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)