Solomon's Island to Portsmouth, VA

Looking out over the Piankatank River out towards Fishing Bay in Deltaville, Virginia

Thursday, October 28, 2021

We finally started heading further south, and the destination this day was Solomon’s Island, Zanhiser's Marina. The day on the water started sunny and calm and ended cloudy and calm later in the afternoon. Winds were light so we motor-sailed most of the way. The boat was handling well; we noticed less engine noise than the old Lillian Gray. As well, the sail drive had much less vibration than our past shaft drive boats. The chart plotter behaved itself but Roger did get to speak to a technician who said it might be a motherboard issue. We will continue to monitor and get someone to check it out in a service shop.

While we were at the Chesapeake Harbor Marina, we had made friends with Debra from VT. She and her husband (who was away while we were there), and a couple other motor yachts are heading to the Bahamas and we may see them again further south. She came out running when she saw us taking off and we didn't see her, but she sent us a nice text message.

Having bow thrusters on this boat worked out great for us getting off the dock and avoiding the large motor yacht in front of us. As we went along, we sailed past quite a few tankers and cargo ships. We looked up the names of some funky, boxy-looking ones and found out that they carry new cars from Japan. We also saw a Danish freighter filling up with natural liquid gas. If we can't see the name of the ship, we look them up using Automatic Identification System (AIS) on our chart plotter and then google them. The ships have AIS and many other larger pleasure boats do, or should. Other boaters can also see our name on their chart plotters and hail us on the VHF radio if any communications are needed - as long as they too have an updated AIS system.

We arrived at Zanhiser's about 6 plus hours after starting out, pretty much on plan. We got a T dock face spot: our preference because they tend to be easier to get on and off. John, the dock master informed us of the impending flooding associated with the king tide and heavy rains coming in overnight. He let us know that the AC power would be shut off on all the docks as a precaution. These particular docks were fixed, not floating as is more common in New England.

We went out for a long walk with Levi and when we came back the water was already lapping the dock tops. Later on, we packed our pond shoes in a bag and left them under a tree on shore before we walked down to the island to have supper. We ate at CD Cafe - highly recommended to us by our neighbors, Jeff and Nancy at Rock Hall. It did not disappoint and we went a bit further down the road and shared a dessert beverage at the Island Hideaway. We cheered for the fact that we are one month past the sale of the business, thereby ending a portion of the assistance we were obligated to make available to the new owner.

We continued down the island road and toward the end and saw a bunch of police lights where their cars blocked off a highwater area. With the police, we watched a cyclist think hard about crossing from the other side of the flooding. We were all thinking, "Don't do it!" He made a short attempt and quickly turned when the water got too high, much to amusement of all of us on the other side.

Back at the docks we doffed our shoes and socks and donned our pond shoes. The water was a few inches over the docks at that point. Once at the boat, we heaved Kim up on board and she handed Levi down for shore leave. Levi was quite concerned that we were getting off the boat and into the water...without the dinghy. Rog was glad the dock power was off!

Double duty with the navigation software - we can't fully rely on either one

A car transporter. It might be fairly empty since a lot of the painted bottom is showing.

Industry and pleasure combined.

Along the shoreline in Maryland, there are cliffs that show the geological history and they are loaded with fossils as we found out later at the Calvert Marine Museum.

A hat under construction - but why is it so long? Kim did the graphic pattern twice by accident. She is going to frog it (a knitters term for ripping it back - you "rip it, rip it". Rog wonders if that is really necessary hmmm, looks great to him

The water is getting closer to the fixed docks. In Maine and NH, you see mostly floating docks and it doesn't really matter how high or low the tide gets.

White picket fence and beautiful roses in late October. There were plenty of these to see in the little neighborhood next to the marina.

Cormorants all lined up on the pilings.

A blocked off, flooded portion of the road on Solomon's Island. This is where the biker on the far side started out, whimped out, and did the do-se-do.

Marina or yard?

Getting ready to head back on the flooded docks to the boat after a dinner out.

Friday, October 29, 2021

It was a rainy, windy, cold, very wet morning. The docks were well under water now. Again, Levi was not happy about getting off the boat and into the water...even though he was able to cling in Dad’s arms.

Dave from Zanhiser's service department said they may not be able to get out to address the head repair today as was previously planned because they were all busy dealing with flood issues and the docks. So we may need to stay until Monday or Tuesday to get that completed.

Roger worked and had a conference call with his lawyer about a past RPF project. We are still baffled by the new owner who did a big 180 since the closing-- essentially handling us as adversaries for some unknown reason or idea she had in her head. She is trying our patience big time with post closing issues and now trying to claim some business revenues generated before the sale. What fun :(

Except for trips outside with Levi, we spent the entire day onboard hoping that the water level would recede with the afternoon's low tide. It did a bit.

Oh… we found another problem to fix on board. Initially blaming it on our temperamental coffee maker, it became apparent that the water in that corner of the galley was actually due to a bad seal on the port side window above exacerbated by the heavy rain. Afterwards, a leak was discovered in the aft head (another port window with the same issue) and the vent in the salon continued to drip. There were many wet towels to dry later.

The docks are underwater!

Thank goodness the power was off

Troopers! At one point, the water was higher than Roger's boots.

This just isn't right, is it Levi?

Saturday, October 30, 2021

Good news today: we have a P&S for our beloved former Lillian Gray! The closing date should be in a month. It feels good to have the prospect that she will be taken care of and that we won't need to bother about or pay for hauling her and storing over the winter.

The rain continued on and off throughout the day, but with less fervor than on Friday. Since we didn't have power from the marina, we needed to run the generator to get warm water, heat, make coffee, and charge our phones and computers. Unfortunately, it was still shutting down, repeatedly, with the same error as before. At least the water receded enough for the marina to put the power back onto the docks later in the day.

While we got the leak in the galley sink and the house battery issue solved, we are still uncertain about the chart plotter and the generator. Our list of things to fix and address is long! We always expect some with a new-to-us boat, but this was bit much all at once. What was all that money we paid for marine survey again? Some we will address ourselves over time. For some we will need to get serviced at a marina with maybe taking the boat out of the water. And others need to get fixed as soon as we can such as the toilets, generator, and freezer. Here is the growing list:

Fix the generator
Repair forward head
Find out why the aft head flushes "aggressively"
Leak in the salon ceiling at small vent
Need to reseal or re-bed side windows
Freezer doesn't work
Some of the tank monitors not working
The vhf- GPS locator is not programmed correctly
Autopilot remote issues
Bimini replacement and full enclosure needed
AV system not working properly - Our UE Boom 2 Xmas gift from Rob comes to the rescue for our music playing!
Simrad remote vhf won't charge, sealed battery unit likely dead (so far it appears it is discontinued model and no replacements out there)
Need a better battery monitor system
Replace old dock lines
Deep clean bilges and cockpit lockers
Fix latch on aft head cupboard
No smoke or CO detectors on board

We are taking it all in stride and still having fun!

We stumbled upon a Chili Cook-off being hosted at the marina. We got to try 7 different chilis, along with cornbread, mac & cheese, and a number of desserts! Free beers.

There were clear choices for each of these categories!

An attractive farm near the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge which spans the Patuxent River in southern Maryland, this just up the road from Solomon's Island. Patuxent is one of the primary tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay.

Out walking Levi, we spied these awesome Halloween decorations. Kim wants to plant 40 of these on Andre's front yard when he hits the fourth decade of life!

Solomon's Island has this boardwalk along the water. We could tell it bustles in the height of the summer; even now lots of people were going by with ice creams and the bars and restaurants were busy. A tourist delight now, but During WWII, the island was used for training for the D-Day invasion.

We have a dock now!

Out for an evening walk, enjoying the Halloween decorations.

All tucked in for the night, one stands sentry just past our boat. In the morning they had left a bunch of landmines for us to avoid!

· Sunday, October 31, 2021

Happy birthday Andre!!

We took a bike ride, had brunch, and visited the Calvert Marine Museum. The museum was fascinating and much larger than it appeared from the outside. Thanks to Scott and Kathy Reynolds from our Coastal Maine Sailing Club for suggesting it! When we took Levi for a walk shortly thereafter, the homeowners were getting geared up for the trick-or-treaters; what a fun atmosphere!

A sunny Sunday brunch at Charles Street Brasserie was quite welcome after all the rain. Levi was such a good boy - the other patrons gave him lots of attention and he soaked it up like a champ!

Roger's idea of framing a picture. At the Calvert Marine Museum, we learned about the history of Chesapeake Bay. Apparently these huge megalodons were in abundance way, way, way back when. People are still searching for and finding their teeth which can be up to four inches long. Kim thinks this is way more terrifying than the T-Rex and there should be a Jurassic Park movie featuring these. Rog thinks it has a somewhat cartoonish look to it as is.

Outside were these adorable-seeming river otters. We were the only people watching them and they put on quite a show, swimming by us in a blur and being experts at flip turns off the rocks and walls with their deft little piggies.

This museum had an impressive selection of working boats on display, it was fascinating to picture what Chesapeake Bay looked like in it's oyster/crab heyday.

The Drum Point Lighthouse was constructed from a kit with screw borings into the ocean bed in 1883. It had been taken apart at its original location and rebuilt at the museum in 1975. On top of the boring piers was the lighthouse keepers two story home and the light on top of that. It was intriguing to walk through it and see the evidence of the people that lived there over the years. It must have been crazy during bad storms.

An unexpected treat! These guys were so intent that we had to stop and watch. Then we spied the miniature sloops sailing around. An employee at the museum explained that these guys had spent weeks building them and now were sailing them for the first time. Their remotes work only the rudder. See the guys with his hands in his pockets? His boat broke early on in the competition.

At the center of the lighthouse. Well worn handholds.

Heading back by the outside otter area, we noticed they were gone. We noticed a sign that said they might be inside, and sure enough that's where they were - all about being zippy.

It was interesting to see the huge display about recreational boating which didn't become a big thing until after World War II - at least in Chesapeake Bay.

Levi is looking for his treat. He's a river otter dressed up as a doggie.

We chatted with the ladies setting up the Halloween treats. After complementing them on their idea of hanging the treats on the fence, they said it came about last year during the first Covid Halloween and they think they'll continue. Treats doubling as eye candy.

Monday, November 1, 2021

Brian from Zanhiser’s arrived at around 9:30 a.m. to look at our toilet, Yahoo! He replaced the o-ring on the pump but he could not be sure it was going to completely solve the issue. He also took a look at the other toilet because it fills up with too much water--a problem when you’re trying to conserve space in your waste holding tank. It also tends to flush quite aggressively. From his visit, we were left feeling like there is not much anyone could do about either of those problems, so we might end up replacing both toilets when we get to a place where we can hang for awhile, TBD!

Roger continued to spend unexpected time with the attorney and accountants trying to conclude RPF matters. The new owner should be ashamed of trying to take advantage of us - in Kim’s humble opinion. Rog reminds Kim it will all be a blip on the radar shortly. Then....a while later, Kim reminds Rog that it will all be a blip on the radar shortly!

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

We had a bright and early start this morning because we wanted to get to Fishing Bay in Deltaville, VA before 4:00 p.m. when the rain was expected. After being underway for a while and with a little more thought, Roger decided we would head to Dosier’s (newly coined as Regatta Point Yachting Center) instead. It is well before Fishing Bay and didn’t require much travel outside of the bay, which would save us time and get us out of potential rain faster. It was a cold day on the water, we bundled up in hat and scarves and our warmest jackets. We needed to get South fast, fast! We had Campbell’s tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch - a nice warm-in-our-tummies fortification and comfort food. Later, Kim and Levi went down below - the seas were calm enough and it was too cold on Kim’s fingers to work on the computer or knit. Just as we landed, it started to rain.

Sadly, replacing the o-ring on the toilet did not solve the problem. Bummer.

Smith Point Lighthouse at the southern side of the Potomac River. This lighthouse was built just before the 20th century and replaced a number of other lighthouses that were damaged by ice floes or became ineffective due to erosion in the area. In 2005 it was auctioned off to a private owner who is expected to be responsible for upkeep while the Coast Guard maintains stewardship.

Not a sunny day

Kim's first knitting project aboard the new boat is complete. A practice in fair isle knitting as a warm-up for knitting Roger's fair isle sweater and supporting a local yarn shop in Portland, Me. Anyone interested in having the hat? We will send it to you for just the cost of the yarn and shipping.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Due to expected rough water, we spent the day at Regatta Point doing boat chores, some RPF work, a three mile drive in the marina's courtesy car, and a nice walk to the other side of the peninsula. There, we could see where we had originally hoped to anchor further down, in Fishing Bay. There was a long shallow area that would have required us to go way out and around, so it was good we did not attempt that yesterday.

Previously named Dosier's, this is The Regatta Point Marina in Deltaville, VA. We met a couple there who also had a border terrier who was old and so they were excited to see Levi. The lady went by the nickname "Frenchie" for obvious reasons and their last name was Frye. Frenchie Frye and Brian - we liked them immediately. They planned to stay in Deltaville for a week to wait out all upcoming iffy weather.

The signature photo of Lillian Gray - we've been collecting them at each place we stay.

Kim spent some time water-coloring, learning and following an online course. Becoming wiser about color palettes too and this little scene caught her attention.

We found a West Marine store and stopped by to shop. These t-shirts made me think of me and my friend, Deb Hancock. Deb - yours would have been better if it said "Bevvie Captain!"

Out for a walk, we let Levi run like a bullet after his balls way further back on this field. See the dirt road behind Kim? We walked down that campground like road, bringing back intense memories of walking in Strafford. We even saw some deer! It lead to the water on the other side of the peninsula.

On our walk - the water peeking between houses on stilts.

Cutting Fine Figures in Deltaville, Va.

Looking out towards Fishing Bay

Thursday, November 4, 2021

We set out for Portsmouth VA in the morning. It was again fairly windy and rough until we got near to Portsmouth, VA, the start of Elizabeth River, and Norfolk on the eastern side. With the rough seas, the jostling caused some stuff to move around inside the boat. The broken latch on the aft head cupboard was insecure so the door opened and some stuff inside the cupboard landed in the toilet. The door itself opens forward and there are two sturdy strings on either side that keep it from opening too much. The screws holding those strings had pulled out on one side so that the cupboard door with the mirror in front was hanging toward the toilet by one screw and it had taken a chunk out of the wood trim on the vanity. There was not much to do with it underway in rough weather but take it off completely and save it for later repair. We are happy to report that there was no broken glass.

As we sailed between Portsmouth and Norfolk, VA, there was a lot of military jet and helicopter activity and a crazy number of aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, and cruisers. We also saw a BAE floating drydock named Titan, with the aircraft carrier USS Wasp undergoing repairs in the river.

We came into a finger slip at the Tidewater Marina without a problem and we were proud of that accomplishment! After we got settled, Kim put on the warmest clothes and shivered in the cold wind all the way to the restaurant which was called Fish 'n Slips. It is actually located right on the docks at this marina.

Moody early morning skyline

Not so smooth motor-sailing

Once we got near the Elizabeth River, we started seeing a lot of these guys.

We started counting how many naval ships we were seeing.

Each of them so impressive!

We saw USNS Comfort, the hospital ship that went to NY for the Covid Surge in 2020; it is a US Navy Mercy- class hospital ship.

We decided that we counted at least 21 destroyers.

Tug boats are a thrill to watch in action. This one's trajectory was a little uncertain to us, so we radioed and found out that he was actually spinning the barge around so he could dock it on the Portsmouth side. Best to know for sure!