SOUTHPORT NC TO PENSACOLA, FL

NOVEMBER 13-29, 2018

After attending a weather forecast and ITCW

 meeting, at the Southport Marina, which is given daily at 1800 hrs local by Capt. Hank Pomeranz, I decided that to continue on from Southport to SC and, possibly, Georgia would be very difficult with our boat which draws 6'.  To do so would mean having to anchor and wait on tides and possible groundings.  I prefer to sail outside anyway but passing Cold Fronts had prevented me form doing this.  A Cold Front had just passed through and the wind was out of the North at 20 kts with 6' seas on the outside.  we were already south of Cape Hatteras so I decided to sail on the outside knowing that wind and seas would increase.  Our Valiant 40 is made for these conditions and the wind and seas would be on our port quarter which is comfortable sailing.  We could fly just the furling genoa and adjust accordingly as conditions dictated.

We departed Southport Marina on November 13th at 0900 hrs local and continued sailing all the way to Port Canaveral with a N-NE wind fluctuating between 20-25 kts and gusting a little higher at times.  We could have kept on sailing to Port of Palm but I was concerned that the Gulf stream would be moving more inshore and creating a bigger sea under the prevailing conditions.  By the time a sailing vessel gets to Port of Palm, the influence of the Gulf Stream is just outside the Sea Buoy.  With a strong NE'ly wind this will set up a much bigger sea.  So I opted for Cape Canaveral and the ICW once again.  We arrived off the Sea Buoy at 0930 hrs: sailed 367 nm in 72.5 hrs @ 5kts under poled out jib. 

 It's about 140 sm from Port Canaveral to Port of Palm.  There are some lovely places along this stretch of the ICW and the extremely wealthy have mansions sprawled along stretches of it when approaching Port of Palm:  just a lowly millionaire won't qualify.  Anyway, about 14 sm below Cocoa Beach, Fl we found a beautiful ICW town called Eau Gallie (28-07.517' N; 80-37.651).  This small town is a hidden gem: you don't see it from the ICW and the entrance leaves one doubting whether or not you will run aground.  Once inside, there is a huge basin with 10' depths and a marina that has to be the cheapest  anywhere along the ICW:  $1.00 per ft per night and even cheaper by the week or month.  I seem to remember that if you took a slip for a month you only pay for three weeks.  There is a canvas shop called Karen's and she has been servicing yachts for forty years.  She too, has some of the most reasonable prices I have seen.  The town is attractive with art galleries and antique shops plus a thrift store that carries to name brands at Salvation Army prices.  All in all a lovely experience.  If we get the chance, We'll go back and spend a few days.  Since we were on our way to Pensacola and Cold Fronts were increasing in time and strength, we only spent two nights there.

  The following morning, November 18th, we departed the Eau Gallie Yacht Basin Marina for Port of Palm:  110 sm.  We dropped anchor just south of the Ft. Pierce Br. at 1548 hrs for the night: (27-27.320' N; 80-18.524'W) 52 sm made good.  We heaved up anchor the following morning, Nov.19th, at 0812 hrs enroute for Port of Palm: 46 sm.  This stretch of the ICW has the big mansions and many bridges that have to be timed.  I don't think I would come this way again unless the Wx outside was awful.  The mega yachts are rude and inconsiderate:  their wealth is proportional to their nautical ignorance.  We dropped anchor at North Lake Worth (26-50-351' N; 80-03.228' W).  This is a good place to anchor with plenty of room and water depth.  The following day, Nov. 20th, we moved over to Old Cove Marina to take on fuel and pump out  our sewage holding tank.  We stayed there for the night and left the following morning, November 21st, for Port of Palm anchorage (26-46.023' N; 80-02.609' W).  We have anchored here a few times and it's a good with good holding and room.  So far we have sailed and motored over 1100 nm  with another 200 nm to Key West, Fl and 510 sm from there to Pensacola.  that adds up to  a little over 1800 sm from New London, CT to Pensacola, FL.

From Port of Palm Beach to Key West, Fl it's about 200 nm sailing to the outside from Port of Palm to just south of Miami and then using the Hawk Channel form there to Key West.`The Hawk Channel in an interesting placethat runs from Biscayne National Park to Key West.  The advantage of using this route for sailing vessels is that the current runs slowly from Biscayne National Park towards Key West while the stronger Gulf Stream Current runs outside the reef line and flows from Key West in a northerly direction up the east coast of the US.  Sailing this stretch is about 154 nm and is weather dependent.  There are few good places to anchor and nighttime sailing is not recommended due to numerous crab traps and other obstacles.  The channel is well marked and maintained but frequent hurricanes cause shifting sand banks and debris.  The most important caveat before deciding to use the Hawk Channel is to get a settled weather report.  A shallow draft vessel with less than 5' can access several safe anchorages along the way but our 6' draft does not allow this:  just that 1' increase makes all the difference.

I had a good weather report for November 21-24, 2018 so the only thing I had to do was to work out the timing so that we would arrive off the Hawks Channel entrance at daylight on November 22nd.  We arrived at 0630 hrs with the goal of reaching Rodrigues Is (25-03.548' N; 80-26.427' W) for the first night's anchorage:  37 nm.  We had a good night at this anchorage with light NE'ly wind at 5kts.  The following morning, May 23rd, we heaved up anchor at 0654 with the goal of reaching Bahia Honda (24-39.282' N; 81-16.194' W) by late afternoon:  55 nm.  This we did and dropped anchor at 1730 hrs.  I had to reset the anchor three times due to a grassy bottom.  I never did get a really good holding but it was sufficient for the weather conditions and the room I had to drag.  There were a few thunderstorms in the late evening but nothing severe hit us; lots of lightning but nothing close.  

At 0706 we heaved up anchor and got underway for Key West: 33nm.  Due to crab pots and debris, we motored most of the way down the Hawk Channel.  It was the only way we could time the available anchorages.  From Bahia Honda anchorage, the crab pot grew in number and density to a point where it became necessary to weave in and out of them.  They are similar to lobster pots in that they are set in strings.  Once you locate the head of the string, it's possible to navigate around or between it.  It would be dangerous to try this at night without good visibility.  We arrived in Key West at 1350 and took a berth at A&B Marina in the heart of downtown Key West.  

The last ime Phyllis and I were here in Key West was in July 1978.  She was pregnat with our first daughter, Samantha, and we were sailing a 40' Wharram Catamaran named "Giniginamar" that we had spent six years building in the village of Giniginamar, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.  We were headed towards Carabelle, FL to rendezvous with a our friend, Gary Gilbert, who had crewed for us from Barbados to Key West.  We were now sailing towards Pensacola where, Samantha, lives with her husband and two children.  Key West for us, was a whistle stop to rest before the final leg to Pensacola.  It has grown a lot and we didn't recognize the places we had been in 1978 other than the anchorage at Christmas Tree Island.  We only spent one night at A&B marina and then set off from the NW Channel at 1012 hrs on November 25th for Pensacola, Fl. 

 Once again, the important thing in making a direct sail from Key WEst to Pensacola is a good Wx forecast.  The best time to leave is when a Cold Front has passed through and the winds shift to the NE > E >SE  That's what we had and we were able to sail the whole way right into Santa Rosa Sound and off our destination to Palafox Pier and Yacht Harbor.  

We completed a six year circumnavigation in June 2018.  Our experience has been that the most important aspect of long distance cruising is timing the seasons and long term Wx forecasts.  One can never know exactly what the Wx will be on a long distance cruise but if the season is correct, it won't be severe.  Gales will happen to every long distance cruiser but their ocean going vessels are more than adequate to deal with this.  The sail to Pensacola was uneventful and enjoyable.  We arrived on November 29, 2018 at 1130 hrs:  510 nm in 96 hrs @ 5.3 kts.  After coming out of the NW channel, the wind went light and we had to motor on and off for twelve hours. 

 Arrived off Palafox Yacht Pier and Marina  at 1130 hrs local on November 29th, 2018.  We will be in Pensacola until the end of April, 2018 and no further posts will be made until we start navigating again at the beginning of May.  The plan is to set sail from Pensacola to Cuba in May. 

       

  

        

The sail

  

ICW FROM MILE 0 (PORTSMOUTH, VA TO MILE 310

ICW FROM MILE 0 (PORTSMOUTH, VA) TO MILE 310 (SOUTHPORT,NC)

NOVEMBER 5-12, 2017

Navigating the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) requires some planning.  There are bridges that are only open during designated hours, railroad bridges that close whenever a train is due, swing bridges that stay closed if the wind exceeds, 30 miles per hour.  Then one has to choose an anchorage or marina for the evening.  Many of the places along the ICW are too narrow for safe anchoring and prevailing weather conditions.  We figured that we could run 50-60 miles per day at an economical cruising speed of 5 kts.  We were usually underway by 0800 hrs in the morning and anchoring by 1700-1800 hrs in the evening.  Once the vessel gets into the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds weather becomes increasingly important.  Both of these Sounds have long fetches and can kick up a nasty sea; also, the Neuse River deserves respect.  In navigating these waters, Active Captain is a dedicated mariners information source.  All members of this website post information on hazards, marinas, anchorages, cheap fuel, etc., etc.  It has been so successful that it was bought out by Garmin Charts and incorporated into their charting programs.  I use Active Captain exclusively for navigating along the ICW.

We left Portsmouth at 0630 hrs on November 5^th.  We went through the following bridges:  Southern RR Lift Br (0642), Jordan Fixed Br (0645), Norfolk & Western RR Lift Br. (0652), Glimerton RR Lift Br. (wait 35 minutes for train 0710-0746, Veterans Br., Great Bridge Locks (0854), Great Bridge (0900), Centerville Swing Br. (0930), North Landing Br. (1034), Pungo Ferry Br. (1143).  After passing through all these bridges, we had made 28 SM (statute miles).  Our goal was Coinjock Marina at SM 50.  We managed this and were all fast at 1500 hours.  Coinjock Marina (36-21.0’ N; 075-56.880’ W) has a monopoly on this stretch of the ICW because there just isn’t much to be had for anchorages.  The waterway is relatively narrow and shoal outside the day markers.  Demand at the marina exceeds the dock space available so advanced reservations need to be made the day before or in the early morning during this time of year when moist yachts are heading South to warmer waters and the Bahamas.  Seizing the opportunity, they increase their prices.  They have a good restaurant and some supplies, fuel, water and pump out.  It’s a convenient place for the evening.

November 6, 2017 we departed Coinjock Marina after topping off with diesel and checking the weather in Albemarle Sound.  The first 25 SM of this trip is quite beautiful with lots of wildlife.  Albemarle Sound is a long stretch of water that is rater shallow but well marked with day markers.  There are shoal areas but they are well documented in Active Captain and on the Garmin Blue Charts which can be overlaid with the Active Captain data base.  Our goal for today was another 50+ miles to the entrance of the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal.  The weather was excellent with a light ESE wind.  At 1615 hrs, we dropped anchor to the East of Deep Pt in 10’ water depth with 60’ chain out (35-39.638’ N; 76-01.893’ W).  The anchorage is well protected from E-SW winds but exposed to anything from the North.  WE had a light ESE’ly wind.  This anchorage put us in a good position to navigate the long narrow stretch of the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal the following day.  It was a peaceful night in the anchorage.

November 7, 2017 we heaved up anchor at 0645 and decided to make as much millage as we could under pleasant weather conditions.  The Alligator River/Pungo River Canal was cut straight through by dredging in the 1950’s.  Since it was cut through cypress and pine forests, there are continuous stumps on both sides of the Canal.  Due to  erosion from vessels, the banks have collapsed and widened in many parts of the Canal.  It’s about 25 miles long and offers no possibility of anchoring anywhere along its length.  Constant vigilance is required to avoid floating debris from storms and falling trees due to erosion.  It’s a pretty area with lots of bird life.  There is a USCG station in Hobuchen, NC that gives weather reports of the Pamlico Sound.  We managed to run 65 miles to the entrance of the Pamlico Sound and at 1610 hrs,  anchored off Vandemeer in the Bay River in 10-11’ of water with 70’ chain out (35-10-676’ N; 076-39.370’ W).

November 8, 2017 we heaved up anchor at 0700 hrs and got underway to Beaufort, NC.  The Pamlico and Neuse Rivers are well known for boisterous wind conditions.  The Neuse River has been described by locals as one of the meanest rivers along the East Coast.  The Pamlico can kick up a mean chop due to the fact that it has a long fetch.  It’s shallow so the seas that build up are short and vicious.  On this day, the wind was out of the North at 15-20 kts.  Since our course was to the SW, we had a good sail under the jib.  We had an approaching Cold Front moving in so we decided to take a berth at the Town Creek Marina in Beaufort, NC (34-43.546’ N; 076-39.928’ W).  We were all fast by 1545 hrs and had made good about 25 miles.  The weather turned bitterly cold during the evening but we had CruiseAir Heating so we were very comfortable.

November 9. 2017.  The Beaufort/Morehead City Ship Channel is an excellent place to exit and take the outside route to Southport, NC and beyond.  It is weather dependent and during this time of year rough. We evaluated the outside conditions and decided it was best to stay in the ICW so we departed the marina at 0815 hrs with a goal to make Mile Hammock Bay at SM 245.  This is the Camp Lejeune Marine Base but open to boat traffic.  There are several bridges enroute:  Atlantic Beach Bridge, Emerald Br., Onslow Br.  One of the big problems encountered by boats is that many of these bridges only open on the hour and half hour.  They are fairly punctual and want the through traffic to be very nearby.  This can be difficult for sailboats due to currents and wind.  If you have an engine failure, before the bridge opens, it can be catastrophic unless you can get an anchor down in time.  I try to time it so that I’m quite near but at the back of the line of vessels transiting.  At 1545 hrs we arrived at Mile Hammock (SM 245) and dropped anchor in 12’ of water depth with 90’ chain out (34-03.081’ N; 077-19.430’ W).  This is a well-protected bay off the ICW with room for many boats.

November 10, 2017.  We departed Mile Hammock Bay at SM 245 at 0815 hrs enroute to to Wrightsville, NC at SM 285.  There is an excellent anchorage off Wrightsville Beach.  At 1600 hrs, we dropped anchor in 17’ water depth with 100’ chain out.  There are a few unattended boats in this anchorage that present a danger if they start dragging.  This happened during the morning of November 11^th when the winds picked up to 30-35 kts and one of the unattended boats started dragging.  When we are at anchor, I always leave the VHF Radio on Ch 16.  If anything threatening or worthy of comment is happening, it will be broadcast on VHF 16.  I picked up one of the boats calling the USCG  at around 0100 hrs and telling them a derelict boat had drug into them and was continuing to drag past.  I went on deck and saw the drifting boat off my port bow and monitored it for about fifteen minutes.  After that, it appeared that it presented no danger to us or other anchored boats.  Eventually, it drifted onto a sand spit and the anchor held it in place.  I increased my anchor scope to 150’ and went back to bed.  It is these situations that present the most danger to anchored vessels during strong wind and sea conditions.  Given the right Wx conditions, Masonboro Inlet is another good place to exit the ICW.

November 11, 2017.  We weighed anchor at 0848 hrs enroute to Southport Marina at SM 310.  There is one area of this passage called Snow’s Cut.  The currents are strong and there is a continuous movement of sand and mud the produces shoaling.  Snow’s Cut exits into the Cape Fear River which is known for strong tidal flows and currents in addition to Wx conditions.  I wanted to take a berth at Southport Marina because they offer the services of a former marine meteorologist and an expert on vessels transiting the ICW South and North.  A meeting is held daily at 1800 hrs in one of the marina’s conference rooms.  The information given here is the most valuable for any cruiser heading south into South Carolina and Georgia.  After seeing all the shoaling along this route, and the fact that my 6’ draft was just too much to handle it without anchoring and waiting on tides,  I decided to take the outside route and deal with the NE’ly wind and sea.  We have an ocean going yacht, have dealt with much stronger wind and seas, and the wind and seas would be on our port quarter.  A small craft advisory was in effect for NE’ly winds to 25 kts and seas 5-7’.  By setting a reefed jib, we could safely sail to Florida.

  

ANNAPOLIS TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

ANNAPOLIS, MD TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

OCTOBER 31 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2017

We departed Bert Jabins Yard, in Back Creek, Annapolis on October 31^st bound for Norfolk.  The distance from Annapolis to Norfolk is 140 miles.  Since most sailing yachts will not be able to make this distance down the Chesapeake Bay because of Tidal Currents and varying wind conditions, it is done with an overnight stop somewhere along the way.  We chose Calvert Marina at Solomon Island’s Back Creek.  This marina has some of the best berthing rates around: $1.00 per foot!  It’s a great marina with a loaner car to boot for grocery shopping.  We arrived at 1615 and ended up staying for two days because of a cold front that was passing through the area.  We tried to leave but were drive back by SE’ly winds 15-20 kts on the nose.

On November 2 at 0830 hrs we departed the marina in calm winds.  In the yachting world the winds go from “feast to famine” during the passage of frontal systems.  This means motoring.  At 1808 hrs we dropped anchor off Gwynn Is. (37-30.599’ N; 076-18.451’ W) in 19’ of water depth with 80’ of chain out.  This is a nice alternative to the Deltaville anchorage and very pleasant.  The distance from Gwynn Is, out the Piankatank River, to Norfolk is about 45 nm.  We departed the anchorage at 0812 and arrive at the Ocean Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, VA at 1715.  If there is room, we usually take a free bertn at the Portsmouth North Landing dock which is free.  This time around, there was no room at the inn.

We had wanted to sail on the outside around Cape Hatteras to Beaufort, NC or possibly Southport, NC.  It’s all weather dependent and the predicted weather was not good for an outside passage so we resigned ourselves to another ICW passage until weather conditions permitted us to exit and sail on the outside.  The ICW has a controlling depth of 12’ but there are places where it is less and more.  Inlets coming into it from the sea tend to produce shoaling; hurricanes change the channels; floods add debris.  It demands constant vigilance and helming.  It can only be safely navigated during daylight hours but heavy steel tugs and barges use it during the night.  It is quite beautiful, in many parts, with lots of wildlife and birds.  We saw several bald-headed eagles and ospreys.

NEW LONDON TO ANNAPOLIS

NEW LONDON, CT TO ANNAPOLIS, MD

SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 3, 2017

We departed Crocker Boat Yard at 0654 hrs on September 30^th for Annapolis, Md.  The purpose of this trip was to have Horton Marine Services install a new SeaFrost DC Refrigeration System.  The original SeaFrost Refrigeration system that had been installed in our Valiant 40 in 1991 was engine driven.  This is a good refrigeration system but requires that the engine be run twice daily for about 45 minutes each time.  Also, it makes it difficult to leave the boat unattended for any length of time.  We used to get around this by packing 40-50- lbs of ice in the freezer and refrigerator.  This would last about 5 days and give us some freedom to leave the boat.  We took this system around the world and it performed well.  At times a line would break and we would lose all the Freon; given the long run of cooper piping, small leaks were inevitable; the system was 26 years old; it’s not good for a diesel engine to idle along for 1-1/2 hrs per day.  This is a good system for day/weekend cruisers but blue water cruisers making extended long distance passages, under sail and not needing the engine, find it cumbersome.  I had wanted to keep the engine driven system as a backup for the DC one but it proved to be impossible.  The holding plates in the engine driven system were too big to accommodate the DC system. 

The decision was made to remove the old engine driven system entirely.  This necessitated removal of all the copper tubing and holding plates.  Given the fact that our freezer/refrigerator space is fairly large, it was decided to have two DC compressors running the system.  If one compressor should fail, the other one could be used to keep things cool until a repair could be made.  Additionally, since I decide to have both compressors installed the Port Locker; the water cooling option was added to the standard air cooling one.  In hot humid tropical conditions both cooling systems could be used simultaneously.  To do this meant that the boat would have to be dry- docked to install a new thru-hull fitting.

Once we got out into Long Island Sound, there was a good NE’ly wind blowing 15-20 kts so we decided to take the inside route through NYC.  This put the wind and seas on our stbd. quarter and was comfortable.  The wind continued to increase to 30 kts in squalls but we were under a reefed jib so all was under control.

Oct 1, 2017.  After a long day of sailing with brisk winds, we decided to put into Port Washington in Manhasset Bay (40-49.692’ N; 73-43.439’ W).  At 0148 we dropped anchor in 15’ water depth with 90’ of chain out.  It was well protected so we had a good night’s sleep.  At 0500 hrs in the morning, we picked up anchor and motored through NYC and out of Ambrose Channel.  We set sail but the wind was going light.  At 2100 hrs, it died completely so we started motoring.  This would continue for the rest of the trip to the Delaware Bay.  At 2020 hrs on October 2^nd, we dropped anchor at Reedy Is. anchorage (39-32.768’ N; 075-33.127’) in30’ water depth with 150’ chain out; the current was running hard.

October 3, 2017.  We heaved up anchor at 0730 hrs and entered the C&D Canal westbound; we exited the Canal at 1045 hrs.  It’s 65 nm from the western end of the C&D Canal to Annapolis.  We were able to motor sail on some of this trip.  Going through the Canal is delightful and quite beautiful.  Actually, the upper Chesapeake Bay is very beautiful.  We dropped anchor in Back Creek, Annapolis (38-57.732’ N; 076-28.925’ W) at 1830 hrs.  This position is just off Bert Jabins Boat Yard where we were going to have the DC Refrigeration installed.

The Annapolis Boat Show was scheduled to begin on Oct 5-10 so we knew that no work would begin until after the show.  Also, some of custom holding plates for the new system had to shipped from SeaFrost in New Hampshire.  Installation didn’t begin until October 25^th and finished on October 30^th.  Nathan Horton is the son of Cleave Horton who is the owner of SeaFrost.  He does excellent work; that is why we had stopped in Annapolis on our way North to have him take all the measurements and waited specifically for him to do the job. 

Ideally, one should be thinking of departing Annapolis after the Boat Show and start heading south.  We were a little late and the frontal systems were starting to be felt.  We wanted to take the outside route around Cape Hatteras but it was weather dependent.  As it turned out, we would have to take the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) from Norfolk, VA to Southport, NC.; that’s a lot of motoring and helming.  It requires constant vigilance as there are shallow spots and obstructions along the way; still it’s a good alternative to the stormy waters off Cape Hatteras.

   

NEW ENGLAND

NEW ENGLAND

AUGUST 4 TO SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

Phyllis and I are both New Englanders:  she is from Maine and I am from Connecticut.  Most of our family and friends still reside in this area.  When we are in CT, we stay with her sister, Maureen, in Plantsville, CT.  My best friend, Ken, lives in Brattleboro, VT so we spend time with him and his wife, Susan.  Every year, her brother Val – a Marist Brother- reserves a large log cabin at Camp Marist on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH from mid-August until the end of the month.  Most of the immediate family shows up and stays there during this time period.  It is a wonderfully relaxing gathering and gives the family quality time to catch up on events and gossip.  We hadn’t been to one of these gatherings for several years since we were on a circumnavigation with our Valiant 40 sailboat.  It was wonderful to be able to spend time there.

My very best friend on this planet with only one moon is Ken.  We have been friends for over fifty years and shared many adventures together.  Our friendship started in Barcelona, Spain in 1966 and will continue on, in thought and memory, after one of us is no more.  It is always a joy to spend time with him and his wife, Susan, in Brattleboro, VT.

Phyllis has two living brothers:  both are lay Marist Brothers and live at two different Marist residences in New York City.  One of these brothers spends the summer at Camp Marist in New Hampshire working with young adults from many different parts of the world.

New England calls to me.  Even after travelling to many different countries, I find that a New England Fall Foliage scene ranks at the top of exquisite natural wonders.  It’s always a special delight to return to Central Connecticut.  During the next few seasons, we will spend the summer in New England and the winter down south. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD

ANNAPOLIS, MD

JULY 23 – 31, 2017

At 0806 hrs on July 23^rd, we departed Spring Cove Marina (38-20.088 N; 76-27.623 W) on Solomon Island for Annapolis, Md: 40 miles distant.  The purpose of going to Annapolis was to have Nathan Horton, from SeaFrost Refrigeration Systems, spec- out our system and make recommendations on the installation of a new DC SeaFrost System.  The 1991 Valiant 40 came with an engine driven SeaFrost  System that has worked very well over the years.  The main drawback to this system is that the Main Engine has to be run two hours per day to keep things cold.  Additionally, since the cooling isn’t constant, between refrigeration charges, it is difficult to keep frozen food from having a slight thaw out.  The DC Refrigeration System will keep the temperature constant within a few degrees.  The plus side of the Engine Driven System is that it keeps the batteries charged up because the engine is being run two hours per day.  The downside of the DC Refrigeration System is that, with two compressors running, the battery draw is 120 amps per day.  We have a D400 Wind Generator and a 240W Solar Panel that will put some of these needed amps into the battery bank but, I believe, we will have to occasionally run the engine to make up the difference.  Our battery bank is 600 amp hours and we have never had a problem with batteries running low.  In the end, a reliable DC system is the better choice for keeping frozen and refrigerated food at optimum temperatures.  Whenever we have to motor, the alternator is putting amps into the system.

On July 25^th, we shifted over to the Bert Jabin repair yard in Back Creek (38-57.710N; 76-28.917W) and Nathan Horton came aboard to spec-out the system.  The end result was that the two existing SeaFrost systems (Engine Driven and Shore Assisst) would have to be removed in order to install a new SeaFrost DC Refrigeration System.  Also, some additional insulation would have to be added.  It is a big job and will be expensive:  just how much? I don’t know yet. This is the difference between buying an older boat and a newer one.  The newer one will take a lot more money upfront but the older one will require more maintenance and replacing systems as they become obsolete or wear out.  I still think that the better value is found in a well maintained older boat.

After the consultation,  we were ready to set sail for New London, CT on Thursday July 27^th, however, a severe Wx Warning was given for the Mid-Atlantic States and New Jersey Coast.  We plan to set sail on Monday July31st.  In the meantime, we have always liked Annapolis.  The Annapolis Yacht Basin has good moorings, pump out and Water Boat, showers, laundry, and a water taxi.  It is a safe place to be and, at $35 per day, very reasonable.  The old historic district is interesting with lots of interesting places to see.  The US Naval Academy has one of the best maritime museums we have seen.  They have a collection of what were called Dockyard Models dating from 1650 until the end of the golden age of great tall ship building in the early 19^th century.  These small scale models were made up as a guide for planning  the  actual construction of the vessels.  They were, mostly, for the construction of naval war ships.  The museum claims that it is the best collection in the world;  there is one in London that rivals it. 

For those that choose to anchor, there are many creeks that afford a safe place to be for an extended period of time.  Back Creek is one possibility and has Water Taxi Service and Pump Out, or one can use their own dinghy:  these can be tied up almost anywhere.  Every street that ends at the harbor is a dinghy dock!

We will return at the end of September to have the new DC Refrigeration System installed and attend the Annapolis Boat Show on October 5^th.  After that, along with all the other boats heading South for the Winter, we, too, will be in that group.

PORTSMOUTH, VA TO ANNAPOLIS, MD

PORTSMOUTH, VA TO ANNAPOLIS, MD

JULY 21-23, 2017

The distance from Portsmouth to Annapolis is 140 miles up the Chesapeake Bay.  We had one stop to make at Solomon Is, which is about 100 nm from Portsmouth enroute to Annapolis.  We departed North Landing at 0645 hrs on the July 19^th.  The wind was light but we managed to motor sail to the Great Wilcomico River and dropped anchor at 1936 hrs at Sandy Pt in 16 ft water depth with 90 ft chain out: 37-49.444 N; 76-18.626 W.  It was a long day and we covered about 60 miles. This is a quiet anchorage with good protection from S-NW winds but exposed to the North and East.

The following morning on July 22^nd, we heaved up anchor and got underway for Solomon Is.: about 40 miles distant.  It was a beautiful day on the Chesapeake but not much wind so we had to motor sail.  We arrived at Spring Cove Marina on Soloman Is. at 1545 hrs.  There was a thunderstorm approaching but, fortunately, it passed us on by.  Spring Cove Marina is up a winding creek and very well protected but expensive for transients.  Their charge is $2.50 per ft of boat length: $100 for a 40 ft boat.

We spent a pleasant evening with Bob and Anne, owners of a Valiant 40 named Baloo.  Bob is a superb craftsman and has made that Valiant 40 a boat to be admired.  Engine installation, fuel tank installation, DC refrigeration system installation, steering system rebuild, he has put all of this in by himself.  The work is meticulous and a thing of mechanical beauty to behold.

The following morning at 0800 hrs, we departed Spring Cove Marina for Annapolis, MD. about 40 miles distant.  We started off with a very pleasant W wind 12-15 kts but, as the morning progressed, it died out and we had to resort to motor sailing.  At 1430 hrs in the afternoon, we got hit with one of the most violent thunderstorms we have encountered so far.  The winds were in excess 50+ kts with blinding rain; the seas built up quickly to 5 ft.  There was a Car Carrier Ship on my stern and blowing the danger signal.  The wind was so strong that it heeled the Valiant 40 to the stbd. side and almost put the lee rail in the water.  The Car Carrier Ship passed me, about 600 ft off, on my port side.  Once I had the ship out of the way, it was just a matter of choosing the most favorable angle to take on the wind and seas.  Other than the ship, there was never any time that the Valiant 40 wasn’t able to handle the existing conditions.  It was just unnerving to have so much wind and rain pelting us.  Our foul weather gear was no longer waterproof so we were soaked.  Fortunately, these thunderstorms don’t last too long and, this one, started to abate in about 20 minutes.  In the entire six years of the circumnavigation, we never encountered winds that strong.  That includes being hove-to off the East African coast in a short lived SW Buster.

At 1730 hrs, we dropped anchor at the South Anchorage of Annapolis in 15 ft water depth with 90 ft of chain out:  38-58.532 N; 76-28.359 W.  I would have continued on into the harbor to pick up a mooring but we had a rain squall coming so we anchored.  In the early morning hours of July 24^th another very strong thunderstorm hit us at the anchorage.  I saw the lightning and decided to pay out another 50 ft of chain.  Just as we finished the wind and rain hit us.  I guess the wind was at least 40 kts but it only lasted about thirty minutes.  When we heaved anchor and moved to the Annapolis Harbor Mooring field, we were informed that the thunderstorm had spawned a tornado just one mile north of us.  We picked up Mooring #5 at at 1030 hrs on July 24^th: 38-58.513 N; 76-29.005 W   These moorings are strong and safe under most conditions.  The charge is $35 per day but include showers, laundry and toilets at the Harbor Masters Office.