and a narrow rock lined section of the AICW (lovingly called "the Rockpile") without major incident....

WELL... except for nearly drifting into the bridge fenders at the Little River Swing Bridge... Because the boat didn't slow down when I hit reverse... HUMMMM ????

We made it all the way to Southport, NC...when we decided to test the transmission...I couldn't believe that the transmission had 'given up the ghost"... I'm so diligent about checking oil levels, etc.

In testing...it changed gears (fwd / rev)...HUMMM ...

The prop-shaft rotated in the correct direction, etc. So we continued forward and into the Cape Fear River... and fought an outgoing tidal current all the way up to G-35 (buoy Green #35) where we anchored...

But when I asked Susan to verify the anchor set, by reversing the transmission with 1/3 power...nothing happened... the anchor chain was not pulled taught, as usual... HUMMMM ?????

So we tried 'forward' gear. ... NADA... We had neither forward, nor reverse...

NO propulsion what's so ever!!!! NOT GOOD!!!      :(

And the wind which assisted us in motor-sailing up the river... was gone.. dead calm.

So we couldn't even sail-out the anchor. So we called Tow Boat US....

"John, Come get us now!!! OK ?"... so he did...

Propeller spun on the shaft with one finger pushing it around.
NOT GOOD!!!!  key completely disintegrated - gray powder!

After we called John (Tow Boat US)...the tidal current (which can run up to 3+ knots) went slack...so I grabbed my mask and snorkel; threw a line over boat to hold on to, and dove under the boat...The water was pretty murky, but getting to within 9 inches of the prop...and grabbing hold.. I realized immediately why there was no propulsion... the prop rotated on the shaft with the mear touch of one finger... either direction.

The tow was a night tow, down the Cape Fear River...passing ocean freighters, and car ferries in the dark.... A Thrilling ride!!!

... considering we were 50- feet behind the tow boat... and literally went where he went... a couple times I almost called John... "You do see that giant freighter bearing down on us...right?"....????? :)

By 10:30PM we were docked at South Harbour Village Marina... on the AICW. What luck...(more on the luck later).

the Propeller is normally held on the shaft with a lock nut, and castle nut.. those were still in place. But the Key, which guarantees that the prop do what the shaft tells it to do... seemed to be GONE!!! Disintegrated, or corroded.

this morning, the Harbor master called Justin Heady (local diver)...and his buddy Rich.

They were here mid-morning... I was going to get my scuba gear on and go clean up the prop, castle nut, etc. prior to the divers coming.. but in talking to a local sailor, and a local shrimper on the dock this morning, over coffee... They said "YOU might want to re-think that going in the water...thing... there's been a lot of spring 'GATOR' traffic up at this end of the water channel. A five footer just swam by this very area yesterday... True he might not kill you, but he's sure to give you a start!!!"

OK... I re-thought that first scenario...stayed dry today..!!! :)

The divers were through with the job in 1-1/2 hours... using the 304 SS key from our spare shaft (carried on the boat some 12000 miles). No damage to the prop was visable.; castle nut in tact; there was some scoring of the lock nut, but not bad.

SO...we're back together... IT Works; we're now full of fuel...and ready to go...

What a God-send, coming to this marina... Everyone was so friendly and helpful...

So...we're behind our schedule... but OH So LUCKY... :) We didn't have to haul the boat, or buy a new prop, or key... or anything.

NICE!

What do they say ??? Sometimes it's better to be LUCKY, than talented!

OUT of FLorida - St. Marys GA - heading north

It's been an interesting April-May on our trip north.   We got to spend some quality time with our friends, Brian and Sheila Strutt (s/v Moonshadow), in Titusville, AND we got to enjoy Disney World with Ruth, Matt, Charlie, and Billie.  

Breakfast at the Polynesian

the Family at Disney World's Animal Kingdom

Everest Coaster
with family.

Matt, Pluto, Ruth, Billie, and Charlie at MK

Dean the percussionist at the Hoop-de-Doo dinner show!

family at the Hoop-De-Doo Dinner show - Wonderful evening!

We're now headed north at our normal cruising rythym, and pace; slowly.  

We've met old friends along the way, and made quite a few new aquaintances, as well. 
While on a mooring in St. Augustine, our friend Dr. Graham (Arnold) Smith drove down from JAX and met us for dinner.   We had a wonderful evening with Arnold, catching up on his work, his family, and our travels, etc.    

dinner with Arnold at the Raintree Inn - St. Augustine, FL

One phenomenal happening... as we got to St. Augustine, we noticed that we were missing some very important documentation...and searched the boat, high, and low for it...  finally determining that it might be in Brian's Land Rover.  We called them... and sure enough it had fallen somewhere in the back seat...    Great friends that they are, they drove the documents to us (making the trip from mid-Florida (near Orlando), to St. Augustine).   It was wonderful to see them one last time before heading more north.

Some of our new aquaintances were from the Buffalo area, or had ties to WNY. 

We're now (May 10) anchored in the St. Marys River, just south of the City of St. Marys.  Yesterday (Thursday) we dinghied in to see John and Anne on the triple masted schooner "SteelAway".
Tonight, we'll share a happy hour with them.  

Autumn Borne, and Passages (Mo; George) after dinner on Friday
They're heading back to VT for the summer.

Future plans:  lazy day sail over to Cumberland Island...to walk the paths lined with cabbage palms, and live oak trees (covered in spanish moss).  Surreal landscape.