Strategic Retreat to Coinjock Marina

The last obstacle between us and home is the Albemarle Sound.  We can't/ don't want to cross it for 15 miles straight into a 10-15 kt SW wind, especially when in reality the predicted 10-15 is 20-25.  We were both exhausted after reaching Norfolk and again after a hard day in the waterway. It's been impossible to get much sleep because it is so hot.  So yesterday we motored BACK about an hour to Coinjock and now  are tied securely to a long dock, with wifi and showers during these 2 days of rain.  wind from a better direction is promised for the weekend, so I have hopes of reaching home Sunday night or Monday.  So I hope this will be my last blog entry.

This has been an unpleasant experience and I would appreciate it if you would not ask me about it.  I intend to move on and forget it as fast as possible.

Why Me??

I'm keeping a positive attitude, but I admit not "SPARKLY."  Six days of strong SW winds have kept us penned up in the pleasant harbor of Solomons MD.  Yesterday we had a 3-hour rain storm in the late afternoon.  I know you all are having the same thing.  Today, tomorrow, the next day same, same, same. See Matts blog for an explanation.  I'm glad  my garden is getting watered!  We could be home in 5 days, but not until the wind shifts or gets light.

http://www.witn.com/weather/wow/headlines/Matts-World-Of-Weather-Tracking-Records-Rain-and-Temperature-213747741.html

Here's a photo of a thunderstorm that came about dusk a couple of days ago.

And here is one of the Chesapeake's finest jellyfish, preventing me from swimming.

Too Hot!

The past  2 nights it has been too hot to sleep. There are lots of jellyfish in the water, so no more swimming.  The forecast is for mid 90s and thunderstorms. It's time to come home and be airconditioned.

Historic Londontown

Yesterday we visited a restored 18th c. house that is across the river from our anchorage. Had a great guided tour with the museum curator and learned lots of local history. London was a town established by Lord Baltimore so he could tax all the tobacco shipped from this area by requiring it to be shipped from his port. When he lost his influence, the town dwindled and disappeared. Here's a link to their website

www.historiclondontown.com

Update June 15-21

We spent 4 days in Annapolis, which is like a circus because we were anchored in the wide channel between 2 huge marinas and a fuel dock, with more marinas all along the river.  The river is jammed full of sail and power boats of all sorts, but predominantly big and expensive. Boats are constantly going out the channel and coming in, especially on nice evenings and weekends.  It's like camping on the median strip of a busy highway.  Annapolis is good to cruising boat; allowing boats to anchor in the channel is amazing as we swing in all directions and the traffic has to go around us.  Also there are public dinghy docks, which many places don't have, and I believe I mentioned the nice showers at the Harbor Master's office, which have cost $1.00 since we first discovered them in 1987.

Wednesday, June 19 we actually sailed to the Rhode River, a couple of hours away and stayed there 2 days.  It's a big, wide open space, more like a lagoon than a river.  There is a Smithsonian research center with a dinghy dock where you can go ashore.  We went twice and walked on their trails through beautiful open woods.  I swam a little, but there are some jelly fish now and they make us nervous about going in the water. On Friday afternoon, we motored about 10 miles back to the South River, on the outskirts of Annapolis, and anchored in a small creek with houses along the shore, but so far no other anchored boats. By chance there is wifi available so I can post this.

Now I'm having fun!

No goals. Doing nothing.  What a relief!

 

 

 

 

New Plan

Thursday, June 13.  A big thunderstorm in the morning and another about 4 pm.  A windy night but we were well sheltered from the north and west.

Friday, June 14. Rain all morning and colder, then sunshine all afternoon. I was tired all day. The strain of it all finally caught up with me.  

Weekend in Annapolis. 
We're happily anchored in Annapolis with a wifi connection. The plan is to leisurely visit a few places as long as we feel like it before heading home sometime in July.