CLIMATE CHANGE. 16th October 2015

Solomons

As we motor sailed south down Chesapeake Bay we were accompanied by a fleet of yachts also seeking the elusive warmer weather. We have been in Chesapeake Bay since mid September, and on arrival, the temperatures were around 32+C but during the past six weeks they have plummeted to around 4 C and water temp has gone from 30 C to 18 C.  This time last year we were still camping in Maine. Winter has arrived earlier this year and we've sold our trusty Cadillac so we can't make a quick exit to warmer climes, like we did in 2014. Today Taipan is stolidly steering south but it will be a while till we warm up.

Chesapeake Bay. Well the first thing that struck us was the dirty water. There are many rivers emptying into the bay carrying with them tons of sediment, so the water is brown and cloudy, staining the hull and dingy. The Spectra Watermaker managed approximately 100 Gallons between filter changes so we were on tight water rations. 

David, Kris, Rhonda and John

The second thing we soon discovered was how super friendly the locals are. Our base was Galesville on the West River just 2 hours sail south of Annapolis. We had the Cadillac ashore for land adventures and pretty soon our social calendar was jam packed. Several meals at Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club with friends new and old were followed with dinners at Pirates Cove and Thursday's, all just a very short dingy ride away and all to be recommended. Our new best friend Tom Rodgers took care of our car so that it didn't get towed away by the local authorities. Beautiful John and Rhonda Griffith adopted us as fellow Australians and we partook of their generosity on several occasions. The worst thing about cruising is leaving new friends behind. The best thing is having the opportunity to meet them in the first place.

The third thing about Chesapeake Bay is the Annapolis Boat Show. Its one of the largest boat shows in the world and has a very impressive line up of everything you can think of to do with boats. The Sailboat Show ran for 5 days and just 3 days later The Powerboat Show opens for another 4 days. 

On Thursday, VIP day, we attended the Sail Boat Show. Now we probably shouldn't have done so, given that 14 years of cruising lifestyle doesn't contribute anything to the coffers! However what it does do is convince you that anything is possible and stuff for the boat is " necessary" no matter what the bank account looks like. We managed to keep all our hands in our pockets for just 5 minutes. The first booth we came across was Cruising Solutions and was selling Marriage Saver Headsets. We have been planning on a set of these since meeting Estrellita in 2012 when Bill and Amy were communicating effortlessly between the deck and mast head. We bought a pair.  They are already proving indispensable. When we are anchoring or pulling the anchor, we don't have to yell and get frustrated by the inability to hear each other.  This can rapidly escalate into a near divorce often enough!!  David, then, on the same booth, spotted a Snow Bird cabin heater that heats using the engine coolant, much the same as a car heater. It will only work if the engine is running, but is better than nothing and it was a good price. The heater on our wish list is a Webasto Diesal heater but that has gone to the back burner, pardon the pun, because funds from the sale of the trusty Cadillac were insignificant enough to extinguish that plan!

The new machine!.

Carefully concealing our hands in our pockets again we ventured on. We managed to pass all the fuel cleaning systems, water-makers and anchors, although we came close at the Spade Anchor display. All was going well until we got to the Sailrite display.  To be fair, this was several hours later. Three generations of the owner and founders family lay in wait, all charming and skilled seducers. We fought off the desire / need until after lunch and then folded. Defeated, we returned to tell Zack, the charming grandson, that he had a sale!  In 1976 when I was heavily into horses, I gave a sewing machine company in Perth $400 deposit for a Sailrite machine. The Perth company disappeared along with my money so now, finally, I have a Sailrite. You realize of course though, that this machine will be put to work fixing stuff! No trifling with nonsense, creative, fun projects here! This is strictly work! 

Well the rest of the day progressed without further damage and we came home loaded with free samples and brochures for all the stuff we would have liked to buy. The credit card has gone into shock! Just as well we didn't look at any of the numerous new boats on display! 

After recovering from shock ourselves, we spent a couple of days redesigning the stowage to fit our purchases, and provisioning the boat, then closed Taipan down and drove to Madison in Virginia for a weekend with cousin Judith an her husband Bob. Fabulous weekend as usual, fine food, fun company and beautiful, if chilly, weather. Fall is definitely here. The leaves are rapidly turning and there's a chill in the air.

View over Monticello Vegetable Gardens.

We did a tour of Monticello, the plantation home of Thomas Jefferson, on Sunday. What a beautiful place. He was very into gardens and agriculture and the Trust  managing this National Heritage site, runs a comprehensive nursery dedicated to preserving all the old plant varieties. Interestingly, several specimens of one of my favourite trees, probably the first tree I knew the name of, was growing well on the mountain. They call it Chinaberry but we know it as Cape Lilac. It is also known for its excellent timber.  The slave tour was also fascinating and both the garden and slave tours were extremely informative and well presented. 

There were also plenty of projects to keep us busy while we were in Galesville. We learned to do wire to rope splice, thanks to Google, and replaced a headsail halyard. We also put eye splices in the new 15mm headsail sheets. The repaired FURUNO Radar was installed, and the new replacement Victron 2000w 220v inverter was installed along with a 1000w 110v Xantrex inverter primarily for the IMac. Four New Trojan L16 P 6v each and weighing in at 55kg each, replaced our 5 year old Trojan T105s.

Our Wire to Rope Splice in action.

There was a week during which we were awaiting news hourly, about Hurricane Joachim. At one point he looked like developing into the largest hurricane to ever hit the East Coast all the way from Carolinas to Nova Scota. With the possible evacuation of over 75 million people!!

It was apparently the biggest nightmare for forecasters in many many years, with only 36 hours warning going out to Bahamas, where they sustained serious damage on the southern islands. There was a complicated set of systems to the north of it making predictability very difficult. If it had not gone south for as long as it did.... a very unusual path.... it would have been picked up by another low off the Carolina coast and gone north along the entire coast.. A big high north of it prevented it  from going inland and dissipating.  They were predicting 95kn for the Bay ! We had made preparations and gone onto a heavy duty mooring at Hartge Yacht Harbour, further up river. The Chesapeake Bay weather was in the influence of a nasty trough bring very strong and freezing cold, NE wind to 35kn sustained making preparations very unpleasant.

Eventually, as always, we had to say our farewells to our friends at Galesville and then we sailed north to Annapolis to say hello and goodbye to some Kiwi friends we met in the Bahamas last winter. We felt somewhat vindicated, when we learned that they too had succumbed to the pitch from coercive team at Sailrite and had also purchased a machine among many other things! 

Another of the many interesting lighthouses on the way south.

On Wednesday 15th we commenced this passage south, stopping at Solomons on the first night. The second day we sailed under cloud in cold conditions until late afternoon when the front finally overtook us and we emerged into the much anticipated sunshine for the remainder of the trip into Deltaville. Virginia. 
 

Anchored off Fort Monroe.

This afternoon we arrived in Newport and will await a weather window to continue south and around Cape Hatteras.

LET THERE BE LIGHT. October 16th 2015

The Point No Point Lighthouse. Maryland

Funds to build the light were available in 1901 and a  Cassion was towed to this exposed site in 1902. The first temporary pair collapsed and the casino headed off down the bay in a storm followed by a tug which successfully retrieved it 45 miles later. it was repaired at Solomons and replaced however in 1904 it was again swept away, recovered and eventually in service in 1905,
it was made available to non-profits or government agencies who would be willing to take over maintenance, and in 2007 the offer was extended to individuals. Public auction of the light was cancelled in February 2008, however, for safety reasons.

The Smiths Point Lighthouse in Virginia. And it's for sale!!


Smith Point Lighthouse has been preceded by many variations as have many Chesapeake Bay lighthouses. Several stone towers onshore were washed away and several lightships did service in the interim. A screw pile house was swept away by ice in 1895 and the keepers were fired for abandoning their post in 1893 after it was severely damaged by ice. The existing structure used the Wolf Trap plans and is essentially the same apart from paint. Wolf Trap is red
In 2005 the light went up for auction and was purchased for $170 by David McNally. He has a few good dinner party stories to tell about storms during his tenure but now it on the market again.

Wolf Trap Lighthouse.



The Lighthouse was named for a British ship, HMS Wolf, grounded here in 1691 whilst on duty enforcing the Navigation Act and catching pirates. A succession of lightships were stationed on the shoal over the years until when in 1870 a prefabricated lighthouse was constructed on screw piles. This was swept away by ice in 1893. The lighthouse keeper escaped and the house went miles down the bay. The lens and lantern were later recovered. A couple of different Lightships were located until the construction in 1894 of a wooden caisson topped by a cylinder of cast iron plates. The brick house was painted red in the late 1920s. It is two stories with the lantern on its flat roof. Quantities of rip-rap were dumped around the base of the light to resist pressure from the ice. It was automated in 1971 and first offered for sale in 2004 after failing to attract any interest from Non Profit organisations. A fellow from Seattle couldn't raise the finance for a B&B and an EBay Auction failed. It was eventually bought in 2005 privately by James Southard Jr for $119k. And it's up for sale again with or without a waterfront lot near by! So many opportunities, so little time or spondoolies!

 


Old Point Comfort Light House VA

 

Old Point Comfort dates to 1775, when John Dams was paid to maintain a beacon there. Its one of the first points designated for a light by the new United States federal government.  The light went into service in 1803, though a keeper's house was not built until 1823. In 1812 the light was one of several seized by British forces. The light continues in use.

 Cove Point Lighthouse was built  out of brick in 1828 and the keeper's house was also constructed in the same year. Erosion was a significant problem, but was eventually brought under control with a seawall constructed in 1892 and upgraded in 1913 and 1993. The keeper's house was enlarged in 1881 with housing for two keepers and their families and in 1925 when inside kitchens were installed. In 1950 a separate small house was built for a third keeper and his family. The light was automated in 1986. Cove Point is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.

Cape Henry Lighthouse Was completed in October, 1792. The lighthouse was damaged by Confederate forces during the American Civil War but was repaired by Union forces in 1863 In the 1870s, following a lightning strike that caused large cracks in the structure a new, taller, lighthouse which stands 350 feet The old tower remained standing. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1983 and is still in use today.

BALTIMORE IN THE BAY. 18th September 2015

Approaching the mighty Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

A gorgeous day was forecast so we decided to go take a look at Baltimore. Departed Galesville around 10.30am and motored out into a flat windless glassy bay. Lots of other vessels of every shape and size were out doing the same, cris-crossing each others wakes on business of their own. Our business was a mere 26nm run north up the Bay. Once again under the mighty Chesapeake Bay Bridge with clearance of 183 feet so we didn't expect to hit it. 

Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse

There are several interesting light houses enroute and we detoured to get pictures. The first was Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse was built in 1871. Widely recognised by locals, it is the only screw-pile lighthouse still on its original site. The building is a 1½ story hexagonal wooden cottage, equipped with a foghorn as well as the light.

Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse

Next there is Sandy Point Shoal Light, a brick three story lighthouse on a caisson foundation that was erected in 1883.
Its a brick, three story lighthouse on a caisson foundation,  erected in 1883.   The whole gamut of light sources has been run, from oil wicks to incandescent oil vapor (1913) to electricity (1929). The present light is powered by a pair of solar panels attached to the roof on the south side. After automation in 1963, it was vandalized and the original lens was destroyed, apparently smashed with a baseball bat. What a terrible shame.! In 2006 it was sold at auction. Nice isolated little nook if you like a remote getaway!
 

Baltimore Harbour Lighthouse

The Baltimore Harbour Lighthouse was Commissioned in 1908. Like an iceberg, there is much more to this lighthouse than what appears on the surface. Its sunk deep into the Chesapeake muddy bottom to prevent ice in winter dislodging it! The three story octagonal brick cottage is constructed on a one hundred and three foot tall concrete and stone filled cast-iron caisson. The main deck of the cottage is sitting room, storage area and galley. The second deck is keepers quarters in two bedrooms. The third deck is one large open space, known as the watch-room. The watch-room provides a 360 degree view. On the the 3rd story sits the lantern room. Connecting these levels is a spiral staircase that leads from the lantern room to the cellar floor, ten feet into the caisson. 

7 Foot Knoll lighthouse has been replaced by a tall tower 

The 7 Foot Knoll Light has been replaced with a tower and now stands in Fells Point Historic District.

After taking in the light house sights along the way we continued to motor into Baltimore City Center where, in the inner harbor we juggled in tight confines with 3 yachts already at anchor, to nestle into a tight spot. The guide says there's room for 1 boat but 4 is possible at a pinch. 
The harbor has quite a lot of tourist traffic so anchoring is only permitted in a very small corner. Somewhat miss-led by the placement of some buoys which appeared to limit the anchorage to a narrow strip between the paddle boats and the line off the docks we discovered from the Water Police several days later that the buoys were placed by the paddle boat operator as a disincentive to yachts from anchoring into the small cove. So we all picked up our anchors and moved further into the area.
 

Anchorage is inside the blue line.

Our foray ashore on Saturday found us in the National Aquarium right on the waterfront beside the anchorage. It is hard to miss. There are several impressive modern structures clustered around the old docks and linked by overhead walkways. The Aquarium exceeded expectations. All the glass aquariums were clean and the displays were excellent. Good information and not too much of it!  There is an exceptionally good reproduction of a Northern Australian canyon in a very large glass terrarium. Birds crocodiles and snakes included. It just felt like the Kimberly in there.

 

Northern Territory in Baltimore.

Fells Point Historic District and Federal Hill, overlooking the inner harbour were all easy walking destinations so we strolled and nibbled and photographed.

Anchored next to the Aquarium and the old Chesapeake Ship Lighthouse.

Fells Point was a center for a "Nest of Pirates", ship owners, who, provided with a Letter of Marque, (a government license,) were permitted to harass and capture vessels of the British Fleet. The plunder was divided between owners of the vessel, crew and the Government. This was in effect a private navy and was very lucrative for the ship owners who had to outfit and arm their own vessels and for the Government.

 We ended up spending 4 days in Baltimore before heading south to Galesville.

Fells Point

For more pictures from around Baltimore go to CHESAPEAKE BAY

CHESAPEAKE BAY September 8th 2015

On the weekend our some of our American family visited. Fun night at anchor and a good sail up to the Bay Bridge and back. Great company good food and pleasant weather.

Light house at Thomas Point Shoal