Monday, October 22, 2007 - Middle River to Havre de Grace, MD

We went to shore to walk Sailor and seek out Barry’s help with the new laptop backup program. We hung around and helped Barry and Barb prepare to leave. They are heading south and hope to be in Jacksonville Florida by Thanksgiving and then on to the Caribbean for the winter. They were underway by 1230. They stopped at Long Beach Marina to pump out.

While they were at the marina, we raised the dinghy and engine topside and pulled our muddy anchor. We were heading out of Middle River around 1300, only a few minutes behind Beach Cruiser. We waved goodbye to our good friends. We will certainly miss them but know we will see them again.

Chesapeake Bay was choppy, caused by 15-20 knot winds from the SSE. It was a little rough heading across the bay but conditions improved as we turned to the north. We arrived at Havre de Grace at 1700, docking on the same “T” dock as the last trip. We went for a long walk with Sailor and cooked chicken fried pork chops, carrots, and mashed potatoes for dinner.

Sunday, October 21, 2007 - Our Last Day in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We spent most of the day making preparations to head for Havre de Grace on Monday. I painted the TV antenna mount early and installed it permanently. Dora went to do the laundry. In the afternoon, we drove our new P.T. Cruiser to the grocery store and then to the Radio Shack to buy some things to finish the cable installation. Barry helped me install a program to backup our laptop computer. We said good bye to our friends John and Linda Yates and their son Dylan.

Saturday, October 20, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dora and I continued the installation of the TV antenna. We pulled the wire down the mast and routed it to the pilothouse. I rode with Barry to fill our propane tanks and to buy some spray paint for the antenna mount. We had some excellent pizza with Barry and Barb from Barry’s favorite pizzeria in Baltimore. Dora made brownies for dessert.

Friday, October 19, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I installed a new TV antenna mount on our mast, hoping to improve our reception when we are at anchor. We cooked fresh striped bass (rockfish) for dinner. It was our first time eating rockfish. We found it very good.

Thursday, October 18, 2007 - Baltimore Inner Harbor to Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We walked Sarah to the light rail station at Camden Yards around 1030 for her flight home. The train came about 20 minutes later. We walked back to the marina and prepared to leave by the 1200 check out time. We stopped at Anchorage Marina to pump out our holding tank and were underway by 1210.

It was a hazy day with limited visibility with 10-15 knot winds out of the east creating a chop on the Bay. It took us exactly three hours to reach Frog Mortar Creek. We anchored and then had lunch. We went with Barry and Barb to join their friends, Gary and Donna Padussis for dinner. Barry and I had worked on their theater room re-installing a plasma TV and speakers a few weeks back. We had a fantastic meal at the Milton Inn, a 267 year old inn.Thursday

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - Baltimore City Docks, MD

After breakfast we went for a walk in the Federal Hill area, which is west of the Inner Harbor. We bought a few groceries at the Cross Street Market. We dropped our purchases off at the boat, took the water taxi to Fells’ Point and walked to the Canton area. We took the water taxi back to Fells’ Point. We went to Woody’s Rum Bar for lunch and a brew. The water taxi brought us back to Inner Harbor for an afternoon nap aboard Seascape.

Wednesday evening we shopped for some small gifts for Sarah’s “kids.” We caught the water taxi to Fells’ Point and walked to Little Italy for dinner at Sabatino’s, one of dozens of restaurants in the area. The food was very good. The water taxi stopped running at 2000 so we walked back to the marina around 2130.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - Baltimore City Docks, MD

We had worked out a plan with John Yates to drive Barry and Barb’s PT Cruiser to the City Docks on his way to work and pick us up. We drove to Elite Spice, where he works, and dropped him off. Then we drove on to Columbia to visit with Dora’s parents, giving Sarah the opportunity to see her grandparents. This plan necessitated we get up at 0630 to meet John at 0730 across the street.

The three of us stopped at Columbia Town Center for breakfast at Panera’s. We spent the day with Mr. and Mrs. Leal and Dora’s niece, Jennifer. We drove back to Elite Spice, left the car for John to drive the car back home and caught a ride with Linda to the marina.

We walked to Fells’ Point that evening and had hamburgers and fries at Kooper’s Tavern and Grill. We had a couple of beers at Leadbetter’s Tavern and listened to a talented young woman sing and play an acoustic guitar. It’s a small world! We met a couple there that had seen our boat anchored on Frog Mortar Creek and knew John and Linda’s neighbor, Brenda. We were back on the boat by 2200.

Sailor had been a bad boy while we were gone! He shredded a cardboard box that still had a new marine TV antenna in it. No damage done to the equipment. He was getting even with us for leaving him home alone.

Monday, October 15, 2007 - Middle River to Baltimore Inner Harbor, MD

We set the alarm for 0700, so we could get an early start for Baltimore to meet our daughter, Sarah, who was flying into BWI from Fort Lauderdale, FL. By the time we had walked Sailor and pulled two anchors, it was a little after 0930.

It was a beautiful, cool, calm morning with few boats out on the Bay. We were tied up at the Baltimore City Docks by 1300. We were the only boat at the docks so we had the pick of slips. Docking was a breeze.

We took the light rail to the airport around 1530 to meet Sarah’s flight. She arrived nearly on time at 1715. We rode the rail back to Camden Yards, which is about a four block walk to the Inner Harbor where Seascape was docked. We ate on the boat, went for a short walk around the Inner Harbor, then turned in fairly early since we were all tired.

Sunday, October 14, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

After walking Sailor, I began troubleshooting the reason the main engine hasn’t been starting like it should using the starting battery. I thought I might have bought a bad battery last February but I found a very corroded ground cable between the battery and the engine. I rode with Barry to West Marine and bought a new cable and lugs. The engine started easily after installing the new cable. Linda invited us over for dinner. She served an excellent meal of pot roast, carrots, onions, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Saturday, October 13, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry and Barb loaned us our future cruiser to run errands. Dora and I got haircuts. Dora’s cut was very short!!! We got back around 1300. I posted more on the blog and helped Barry with their solar panels. Dora stayed aboard to do some cleaning. We had baked turkey breast for dinner.

Friday, October 12, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

The wind blew all night from the NW and continued to blow hard all day although it was sunny. Around noon Dora saw that we were dragging anchor and moving toward the south shore and some docks at rapid pace. I ran forward and dropped our second anchor, a Delta, on an all chain rode. It caught immediately, stopping us about 30 yards off the docks in five feet of water.

The Delta anchor on a nylon rode never set as we were dragging and I was able to pull it in by hand without it catching. Dora used the windlass to pull the chain and Delta anchor on board while I motored forward away from shore. At first the boat didn’t move because the stern was aground.

We re-anchored deploying the Danforth first, setting it, and then lowering the Delta. Both anchors set quickly. Later I lowered a 40lb kellet down the anchor line to lower the pull on the Danforth. Wind gusts of 30mph continued all afternoon. John and Linda invited us to go out with them and we had some excellent pizza at Pizza John‘s.

Thursday, October 11, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We went for a short walk before breakfast. It had cooled considerably during the night reaching the upper 40s. It started to drizzle before we were able to return to the boat. Around 1600, Sailor and I went to shore. I sat on the front porch of John and Linda’s house to get out of the cold wind to work on publishing nearly two weeks in our blog. Their sailboat is anchored near ours while the dock builder finishes installing some additional pilings. I helped John rearrange their spare anchor so it wouldn’t chafe the anchor line.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dora and Barb went to the grocery store to buy provisions. They came back and dyed our pilot house curtains and Barb’s duvet in a large tub. I helped Barry with a small boat project and he fixed some problems we were having with our computer. We brought in the dyed fabrics in the afternoon. After we got back aboard, the wind started blowing from the north and it began to rain. Dora cooked a ham, sweet potato, and broccoli for dinner.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I dropped Dora off at the Laundromat after Sailor’s walk. I spent the time reading the owner’s manual to Barb’s PT Dream Cruiser that we are thinking about buying for our trip to Texas in November.

After dinner we went to shore to watch TV on Barb and Barry’s boat and share the last of Hank’s birthday cake. During NCSI we noticed that the wind had started blowing, preceding a strong thunderstorm. We jumped into the dinghy and headed back to Seascape. By the time we were on board it was raining hard. There were high winds, rain and lightening for about an hour.

Monday, October 8, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I helped Barry reinstall a plasma TV at a friend’s house. An electrician had messed up the initial installation. We had to cut six large holes in the wall to pull the power cables he had put in and run new ones. We didn’t finish until 1700.

Dora went grocery shopping with Barb and worked around the boat.

Sunday, October 7, 2007 - Baltimore City Docks to Middle River, MD

We filled the water tank and were off the dock by 0915. We stopped at Anchorage Marina to pump out our holding tank and left there at 1045. There was a lot of boat traffic going down the Patapsco River and we were continuously waked by large motor yachts. It was a little better out on the bay but as we entered Middle River things got rough again.

As we entered Frog Mortar Creek another cruiser was anchoring where we planned to anchor. We had to anchor a little further out from John and Linda’s dock. Their son, Dylan, came by in a dinghy offering to take us ashore. We spent some time with Beth, aboard Beach Cruiser, trying to make her cell phone work with our SIM card. Back on Seascape, a motor yacht passed us very close and complained that we were anchored too close to the marina, even though we were anchored more than a ¼ mile away.

Saturday, October 6, 2007 - Baltimore City Docks, MD

We went for a short walk around Federal Hill Park and came back to the boat for Hank and Maggie to pack. We walked them to Camden Yards around 1200 where they caught the Light Rail for the airport. Dora and I hated to see them leave and immediately missed them. When we got back we washed the entire boat and then went for a long walk, which called for a late afternoon nap. For dinner we walked to the Federal Hill area, bought Chinese take-out and brought it back to the boat.

Friday, October 5, 2007 (Hank's Birthday) - Baltimore City Docks, MD

We had a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, and pancakes and all took showers on the boat. We took the water taxi to Fells Point and walked around. A festival was being set up for the weekend. We stopped at Kooper’s Tavern for a drink and ended up having an excellent lunch.

We spent the afternoon walking around Federal Hill, a community located east of Inner Harbor. It was more interesting in many ways than Fells Point or Canton. We stopped at Cross Street Market and bought bread, vegetables, and a birthday cake for Hank. While grilling steaks for dinner, Hank and Dora smelled something burning. It was a boat on fire at a nearby marina. There was quite a commotion with several fire trucks and a fire boat. Even a police helicopter hovered overhead.

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - Chester River to Baltimore Inner Harbor, MD

I was up at 0630 so that we could catch the tide down the Chester River. We walked Sailor, raised the dinghy, had breakfast, and departed at 0830. The weather was foggy and cool. It took us about 2 ½ hours to reach the Chesapeake. We listened to the blues on Sirius radio while Hank played the harmonica. We reached Baltimore Inner Harbor around 1300. We docked on the eastern side of the city docks near the promenade. A city employee stopped by to collect the $1.25/ft. docking fee. With electricity, a night’s stay costs $56.50. Dora and Maggie walked to the bank to get some cash and decided to do some shopping. Hank and I set up lawn chairs on the dock next to Seascape and watched people and talked. We went out to dinner to Babalu, a Cuban restaurant. It was a nice place, but not especially good food.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007 - Chestertown Marina to Devil's Reach on the Chester River, MD

We pulled away from the marina around 1200 and motored about a mile south of town and dropped anchor near the Chester River’s eastern shore in an area called Devil’s Reach. Hank, Maggie and I went out on the dinghy and fished for a while with no luck. Hank had caught a small blue fish while docked at the marina.

Dora and I took Sailor to shore just before dark. As we approached Seascape on our ride back, Hank called out to Sailor. Sailor flew like super dog off the front of the dinghy. I had to shift to neutral to keep from running over him. We had roast, rice, and broccoli for dinner.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 - Comegys Bight off the Chester River to Chestertown, MD

It was a nine mile ride up the Chester River to Chestertown. We took a slip at Chestertown Marina in the center of town. After lunch and showers, we went for a long walk through the town. We stopped at Andy’s Bar to celebrate Hank and Maggie’s Third Wedding Anniversary. Dora and Maggie ordered mojitos, which weren’t to Cuban standards, while Hank and I tried a couple of beers. We had delicious grilled one-inch thick steaks, oven-baked potatoes, and a mixed salad for dinner.

Monday, October 1, 2007 - Baltimore City to Chester River, MD

We departed Anchorage Marina around 0800 for the Chester River. It was a pleasant ride down the Patapsco River and SE across Chesapeake Bay. We had to go south around Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge and then north up the Chester River to an anchorage in Comegys Bight, about 9 miles up the river. Using the Danforth anchor, we anchored in about 7 feet of water. There was a launch ramp about a mile to the south across the bight, where Hank, Maggie and I took Sailor to shore. The wind picked up a little and it was a bouncy ride back to the boat. Dora cooked spaghetti for dinner.

Sunday, September 30, 2007 - Baltimore Inner Harbor, MD

Dora and I walked Sailor around 0830. There were dozens of other dogs out for their walk. We skipped breakfast because we were going to meet Barry and Barb for brunch at a restaurant they recommended near the marina. Hank had too much fun Friday evening and passed going to the Bay Café. We had an excellent shrimp salad lunch with our friends and Barb’s daughter, Beth. Barry brought the dive tank we had left to be filled more than a week ago.

Hank felt better when we got back from lunch so we took the water taxi to Inner Harbor. We walked around all afternoon and stopped at Ledbetter’s, a small tavern, and listened to an Irish tenor sing for a couple of hours. We had enough shrimp salad left over from lunch for all of us for dinner.

Saturday, September 29, 2007 - Middle River to Baltimore Inner Harbor off the Patapsco River, MD

We took Sailor for his walk, raised dinghy and pulled anchor by 0830. Outside of Middle River, we cut behind Hart-Miller Spoil Island and then southwest to the Patapsco River Ship Channel heading WNW toward downtown Baltimore. We bumped bottom at the pass between Hart Island and Cackold Point.

The trip up the Patapsco River was uneventful except for the rude power boaters and their big wakes. We pulled into Anchorage Marina and pumped out our holding tank and then moved to a face dock about 1130. We secured the boat, hooked up the power, and headed to meet Hank and Maggie at the airport. We took the water taxi, walked a few block to Camden Yards, where we got on the Light Rail for the airport.

Hank and Maggie were walking away from baggage pick up as we entered the airport. We all went quickly to catch the same train we rode in on back to Camden Yards. We caught the water taxi back to the marina. All of this took only a couple of hours.

We ate on the boat and then walked to town and spent the evening at a bar named Cat’s Eye listening to rock and roll and drinking beer. We got back to Seascape about 0030.

Friday, September 28, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

After breakfast we loaded our dirty clothes into the dinghy and took them to shore. Barb and Barry were on their way to run some errands so they offered to drop Dora off at the Laundromat. I worked around the boat and made preparations to leave in the morning for Baltimore to meet my brother Hank and his wife Maggie, arriving from Corpus Christi, Texas for a visit. The wind blew 15-25 miles per hour most of the day.

Thursday, September 27, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I rode with Barry and Barb to run some errands. We went to pick up my dive tank that we had left last Thursday at the dive shop for a “crack” test. It wasn’t ready as promised so we will have to go back Saturday to get it. Dora and I hauled out the dinghy and scrubbed the bottom again. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it was the last time we did it, primarily because we hadn’t waited so long to do it.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We borrowed Barry and Barb’s car and drove to Columbia for a short visit with Dora’s folks. They both are doing pretty well. We got back around 1600. Beach Cruiser has been tied up at John and Linda’s dock for a few days while Barry completes some boat projects. He called me just before dinner and asked if I could dive for some tools that he had dropped overboard. I found his screwdriver and clamp but couldn’t find a small wrench he had lost on Tuesday.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dora, Sailor and I went with Barb and Barry to pump out their holding tank. Barry wanted us to go to handle dock lines so he could watch Barb dock Beach Cruiser for the first time. She docked and pulled away from the dock with ease.

Monday, September 24 - Rock Hall back to Middle River, MD

We walked Sailor at Swan Point Marina and raised the anchor at 0930. The bay was flat calm and it was a pleasant three hour trip to the anchorage in Frog Mortar Creek. We tried two or three times to set the anchor in the right place. Each time it seemed to be too close to something. I went to shore and sat under the trees at John and Linda’s house and posted several entries in our blog. Dora stayed on the boat and did some reading.

Sunday, September 23, 2007 - Swan Creek near Rock Hall, MD

A strong wind blowing from the north awoke us around 0600. It was a new cold front. Our friends departed at 0800 but we decided to stay anchored for another day because of the high winds. Barry called after they were in the Chesapeake to tell us it was choppy. This reinforced our decision to stay put. The wind laid down by noon and we went for a dinghy ride up Swan Creek. There were widely spaced homes, marsh, woods, and farm fields. We had leftovers for dinner and watched a documentary on World War II on TV.

Saturday, September 22, 2007 - Swan Creek near Rock Hall, MD

We had breakfast on John and Linda’s boat, Jo-Lin-Dy. I took Sailor ashore at a wooded area near our boat that was covered with poison ivy. The Swan Creek Marina allowed us to tie up to their dinghy dock while we went into Rock Hall for a few hours. An old fashioned trolley took us the mile to town and gave us a narrated tour at the same time. We had lunch at Waterman’s Restaurant and then walked around town. We got back to the boat about 1700.

Friday, September 21, 2007 - Middle River to Rock Hall, MD

Dora and I made preparations to cruise to the Chesapeake’s eastern shore with our friends in John and Linda‘s new sailboat. About 1000 we pulled anchor and went to a nearby marina (Long Beach Marina) to take on water and 40 gallons of diesel, pump out our sewage tank, and buy some ice.

By the time we had finished, John, Linda, Barry, barb and Dylan were almost ready to raise their anchor but they still had to fill their water tanks and pump out. We went ahead and set a southeast course for Rock Hall, Maryland. We ran the engine at 1500 rpm and arrived at the anchorage in Swan Creek near Rock Hall at 1700. Our friends arrived around 1800 and anchored nearby. They all cane over for a spaghetti dinner on our boat.

Thursday, September 20, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I helped Barry sand the fiberglass we applied on Wednesday. In the afternoon we went to the Olive Garden restaurant to celebrate Barb’s birthday which is September 21. From there we went to the Divers Den to fill one of my tanks. The shop’s equipment that tests for cracks in the tank wasn’t working so we had to leave it there and pick it up next Thursday.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry and I worked on a major project on Beach Cruiser most of the day. A year or so ago he had a new hard top installed over his cockpit. The work was poorly done and, as a result, it leaked in several places. The top was constructed in two parts. We applied three layers of fiberglass over the seam between the two halves.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek. MD

Barry and I left about 1100 to go to his sister’s to install a screen door to the front entrance to of her house. The project went smoothly but it still took over three hours. On the way back to our boats we picked up Dylan Yates at Loyola High School.

Monday, September 17, 2007 - Herrington Harbor South to Middle River, MD

There was no need for us to get up early because it was less than 40 miles to Middle River. We departed about 0900. The wind was still from the north so we had to motor-sail most of the way. Just before we made our turn into Middle River, we shut down the engine and sailed to the anchorage in Frog Mortar Creek. It was pleasing to be sailing without the noise of the engine. We anchored around 1700 off John and Linda’s dock. It had been an exciting and enjoyable trip.

Sunday, September 16 2007 - Reedville VA to Herrington Harbor South, MD

Since we hadn’t gotten as far as we intended on Saturday, we were up early and underway by 0800. The wind was still blowing from the north but it was much better on the Bay than the day before. We motor-sailed most of the day. We pulled into Herrington South around 0800. The marina was part of a newly remodeled resort. We had an excellent dinner at the resort’s restaurant and turned in early.

Saturday, September 15, 2007 - Sailing form Deltaville, VA to Reedville, VA

A cold front blew in during the night. When we got up the wind was blowing hard from the north. We pulled away from the dock around 0800. The wind had really kicked up Chesapeake Bay. Although our heading was almost into the wind, we were anxious to set the sails. Before two hours had passed, the wind was blowing 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 34. The seas were 2 to 4 feet with some as high as 6 feet. Since the sails weren’t helping, John and Barry decided to furl the jib.

We were heading directly into the wind when suddenly the radar antenna, mounted above the first spreader, broke loose and came crashing to the deck. It knocked a hole in the deck near the cockpit where Barry had been sitting a few minutes before.

The weather wasn’t improving and we were all disheartened by what had happened so we decided to go up the Great Wicomico River and up Cockrell Creek to anchor near the town of Reedville, Virginia, instead of going on to Solomon Island, Maryland. I cooked potatoes and onions, chicken fried steak, and green beans for dinner.

Friday, September 14, 2007 - Deltaville, VA

I had to get up at 0230. John, Linda, Barry, and I planned to leave at 0330 to drive to Deltaville, Virginia to get there in time to watch the man do the boat survey. We arrived there around 0730. It was difficult finding a place to eat breakfast in Deltaville. The surveyor had just started when we got to the boat. As expected he didn’t find anything wrong with the boat. The sea trial went well as did the out of the water hull inspection. At 1300 they closed on the deal at the yacht brokers office.

After closing we went shopping for provisions for the trip back to Middle River. The four of us spent the night on their new boat. Dora stayed behind to take care of Sailor.

Thursday, September 13, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

Dora helped me prepare for a trip to Deltaville, Virginia to pick up John and Linda’s new, 41 foot long, Hunter Sailboat. The plan is to drive down early Friday and spend two days sailing it back, if the survey and sea trial goes favorably.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry Ainsworth’s sister, who lives in Baltimore, asked him to install a new bedroom and front door at her house and Barry asked me to give him a hand. Both doors were pre-hung so we had to tear out the old frames and shim the new frames and doors. The bedroom door was pretty easy but the front door barely fit and we had to force it between the wall joists. Both installations looked fine when we finished. It took us a good part of the day.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - Havre de Grace to Middle River, MD

We were up by 0640 to get ready to depart. High tide wasn’t until 1000 so we waited until 0845 to leave. Before we left, we bought ice and filled the water tank. It rained through the night and it was sprinkling when we pulled away from the dock. The trip to Middle River took about 4 ½ hours. The Chesapeake was a little rough especially when we turned into Middle River putting the wind on our beam. We anchored just south of Beach Cruiser. The rain stopped just before sunset.

Monday, September 10, 2007 - Havre de Grace, MD

Sailor and I walked three miles to a veterinarian for his annual check-up and shots and to refill his heart worm medicine. The vet said he was in good health but he needed to loose two pounds. Dora has been putting broth on his food so he will eat it better. I guess that her plan worked too well.

It took us about two hours for us to walk there and back. In the afternoon, Dora, Sailor and I walked to Save-a -Lot and bought a few provisions for our trip back to Middle River on Tuesday.

Sunday, September 9, 2007 - Havre de Grace,MD

After breakfast we went for a long walk. When we got back, I put on my dive mask and found Mrs. Leal’s cane that she had dropped next to the boat while getting aboard on Saturday. We spent the rest of the day reading. It was good to receive a call from our friend Lucy Cuda in Jacksonville, Florida.

Saturday, September 8, 2007 - Havre de Grace, MD

Dora’s sister and her husband Durvis brought her mom and dad for a visit. They came aboard Seascape and ate breakfast. We pushed her folks along the shoreline boardwalk toward town. On the way we stopped at a festival that was happening at the Duck Decoy Museum. We walked on to town and Dolores found some bargains at Tidewater Marina and then we all had ice cream.

When we got back, we had a picnic in the park next to the marina. John, Linda and Dylan Yates stopped by to visit with us for a while. They were in Havre de Grace to take part in a Hunter Sailboat rendezvous at Tidewater.

Friday, September 7, 2007 - Havre de Grace, MD

We walked to town and stopped at the bakery to buy fresh bread and at the pet store to buy Sailor’s food. We happened by the farmer’s market and bought some delicious heirloom tomatoes a lady had raised from seeds.

After lunch I washed the rest of the outside of Seascape. While I was washing, Dora walked to the grocery store to buy a chicken to cook for dinner and have leftover for lunch on Saturday.

Thursday, September 6, 2007 - Havre de Grace, Maryland

Dora and I walked to town after Sailor’s walk and stopped at Tidewater Marina to see whether they could haul Seascape for the winter and how much it would cost. While we were there I bought a shirt and shorts ( Columbia) for 70% off. We bought a few groceries at the Save- a-Lot adjacent to the marina and headed back to the boat.

We started washing the Seascape in the late afternoon but only finished the forward section. It is easier to wash it a little at a time when it is so dirty. Dinner consisted of chicken fried steak and cauliflower.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - Havre de Grace City Yacht Basin

We did some boat cleaning early. We left Sailor on the boat while we went to the marina heads. When we got back we couldn’t find him even though the doors and windows were closed. I ran down the dock and asked two men standing at the gate if they had seen a small black and white dog. They said he had gone by a few minutes ago. We looked around and saw him in the park at the top of a bluff running around obviously looking for us. Apparently, he had gone up to the pilot house, jumped up on the berth, climbed through a small port onto the upper deck and then jumped about five feet to the dock.

After making the boat escape proof, we went for a long walk to the post office through some beautiful old neighborhoods. When we got back we laid down for a nap. Soon we heard some large boats maneuvering near us. There was a tugboat, two large barges filled with pilings and seawall materials, and two small push boats. Several times one of the push boats came within three feet of Seascape. We were a little nervous but they appeared to know what they were doing.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - Middle River to Havre de Grace, Maryland

We planned to leave for Havre de Grace, Maryland around 1000 so we got up early and walked Sailor. After breakfast, we lifted the dinghy and engine topside and pulled anchor. The anchor line was filthy and even had filamentous algae growing on it. It took nearly 30 minutes to wash the rode and get the anchor aboard. We were nearly out of fresh water and needed to pump-out our sewage tank so we stopped at Stansberry Marina off Middle River before getting underway.

We passed Barry and Barb as they entered Middle River on their way back from a weekend cruise with friends and were out on the Chesapeake by 1230. It took about four hours to reach the Havre de Grace City Yacht Basin where we planned to stay for a week. A week’s stay with electric included was only $158.50.

We were too tired to cook so we picked up dinner at a small takeout restaurant associated with the marina. The meal consisted of fried shrimp and a huge pile of greasy French fries. It wasn’t especially good.

Monday, September 3, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

Dora and I used John’s small hoist attached to his dock to take our dinghy out of the water to wash it’s bottom. We pulled the engine first and laid it in the grass and then lifted the dinghy. The bottom was filthy, covered with a thick layer of brown slime and algae. It took us a couple of hours to scrub and scrape most of it off. The dinghy had been in the water continuously for about a month without bottom paint. We won’t leave it in the water that long again. Later we washed Barry and Barb’s PT Cruiser.

Sunday, September 2, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I added a switch into the circuit of the cooling fan I had installed to move hot air from behind the refrigerator and freezer to reduce the running time of those energy hungry appliances. We went to Groesbecht’s Grocery Store in Barry and Barb’s car to re-supply.

Saturday, September 1, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

We spent the day reading and doing small chores around the boat.

Friday, August 31, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

I dropped Dora at the Laundromat near by while I did some boat maintenance. Barry and Barb took off for a few days of sailing with friends. We drove to Weaver Marine on the Back River to pick up our raw water pump that we had taken there to be rebuilt and to visit with Dave and Helen Smith who were spending the weekend with friends at the marina waxing their boat. They invited us to stay and have lunch with them.

Thursday, August 30, 2007 - Frot Mortar Creek, MD

Barry and Barb invited us over for a late breakfast. I rested most of the rest of the day and Dora worked around the boat.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

I arrived back at BWI at 2030, about 30 minutes late. Dora spent the day with her parents at her sister’s house in Columbia, Maryland and picked me up at the airport which was on the way back to where Seascape was anchored in Frog Mortar Creek.

Hank in front of North Country Canoe Outfitters Lodge in Ely, Minnesota

August 22 - 28, 2007 - Canoe Trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Ely, Minnesotahttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=85878350757167

After nearly having to cancel our trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely Minnesota because of a kidney stone and my brother, Hank, having to cancel because of a hurricane threatening Corpus Christi, we finally were able to get underway as planned on Tuesday, August 21st. My flight went OK but Hank’s was delayed because of the weather and George Bush’s visit to Minneapolis. When he finally got to Duluth, his baggage didn’t arrive with him. We were told by Northwest Airline that his things would probably be on the first flight on Wednesday.

We spent the night in a motel in Ely and went back to the airport early to retrieve his baggage. To our frustration, the bags weren’t there on the first flight or the next one or the next one. We almost decided to cut our losses and just go home because we needed many of the things in Hank’s baggage for a successful fishing trip.

The airline finally agreed to give Hank $150.00 to buy some clothes and fishing tackle but we had already lost a whole day of our trip and our permit to enter the wilderness area had expired. The outfitter was able to get us another entry permit but it had to be a different entry point because the preserve limits the number of parties allowed to enter each day from each entry point. This necessitated that we take a different, less desirable, route into the preserve.

The outfitter drove us to the entry point and dropped us off about 1000 on Wednesday. Starting off we had two very long portages of more than ½ mile each, climbing over rough, rocky terrain. We were both pretty tired by the time we found an unoccupied camp site. The campers that had used the campsite the night before had scratched in the dirt, “ Bear August 21.” We really didn’t know if it was a joke or not but we didn’t have much choice but to stay because it was late and we were tired. In any event, we had a restful night. The next morning we tried fly fishing from shore and caught a few fish but released them. Later on we fished from the canoe and caught several smallmouth bass and Hank landed one small northern pike.

That evening after dinner we threw a line over a tree limb and raised our food pack as high as we could, about eight feet off the ground to keep any bears that might happen by from getting our food. About an hour before daylight I heard a scraping sound coming from outside the tent. I woke Hank and we listened for a while. Finally, I opened the tent and shined a flash light in the direction of the sound. We saw four eyes shinning brightly back at us from two rather large bear cubs. Their mother was clawing at our food pack. Since there were cubs we decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and waited to daylight to inspect the damage. She had clawed and chewed a hole in the bottom corner of the pack and had eaten about 1/3 of our provisions but we had enough left to continue the trip.

The next day, Thursday, we had several more long portages and were too tired to fish much by the time we got to our second camp site. We chose a beautiful camp site on the shore of Knife Lake, right on the Canadian border and spent our third and fourth nights there.

We had six short portages the on our fifth day to our last camp site. The camp site we chose was just past a portage around a short stretch of rapids. It was late by the time we had setup camp and had started to drizzle rain. We went out in the canoe fishing anyway and started caching fish right away. I caught two nice smallmouth bass and Hank caught a large northern pike on a tiny rig. It was amazing he landed it. By the time we got back to our camp it had started to rain harder. It was too late to clean and cook some fish so we released them and setup a lean-to so we could cook in the rain. It rained hard for about five hours. The tent leaked a little soaking Hank’s sleeping bag and neither of us got much sleep.

The sixth and last day we made it to the pickup site around 1400, about one hour early. The outfitter’s van arrived right on time to take us back to the lodge. We went out for a steak dinner and beer and spent the last night in a bunk room at the lodge.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dora dropped me off at the Baltimore airport about 1000 for a canoeing and fishing trip to northern Minnesota with my brother Hank and then drove to her sisters house to visit with her parents. My flight stopped at Milwaukee, WI and on to Duluth was uneventful. I arrived about 1230, rented a car. Hank was supposed to arrive in Duluth at 1430 but it was delayed several times and didn’t get in until after 2100. The primary reason for the flight delay in Minneapolis was a political visit to that city by George Bush. That just gave me another reason for my dislike for that man.

We had reserved a room for the night at the North Country Canoe Outfitters lodge in Ely Minnesota for the evening which I had to cancel and instead rent a motel room in Duluth.
Hanks luggage didn’t arrive in Duluth with him but Northwest Airlines said his things would likely be on the first flight on Wednesday so we went to the motel for the night.

Monday, August 20, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek

We fed the cats and fish and took off in Barry’s car to run errands. We went to AT&T to get my cell phone fixed ( it had stopped working during the night), filled the propane tank, dropped off the Kohler raw water pump to be rebuilt a Weaver Marine, and we both got haircuts. We had lunch on the boat and took a nap. We discovered that Dora’s phone had stopped working also. It worked in the morning so what ever they did to my phone must have affected hers. We went back to AT&T and ended up getting new phones.

I packed and prepared to leave for Minnesota on a fishing and camping trip on Tuesday with my brother, Hank.

Sunday, August 19, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

It rained most of the day. We hung out on the boat, reading the Sunday paper, napping, and relaxing, something we don’t do often enough.

Saturday, August 18, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek

A cool front blew in during the night, giving us welcome break from the heat. After we went for a walk, I installed the new fuel pump on the generator. It took about an hour and when I finished it ran, to my great relief since I wasn’t positive that the fuel pump was the problem.

I helped transport John, Linda, and Dylan’s things to Beach Cruiser for their four day cruise around the Chesapeake with Barb and Barry. Dora and I worked around the boat the rest of the day. In the evening, we went to shore to walk Sailor and feed John and Linda’s cats and fish.

Friday, August 17, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry drove me to pickup the fuel pump I had ordered on Thursday. Weaver Marine , I discovered is the same marina that Dave and Helen Smith are keeping their boat for a few months. On the way back we stopped at Home Depot, Boater’s World, and West Marine.

The girls went to Costco to buy supplies and came back with a van full. We had a great steak dinner at John and Linda’s house.

Thrusday, August 16, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

I called Kohler to order a new fuel pump but the referred me to two dealers in Baltimore. One of those was Weaver Marine located only a few miles away off Back River the next river to the south from where we have been anchored. They didn’t have it in stock but said they could have it there by Friday.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We had the Kohler generator running charging the house batteries when it suddenly stopped. Usually when this happens it is caused by a clogged fuel filter. But , that wasn’t the problem this time. I did some trouble shooting and concluded that the fuel pump had stopped working.

We went over to Beach Cruiser for dinner of hamburgers, hotdogs cole slaw and salad.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

I had a 1330 appointment with a urologists un Havre de Grace, Maryland, about a 54 minute drive north of where were anchored in Frog Mortar Creek. This was the only place I could find a doctor that would see me before August 30. Barry, Barb, Dora and I left about 1215. While I was in the doctor’s office, Barry and Barb went for a walk along the waterfront. We had an excellent lunch at Macgregor’ s restaurant located downtown on the water.

Monday, August 13, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

Barry, Barb, Dora and I drove to the city to visit the Baltimore Aquarium which took several hour to see everything. It was a first class facility. We walked the waterfront and ate lunch at a nice grill on the water. On the way back we stopped at the grocery store to re-provision.

Sunday, August 12, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

A day to just relax and read.

Friday, August 10, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

It really cooled off over night. Dora got out a blanket in the middle of the night. I connected the Honda generator to charge the house battery bank for a few hours. When I turned it off I changed its crank case oil which held only 0.26 quarts.

We went to a party at John and Linda’s celebrating Dylan’s 15th birthday. The party was outside under the trees on a beautiful, cool day. I took several of their friends, relatives, and neighbors out in the dinghy to tour Seascape.

Saturday, August 11, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

When I realized that I didn’t have enough Percocet to last until my doctors appointment on Tuesday, I called the hospital to see if they would call the drug store. I found out that no one can call in a prescription for pain medicine. The only alternative was to go back to the hospital emergency room. We were luck, it only took about an hour not counting the drive there and back. On the way back we stopped at Target to fill the prescription and then at a restaurant for crab cakes.

A breeze came up in the evening making things a little cooler.

Thursday, August 9, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

I awoke with intense pain in my lower back again. It took about 20 minutes for the pain to ease after taking the Percocet. I slept most of the rest of the day, getting up to drink more water or to take a pill. Dora was left to do all the boat chores by herself. I guess I had not taken enough pain medicine through the night.

We had a severe thunderstorm during the afternoon and another just before dark. Beach Cruiser drug its anchor and Barry had to use his engine to keep from being blown down on the private docks to the east.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I felt pretty fair when I got up considering how bad I felt on Tuesday. After lunch Barry helped me move Seascape to the marina located just to the west of where we have been anchored to fill the fresh water tank and empty our sewage holding tank. We bought 60 gallons of diesel just to buy something. Dora and I spent the afternoon on shore watching a movie with Barb and Berry and doing laundry. I was starting to feel some pain in my back and felt tired so we went back to the boat and took a late afternoon nap.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

I woke up with a mild back ache. By the time I had made coffee, I was having intense pain on the left side of my lower back. We were planning to go to the Baltimore Aquarium at 1100 but Dora called Barry to see if he could take me to the doctor. We went to an emergency clinic nearby. After a painful wait, they gave me a shot for the pain, took an X-ray, a blood sample and a urine sample. The doctor said that X-rays don’t always detect kidney stones but she requested one anyway and of course it didn’t show anything, I did have blood in my urine. Se told us we needed to go to the emergency room, which we probably should have done in the first place.

At the hospital, they did a CAT scan and found a 5mm stone just above my bladder. They gave a prescription for the pain and anti-nausea pills and told me to go home and wait for the stone to pass. If nothing happens in a couple of days the doctor told me to se a urologist. I was fairly comfortable through the night after taking two Percocet.

Monday, August 6, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dora and I went shopping in Baltimore with Barry, Barb and Dylan, first to the REI camping equipment store, then to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Later we meet Dylan’s mother, Linda, for a great rib dinner. Finally we stopped at Trader Joe’s health food market.

Sunday, August 5, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We slept in until after 0700. The sky was overcast with the wind out of the north. Linda Yates drove Barry, Barb, her son Dylan, Dora and me to the White Marsh Mall to see the “Borne Ultimatum.” We had grilled chicken on the aft deck for dinner.

Saturday, August 4, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry Ainsworth loaned me his customized PT Cruiser to Pick up Dora from her sister’s house in Columbia, MD. I left about noon for the 45 minute drive. Dolores’ husband, Durvis cooked hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill for a late lunch. Dora’s oldest brother, Leo, and his wife, Aurora, arrived in time to eat. Dora’s mother and father looked in good health and I got to visit with them for a while.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way back so it was nearly dark when we reached the boat. Dora was tired after a long week so she showered and went to bed.

Friday, August 3, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Dave Smith called to tell me that they were coming to Frog Mortar Creek to anchor for the evening and then go to a Weaver Marina on Back River for a few weeks. Back River is one river south of where we are anchored. Hw had his son, John, and John’s son, Christian, with him.

The afternoon brought a strong thunderstorm with strong winds, rain and lightening. Dave anchored to wait out the storm so they didn’t arrive until about 1800.

I had made some black beans and rice and took it over to Love and Cheer for dinner. Barb and Barry come over also and Helen Smith arrived by car soon after we had finished eating. Dave picked her up from shore in their dinghy.

It was a hot night, the thunderstorm didn’t cool things off very much at all.

Thursday, August 2, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

We had a cool night but by 0900 it was dead calm and getting hot. I went with Barry to West Marine and to buy ice. When we got back, I started our backup generator - a Honda one kilowatt gasoline powered generator - and connected it to Seascape’s AC electric system to see if it would power the battery charger and refrigerator. It worked great running the charger or the refrigerator, but not both. The Honda uses very little fuel so it is good alternative for the nine kilowatt Kohler, diesel generator if the only purpose is to charge the batteries.

Barry set up our laptop computer to work with a powerful WiFi antenna he had given us. This enabled us to connect to the internet from the boat if there is a signal nearby. I received a signal from 28 different sources although only a few were un-secured and strong enough.

I bathed in the river to conserve fresh water and used water from the ice chest to rinse off. I made chicken fried steak, broccoli, and corn for dinner.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Wednesday, August 1, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek

It was a perfect morning, calm and cool. I wished that I had prepared to run.

I took Barb and Barry for a ride around all the tributaries and coves off Middle River. There were many large and small marinas totaling at least 1,000 boats.

Since Barry had problems with contaminated fuel in his dinghy tank, I emptied ours and found 3 - 4 ounces of water. Hopefully, that will save me from having fuel problems in the future.

I piddled around the boat all afternoon. After it cooled a little, I went to shore and sat under a shade tree and entered a few days worth of blogs. Barb brought over hamburger fixings and potato salad from the previous evening for my dinner.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - Frog Mortar Creek, MD

After Sailor’s walk, I changed the fluid in the transmission. I went with Barry to the NAPA store, grocery store, and west Marine and recycled five gallons of used oil. Later I vacuumed the boat and went to John and Linda’s house and entered six days into our blog. Barb and Barry made hot dogs and hamburgers onshore on John and Linda’s deck overlooking our boats at anchor. John’s wife Linda had just returned from a business trip.

Monday, July 30, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek

Barry and Barb invited me over for breakfast on their boat. I spent most of the day doing boat projects. I cooked pigeon peas and rice and plantains for dinner and took it to shore to share with our friends on their back deck. We could watch our boats at anchor from where we ate. I got back to Seascape about 2000 and ran the generator for a while to charge the house batteries and went to bed.

Sunday, July 29, 2007 - Anchored in Frog Mortar Creek, MD

Barry, Barb, their friend John and his son Dylan came over to Seascape on their dinghy for a late breakfast on our aft deck. We cleaned the boat and prepared for Dora to go to visit with her family. Dolores, Dervis and her mother and father picked her up at 1500. She plans to be gone for about a week.

I went back and typed some entries for our blog. In the evening, I went kayaking with Dylan.

Saturday, July 18, 2007 - Magothy River to Frog Mortar Creek of the Middle River, MD

We departed the Magothy River at 1000. There was much more traffic on the Bay than what we have experienced previously. Many large power boats traveling in all directions created continuous wakes from all directions. We entered Middle River around 1400, reached Frog Mortar Creek at 1430 and were securely anchored at 1500. I tried to set the Delta anchor twice but it wouldn’t set and hold under a load. I deployed the Danforth with a short length of chain and nylon rode and it set immediately. I am starting to wonder why I keep messing with the Delta.

We spent the afternoon and evening at Barry and Barb’s friend’s beautiful home on the Creek. We grilled chicken and fish in their back deck. After dinner Barry and I went to the grocery store and Dora went back to the boats.

Friday, July 27, 2007 - Choptank River to the Magothy River, MD

At 0730 we took Sailor to shore on a small wooded island. We were underway by 0830. We retraced our route down the Creek and the Choptank. Chesapeake Bay was a little choppy but we were going with the wind most of the time. We saw several interesting lighthouses and the Bay Bridge was impressive. We headed west soon after going under the Bay Bridge and proceeded up the Magothy River and finally into Sillery Bay. We anchored Seascape at 1530 in a small cove of Sillery Bay. Beach Cruiser rafted to us on our anchor because there wasn’t enough room for two boats to anchor in the cove.

Barry lowered their dinghy and we motored a short distance to a small community marina where their friend, Stan was waiting for us. We all walked about ¼ mile to his house. There we meet Stan’s wife Kay and is parents who were visiting. They cooked a fine dinner and all eight of us ate around their dining table. Just before we sat down to eat, we heard that a severe thunderstorm was headed our way. Barry and I jumped into Stan’s car and went to secure our boats for wind and rain. It was raining a little by the time we got back to shore but most of the storm passed us to the north.

When we got back after dinner, I started the generator to charge the batteries and it wasn’t pumping raw water necessary to cool it. I installed the new water pump that I had purchased back when we were in Albemarle Sound.

Thursday, July 26, 2007 - Solomons Island to the Choptank River near St. Michaels, MD

I was up at 0700 and made coffee. Dora got up at 0730 and we took Sailor to shore in Barry’s dinghy. There was just a narrow stretch of beach and Sailor played in the water instead of getting down to business. I had to carry him up a steep, 15 foot high eroding bluff to a wooded area to find an acceptable place for him to do his thing.

We pulled the muddy chain and anchor and got underway at 0830. Crossing the Bay the seas were relatively calm and the sky was overcast. Near the mouth of the Choptank River we turned north into Broad Creek and then branched off into San Domingo Creek where we anchored in nine feet of water at 1500. Barry and Barb picked us up in their dinghy and we motored about a mile further up San Domingo Creek to the back side of the town of St. Michaels. St Michaels harbor is located on the Miles River.

St. Michaels is one of the most popular and attractive ports on the Bay. We walked around town and ate dinner at the Crab Claw Restaurant. There was so much to see that we talked about coming back in the car later.

Coming back to the boats, it appeared that Seascape was dragging its anchor which caused me considerable concern for a few moments. I was just the perspective we had as we were coming around a bend in the Creek. We kept their dinghy to take Sailor to shore in the morning.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - Tangier Island to Solomons Island, MD

I was up at 0600. Barb and I went for an early walk around the Island. We departed Tangier Island at 0845. The wind was calm and the current was nearly slack so getting off the dock was easy. Chesapeake Bay was like a mill pond. A haze in the air limited visibility. We traveled at Beach Cruiser’s speed so we kept the RPM between 1200 to 1400 with an average speed of around 5.5 knots.

We arrived at Solomon’s Island at 1500. Both boats stopped at Calvert’s Marina to buy some fuel. We took on 100 gallons of diesel at $2.45/gallon ($245.00). We anchored in Mills Creel, about one half mile from Calvert’s. Barry and Barb anchored about ¼ mile further up the Creek. They launched their dinghy and ferried us to their boat for dinner. They loaned us their dinghy so that we wouldn’t have to lower our dinghy from topside. I was able to work on the internet for a while because we were able to pick up a WiFi signal.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - Pocomoke City to Tangier Island, MD

We were up before 0500, made coffee and walked Sailor. We cast off our lines at 0600 but the Pocomoke City bridge tender wouldn’t answer us on the VHF radio. We finally called him on our cell phone at 0620 and he opened immediately. It was a beautiful cool, almost chilly, morning. The trip down the river was uneventful. Since we had planned to reach the shallow area at the mouth of the river at high tide we transected the area fine. Beach Cruiser bumped bottom once but backed off easily. It took us three hours to make it from Pocomoke City to the wide part of Pocomoke Sound. We had spent 16 nights at Pocomoke City. It was a great place to relax and take it easy.

We were planning to anchor for the evening at the mouth of Onancock Creek but as we passed Watts Island, we realized that it was a relatively short run to Tangier Island which would save us a day as we headed for the Baltimore, MD area. We called Parks Marina to see if they had two slips that could handle us. He said that he would have space after 1500. That meant that we would have to slow down and kill a couple of hours. It’s hard to slow down when you are only going five knots to start with. We called Mr. Parks again at 1430 and he told us to “come on in.”

The current and wind could have made docking difficult but Mr. Parks was at the dock when we arrived and he told us to pull up to the face dock and took our lines. Barry and Barb had fallen back to give us time to dock so that there wouldn’t be two boats trying to dock at the same time.

Seascape was docked in minutes. The space for Beach Cruiser was more problematic. Barry had to turn to port perpendicular to the current and the wind , slip past a piling and stop short of a docked boat, all the while being swept toward the dock. It looked as if he wasn’t going to make it but he swung the boat around 180 degrees and the boat was carried gently to the dock between the piling and the docked boat.

We went for an evening walk through the village and we had tacos on the aft deck in a cool breeze.

Monday, July, 23, 2007 - Pocomoke City

When we went for our morning walk we discovered our bicycle had been stolen. We stopped by the police station to report the theft. It is unlikely that they will find it before we leave because we are planning to leave tomorrow. We started preparing to leave early Tuesday morning. The city sent a crew to pump out our holding tank after lunch. The four of us went to the library for the last time. Barry and I walked to Wal-Mart for some last minute shopping.

Sunday, July 22, 2007 - Pocomoke City

The four of us went for a walk on a nature trail through the woods, near the marina. After I finished washing the dinghy, Barry and Barb helped us load the dinghy topside. After lunch, I helped Barry fix a problem with the tilt for his main engine. Both of us ended up having to go in the water in order to complete the project.

I made crawfish jambalaya and we invited, Barb, Barry and Jim over for dinner. The jambalaya was a hit.

Saturday, July 21, 2007 - Pocomoke City

Barry and I went to the library after breakfast. In the afternoon, Dora and Barb walked to Wal-Mart for a few things. We took the dinghy out of the water using the mast and boom and put it on the dock so I could wash its bottom before putting it topside. We had drinks topside and watched the sun set. Dora and I had pork chops and sweet potatoes for dinner.

Friday, July 20, 2007 - Pocomoke City

We got up a little earlier than usual to go to the Friday flea and farmers market at the park nest to the marina. Dora bought some vegetables and I bought Guardian Service double boiler with a glass lid from the 1940’s that was in perfect condition. Dora and I went to the library for a while when Barry called to tell us that Jim, docked at the marina, had offered to take us to the Sysco store. We bought several bags full of groceries and supplies. Barry and I spent the whole afternoon at the library working on our computers. He is improving both my computer and my skills each time he works with me.

Barry and Barb fixed steak, quinoa grain with squash, and fresh corn on the cob for dinner. Dora made a salad.

Thursday, July 19, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

Barry, Barb, Dora and I took both dinghies up the Pocomoke River about 14 miles to the town of Snow Hill, Maryland. We left about 0800. The River is sparsely developed between the two cities. The uplands are densely wooded with cypress and other tree species. We saw at least eight bald eagles on the way up and several more coming back. The Pocomoke River is one of the least spoiled and most scenic rivers I have ever been on.

The town of Snow Hill was similar of the towns we have visited on our trip. They are trying to improve the waterfront and downtown area to attract tourists and boaters. There were numerous fine, historic homes near the downtown, many of them very large. We had an excellent lunch at a small restaurant in the center of town. Barry and I relaxed on a park bench while Dora and Barb went through a small museum.

By the time we started back, the wind had increased from the southwest. The trees blocked most of the wind so the ride back wasn’t too rough. Just before dark, a strong thunderstorm passed through. We had to scramble to better secure the dinghy just before it started pouring down rain and blowing hard. The storm didn’t last long and it was calm and cooler by 1830.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007 - Pocomoke City

We spent most of the day with Barb and Barry. Barry spent several hours helping me get my computer in order. They gave us a powerful antenna that will help us receive wireless internet signal from a greater distance. We went for lunch at a small café near the boat. Barb and Dora went shopping while Barry and I worked on my computer at the library. We had an excellent dinner on their boat and came back to Seascape for desert.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

We went grocery shopping one more time since we had the rental car. We drove to Food Lion in Princess Anne because we didn’t like the meat from Wal-Mart. I returned the van to Midway Toyota around noon and they drove me back to the boat.

After lunch I went to the library. Barry Ainswarth called after I had been in the library about an hour to tell me that they should arrive in Pocomoke in about an hour. Dora and I helped them dock and secure Beach Cruiser. Barb’s daughter, Beth, wasn’t with them as we expected. She had gone to visit friends and will join them later. They came over for dinner. Dora had slow cooked a London broil with onions, squash, bell pepper, and carrots, as well as rice. We had berry pie for desert.

Monday, July 16, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

We drove to Crisfield, Maryland in the rental car to pick up our mail at the post office. I dropped Dora off at the Laundromat in Crisfield while I went about 30 miles north to Deal Island to look at a boatyard that I was told might be a good place to haul out for the winter. I liked the yard and the owner but I am conserned that the travel lift isn’t wide enough for Seascape. When I got back to Crisfield, Dora and I stopped at a yard there also. I think that the travel lift at the second yard was the same width as the one on Deal Island.

Our friends, Barry, Barb and Beth from Jacksonville called to tell us that they were on their way to Pocomoke City in a day or two on their 35 foot catamaran. We decided to stay in Pocomoke a little longer so we could visit with them. We paid the city $102.00 for six more days.

Sunday, July 15, 2007 - Pocomoke City

A couple on a 47 foot that pulled in yesterday told us about enjoying the town of Onancock, Virginia in the Onancock River. Since we still had the rental car, we decided to drive down there and check out the area to see if we might like to go there next. It was about 25 miles by car. It was a pleasant little town and a nice marina that has slips for 18 boats. We made reservations for two nights next week.

On the way back, we drove through Princess Anne, Maryland which isn’t accessible by boat. We went to Wal-Mart when we got back to stock up in preparation for leaving. The store was nearly full of Latinos that had been brought there by buses and vans to buy their groceries for the week. All of them must be migrant farm laborers. The majority were single young men but there were also young families with small children. We could sense the resentment of the locals, both black and white.

Saturday, July 14, 2007 - Pocomoke City

I went to the library after lunch. I forgot that it closed at 1300 on Saturdays so I didn’t have much time. Dora got back from Columbia, Maryland around 1900. Her mother was a little better but still very weak.

Seascape at Face Dock in Pocomoke City

Friday, July 13, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

The top take-apart hinge on the starboard solon door broke in half all of a sudden. I had a spare hinge but it was for the port door. Bob McMullen, Seascape’s original owner, may have anticipated this happening because he had purchased a spare set of hinges but he must not have been able to find the original style of hinge, so he had to buy a different hinge. This required that I use a wood chisel to enlarge the inset for the hinges on both the door and the frame. I was lucky that it happened early enough for me to complete the repair before dark or the boat would have been full if insects. It took me about three hours all together.

Dora’s mother seems to be doing a little better but the doctors want to keep her in the hospital a little longer.

Thursday, July 12, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

After Sailor’s walk I walked to the auto parts store and bought a 12 volt light socket to replace the one in the overhead light in Sarah’s room. With some modifications it worked great, much better than the original one that had given me problems for years. Dora reported that her mother was a little better but the doctors want to keep her in the hospital until her blood oxygen levels are higher.

I finished washing topside and went to the library again to use the internet.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - Pocomoke, MD

Dora left for Columbia, Maryland around 0900. I went to get a haircut at an old fashion barber shop near the boat in downtown Pocomoke. The only barber was an older black man that had owned the shop for over 40 years. I asked him to not cut my hair too short and leave it full. I’m glad I did because he still gave me a pretty short haircut. As I paid him he gave me a bottle of cologne that had a sticker on it celebrating the 40th anniversary of Fontaine’s Barber Shop and a ballpoint pen.

I went to the library to use the internet in the afternoon. When I got back I started washing the upper deck. It started to rain before I finished.

Dora called around 2100. She had spent the whole day at the hospital. The doctor said she was improving but she had pneumonia and wanted her to stay until the congestion cleared.

Sunset on Tangier Island

Narrow Streets on Tangier Island

Tangier Island Family Graves

Tangier Island Crab boat

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

When Dora talked to her sister in the morning, she found out that her mother had been admitted to the hospital on Monday because she was having breathing difficulties. Dora wanted to go to see her mother so we decided to stay in Pocomoke City for a week and rent a car so she could drive to her Columbia, MD, where her sister lives.

It just happened that the owner of the automobile dealership in Pocomoke City had stopped by to see Seascape on Monday. He had recently ordered a new Krogen 44 and was interested in talking to us about our boat. He was also interested in the fact that Dora had been a teacher since he had been on the local school board for many years.

We called him to see if his dealership rented cars, which they did. Two ladies came by after lunch an dropped off a Toyota van. They came aboard an did the paperwork. A weeks rental was $199.00 plus tax.

We used the van to go shopping. It felt strange driving after several months of not having a car. We studied the Maryland highway map and plotted Dora’s route from Pocomoke City to Columbia, MD. It looked like a three hour drive.

Monday, July 9, 2007 - Pocomoke City,MD

We paid for two days of dockage at $17.00/day at city hall. The first two days were free, including electricity. The city manager came by and said hello. I told him about the problem with the electric hookup and he said that he would get someone to the docks to fix it. Dora went to the post office to mail some packages and I went to the library where I was able to catch up with my blog posts. On the way back we stopped at the local hardware store and bought copper tubing to replace a water line from the hot water heater that had started leaking. We also bought a new hose that connects the propane tank to the barbeque grill. It had also started leaking recently.

Soon after we got back, two city workers came and fixed the electric plugs. It was great to be able to run everything at the same time again. Late in the afternoon I rode the bicycle to Radio Shack and purchased a Sirius Satellite Radio system for our anniversary present for each other so we can have good radio reception wherever we go.

Sunday, July 8, 2007 - Pocomoke City, MD

I was awake at 0600 so I got up and made coffee, washed the dishes from the night before, and studied the tide tables contained in the navigation program to see when we should leave to have high water levels in the shallow water areas we encountered on Saturday.

Dora got up at 0800 and we went for a long walk through the residential streets in the old part of Pocomoke City near the River. There were many large homes, many of them older than one-hundred years. Most were in good condition but some had been neglected for a long time and were in the need of extensive restoration.

It was calm and already getting hot. When we got back, I switched to the secondary circuit on the boat so we could run the air conditioner and I ran the primary circuit off the inverter to keep the refrigerator and freezer running. This was necessary because the dock had only one 30 amp electric plug that was working and it was questionable. I switched it back in the evening when it was cooler and recharged the batteries. In the afternoon, I topped off the reservoir in the hydraulic steering unit on the bridge and filled one of our propane tanks at a convenience store within sight of the marina, across the bascule bridge.

On our evening walk we met Bill Ullmann the owner of a boat two boats down from us that had a 39 foot double-ended sailboat that he had built himself, except for the hull. He built it in a hanger in North Dakota over several years and sailed it down the Mississippi River the Caribbean as far as Venezuela. He has a home in Pocomoke City and keeps it at the dock there for $500.00 per year. He offered to drive me to Crisfield to pick up our mail and save up the seven hour run in the boat. It is only 25 to 30 minutes by car.

Saturday, July 8, 2007 - Crisfield to Pocomoke, MD

We pulled out of Somers Cove Marina at 0815. We had to go way south of Pocomoke Sound around Watts Island and back north again because of shallow shoals. We arrived at the mouth of the Pocomoke River at 1300. The last portion of the channel in the sound before the mouth of the River was very shallow. For about a quarter mile it was so shallow that the depth sounder was blank. The last depth reading we had before it went blank was 4.9 feet. Seascape draws five feet or maybe slightly more. We must have been sliding over the bottom. Once we entered the River the depth improved and at times exceeded 35 feet.

After a few miles in the river I began to wonder if we had picked up a crab trap or something because we had slowed down considerably. I reduced speed and shifted into reverse thinking that might free anything we might have entangled. As I shifted, we both heard a “clunk” so I shifted back to neutral. I wasn’t sure what it was but as a precaution we anchored and I got in the water and checked the rudder, propeller and shaft for any problems. I didn’t bother with a mask but went under and felt with my hands. They were clear of any lines and the propeller blades were undamaged. I then checked the engine room and found no problem there either.

When I got in the water I realized there was a fairly strong current which was the reason for the slower speed. The transmission shifted into forward and reverse OK so we pulled the anchor and went on our way. I still had some concerns about what caused the sound.

We arrived at the dock in Pocomoke City around 1545. There was no one there and the space we were told to dock didn’t look long enough. Instead, we tied up at the end of the long face dock. After we were docked, we noticed a sign stapled to the piling indicating that the space was reserved for someone else. We walked down to the space we were told to dock and I paced it off. It was about 47 feet between the bow sprit of one boat and the dinghy davits on the other. Since there was no wind and minimal current we decided to give it a try. Probably due to sheer luck, but I managed to get Seascape in the space in one try without touching either boat. I couldn’t have done it without the bow thruster.

There were two 30 amp plugs next to the boat but one didn’t have power and the other was very loose and wasn’t making a good connection. I finally got it to stay connected well enough to power the primary circuit. Once we were secure, we went for a short walk around town, had leftovers for dinner and went to bed.

Friday, July 6, 2007 - Tangier Island VA to Crisfield, MD

I was awakened around 0630 by the sound of an engine running nearby. The people on a 44 foot CSY sailboat docked Perpendicular to us were trying to leave but our bow was blocking them from backing out and the wind and current were keeping them from springing it out. They were very anxious to leave so I woke Dora up . I got Seascape ready while Dora walked Sailor. We were off the dock by 0715 and on our way to Crisfield, MD.

The wind was blowing 15 to 20 mph out of the west causing us to roll a little crossing Tangier Sound. We arrived at Crisfield at 1030 and docked at Somers Cove Marina which is a huge marina run by the state of Maryland. A young woman directed us into a slip that proved to be too narrow for Seascape and we wedged to a stop about half way in. She finally put us on one of the numerous face docks. The docks were built in sections over the years, many of them in 1962. Some have old creosoted pilings that are weeping tar got all over one of our dock lines.

We checked in and found out that they didn’t have wifi as indicated in the cruising guide and charged more, because it was a weekend, than the guide listed. All in all, we weren’t impressed by the marina or the town of Crisfield, especially when they were charging us over $81.00 for the one night stay.

We walked around town, went to the grocery and drug stores and did the laundry. By evening we were tired and ready to go somewhere else. Unfortunately, our forwarded mail had not arrived at the post office so we will probably have to come back to get it in a week or so.

We made plans to go south on Chesapeake Bay’s western shore to the Pocomoke River and up the River about 14 miles to Pocomoke City, MD.

Thursday, July 5, 2007 - Park's Marina at Tangier Island, VA

Dora went shopping and I worked around the boat. I changed the oil and filter in the Ford Lehman after 100 hours of running (3554 on hour meter). We decided to go back to Fisherman’s Corner for dinner since we had such a fine meal there on our anniversary. Dora had a salad and crab soup and I had broiled flounder. It was excellent as before. It rained on the way the way to the restaurant but we didn’t get too wet because it wasn’t far.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007 - Park's Marina, Tangier Island, VA

We went for a long walk around the Island after breakfast. As I said, Main Street is narrow but the branching streets, or lanes, are even narrower, barely the width of one golf cart. The houses are close together and most have the front fenced to the edge of the lanes giving them the appearance of cattle chutes. Many of the homes have their relatives buried in their front yard. Cemeteries are scattered randomly about town.

It was interesting setting on the aft deck and watching all the boating activity; large crab boats coming to the dock to buy menhaden to bait their crab traps or dropping off their catch, ferry boats loading or dropping off passengers and supplies, or islanders just using their boats to get around town.

The wind blew hard from the south southwest all day and NOAA was predicting more of the same for tomorrow. We decided to stay another day and wait for the wind to subside.

We sat on the forward deck and watched the Tangier Island fireworks. It was a good show for such a small village.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - Reedville to Tangier Island, VA

We were underway for Tangier Island by 0910. It took us about three hours to reach the Island because we were going slow to try to catch the slack tide to make docking easier. When we got there the tide was still running strong. No one would answer the radio at Parks Marina so I turner Seascape around in the narrow congested channel to head into the current and eased up to the face dock while Dora handled the dock lines. We were secure to the dock by 1230.

Tangier Island is connected to the mainland only by ferry. There is a waterway through the island connecting the main body of Chesapeake Bay with Tangier Sound on the east. Its way of life revolves around fishing and boats. Its relative isolation adds to its appeal. Tangier Island, 3.5 miles long at its longest and 1.5 miles at its widest, was first settled in 1686. During the Revolutionary War, most of the people on the island were British sympathizers. Many if not most of the people living there today are direct descendants of those early settlers.

We went for a walk down Main Street which is no wider than 15 feet. Everyone gets around on golf carts but even then it’s tight for two carts to pass each other. Crab shanties and docks line the waterway through the island.

We went out to dinner for our anniversary at he Fisherman’s Corner Restaurant and had baked crab which was delicious.

Monday, July 2, 2007 - Cockrell Creek off the Wicomico River, VA

I got up at 0630 and made bacon and eggs for breakfast. The wind was blowing from the north stronger than predicted. We took Sailor to shore at the Fisherman’s Museum, loaded the dinghy and engine topside, and we were ready to depart by 0830. It took me a long time to raise the anchor because the chain was clogged with mud that was difficult to wash off.

When I had the anchor out of the water, Dora started to motor down the creek. Just as I had finished washing the mud off the deck, I felt us bump bottom. Dora hadn’t swung wide enough at one of the bends in the creek and we slid up on one of the bars extending out into the creek from shore. We tried to back her off but I was worried that if the skeg and rudder were dug in, we might bend the rudder if I used too much power. Instead, we lowered the dinghy and engine from topside so that I could carry the Danforth anchor out to the center of the creek and drop it. We pulled the anchor tight with the windless so we wouldn’t blow further aground as the tide rose and waited. After about an hour we felt Seascape start to rock a little with the waves. I pulled on the anchor with the windless while Dora gave bursts of power with the engine and we slowly slid her off the bar.

By the time we were free, it was too late to go to Tangier and catch the slack tide for docking. We decided to tie up at the Reedville Marina and spend the night and leave Tuesday morning for Tangier. The small marina is associated with a restaurant and the restaurant is closed on Mondays. There was a small sigh that said to leave the dockage fee in the mail slot at the restaurant ($1.00/foot).

There was a 65-70 foot Hatteras motor yacht from Vero Beach, Florida already docked in front of where we pulled in. He had used both 50 amp plugs in the power pedestals located fore and aft of his boat, leaving only one 30 amp plug for us to use. After we were secure, I walked over to the Hatteras and asked if he needed both 50 amp plugs since we were left with only one 30. He said yes and turned his back to me and walked away, with no explanation at all. I guess you should expect that from a rich ass hole from Vero Beach. It would be terrible if he could run only one or two of his air conditioners.

We were talking to a fellow on the dock looking at the boats and he invited us to come to a fried chicken dinner at the American Legion Hall. We hadn’t decided to go but on Sailor’s afternoon walk we passed the hall it looked like fun so we decided to stop for dinner. We tied Sailor to a tree and had a good Southern fried chicken with all the fixings. I bet there were 300 people there.

Sunday, July 1, 2007 - Anchored in Cockrell Creek off the Wicomico River, VA

The wind was blowing 10 to 15 knots from the north when we got up. We read in the cruising guide that the Reedville Marina has bicycles for rent. Since the grocery store was nearly two miles away, we thought we would rent them to go to the store. I asked the owner of the marina about the bicycles and he said just take them but it is easier to get to the store by dinghy. He drew us a map on how to get there and where to land our dinghy. It was a small “mom and pop” store but we were able to buy most of what we needed.

On our trip to shore in the evening, we went back to the Reedville Marina restaurant and had drinks and steamed clams as appetizers. The wind had laid down by evening so we made plans to go to Tangier Island on Monday.

Saturday, June 30, 2007 - Anchored in Cockrell Creek, Reedville, VA

We had a slow steady rain during the night and it was overcast in the morning. We went to the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum and stayed for several hours. It was a first rate museum with interesting displays and exhibits. Some of the material was propaganda for the menhaden industry but it was informative and we enjoyed seeing everything.

Later, we took the dinghy to the other side of the creek to buy some fresh fish at Cockrell’s Creek Deli and Seafood. Most of the rest of the day was spent on chores or napping. Our cell phones worked for the first time in over a week so we were able to call our friends and family.

Friday, June 29, 2007 - Deltaville to Reedville, MD

We cast off from Fishing Bay Harbor Marina at 0930. It turned out to be relatively easy to back Seascape down the fairway after all but it was calm with no current. We went out the mouth of the Piankatank River to Chesapeake Bay around Stingray Point. We passed the Rappahannock River an proceeded northeast up the Wicomico River. It was a fine day to be on the water, cool (65degrees) and overcast with one to two foot seas from the northwest. Once we were in the river we turned north into Cockrell Creek. We anchored in the middle of one of the branches of the creek in nine feet of water.

Dora was injured while playing with Sailor, of all things. She was standing in the passageway between our stateroom and the solon when she bent down to pick up one of Sailor’s toys at the same time he was jumping up the stairs. His head struck her face very hard giving her a bloody nose. We applied an ice pack to stop the bleeding and keep the swelling down but she was in pain and it still looked pretty bad for a while.

In the afternoon we went for a rides in the dinghy around Cockrell Creek. There was no public dock to land the dinghy so we tied up to the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum dock and walked down Main Street.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century, Reedville became the center of the menhaden fishery, with 15 large processing factories and 60 ships to supply them. The Great Depression and over fishing killed the industry. Now there is only one factory operating with the relics of the past decaying on the waterfront.

However, it is still a great place to visit. The smell of the processing plants were once odious but the remaining factory has a high smoke stack and has taken other precautions to minimize the odor. The industry was once so profitable that numerous old mansions line Main Street. They have been preserved or restored to their previous splendor.

Soon after we got back from our dinghy ride, a couple rode by slowly looking at Seascape. I stepped out on the aft deck to say hello. Steve and Ann have a weekend home on Cockrell Creek and a Willard trawler. The graciously offered to take us for a tour of the creek in their boat and show us their trawler. It turns out that they also have a 27 year old daughter named Sarah. When we got back, just before dark, we gave them a tour of our boat.

Thursday, June 28, 2007 - Fishing Harbor Marina, Deltaville, VA

I got up early and finished washing the boat. Dora was up a little later and made French toast for breakfast. We gave Sailor a bath and set off for town on bicycles to visit some boat yards in the area and check out prices for winter storage for Seascape. We rode to the Deltaville Maritime Museum. It is a regional boat building museum. They had a restored 1924 Chesapeake Bay long-bottom buyboat and a 31 foot replica of John Smith’s shallop used to explore and map Chesapeake Bay in 1607-1608, plus many other models. etc.

When we got back I finished installating the circulation fan for the refrigerator and the freezer. We fixed crab cakes and plantains for dinner. Just as we started to eat, a severe thunderstorm blew in with much lightening, high winds and heavy rain. Lightening struck nearby numerous times. The worst of the storm was over in 20 minutes. Once everything settled down, we were able to finish dinner. We were glad we were at the dock instead of being anchored. We could have easily pulled anchor and blown ashore.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - Deltaville, VA

Pulled the anchor at Fishing Bay to dock at Fishing Bay Harbor Marina around 1030. Before docking we stopped at the pump out station at the marina to empty our holding tank. They put us on a long face dock that was perpendicular to shore with a narrow fairway between the dock and another perpendicular dock at an adjacent marina. It may be difficult getting away because it is too narrow to turn around and Seascape doesn’t back well. After we docked, secured the dock lines and connected electric cords, we used the marina’s bicycles to go to West Marine and the grocery store. It was a four mile ride and it was very hot. Dora was tired by the time we got back.

After lunch, Dora did laundry at the marina while I washed the boat and did other maintenance chores on the boat. I called NAPA and got them to deliver a new battery for the windless and installed it. It took Dora nearly four hours to wash the clothes because they had only one washer and none dryer. She was lucky because there was a captain’s lounge next to the laundry so she could stay cool and watch TV while she waited. By the time we finished our work it was 1800.

We cooked some wild caught salmon that we had purchased at a seafood market and some sweet plantains and then watched two episodes of West Wing and collapsed.

Tuesday, June 25, 2007 - Mobjack Bay to Fishing Bay off the Piankatank River near Deltaville, VA

We departed the East river at 0800. It was a hazy day with 10 knot wind out of the southwest in the morning. After we were out in the Chesapeake our cell phones started working after nearly a week without them. We called our family and friends to catch up on what had been happening.

We passed Wolf Trap Lighthouse on our port. It is a large red brick building built offshore on a shoal in 11 feet of water. We followed the western shore north and then turned west into the mouth of the Piankatank River and continued up the River to Fishing Bay near Deltaville, Virginia. Deltaville is on a narrow peninsula between the Piankatank and Rappahannock Rivers.

We anchored at the northern end of Fishing Bay in about 12 feet of water at 1300. There were only two sail boats anchored when we arrived. We ate lunch and took naps. About 1630 we motored over to Fishing Bay Harbor Marina to reserve a slip for Wednesday and walk Sailor. There are no public docks or shorelines where could walk him in the entire bay. The marina charges $3.00 to tie up a dinghy for a short time.

By evening there were 10 sailboats anchored around us. Dora slow cooked roast beef and vegetables for dinner. It was a nice night at anchor.