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Finger Lakes,NY to Key West,Fl.

28K views 183 replies 24 participants last post by  joethecobbler 
#1 ·
Summer has past fall is definetaly here. So it's time for us to cast off the dock lines in Upstate and begin the southernly travel.
The last few weeks have been the usual struggle to decide what to bring and what to abandon.
The 5 cu. freezer quit so I tossed it, more storage space.
The woodstove (a Mini-Smith) has been serviced and installed, the interior got a coat of varnish,the usual bottom job,rebedded the through hulls,removed and cleaned diesel tank,added water tank,etc.etc.
Couldn't decide on hard or inflatable so, bringing both.
Solar as primary power w/ 300w gas gen. on standby.
Old crappy main sail and numerous other sails.
All that's left is to host the Bon Voyage party at the Marina today answer numerous redundant questions about the itinerary and time frame (it takes as long as it takes and were going to the place where we'll turn around) and then depart the next day or so after a wind down from the often emotional goodbye's of family and friends who insist on details of the trip we are honestly unable to provide concerning travel times and destinations.
Oh, and also make the determination as to whether or not I want to blog our travels or start a fund request sight or commercialize the trip or just keep to ourselves and be anonamous ! ?? ! !
If I blog I'll have to get the first mate involved to spell check and proof read, no doubt.
anyway, here we go again !

JTC and crew aboard SV Exposition - Sailing as "No Hurry"

website and blog coming soon ...... maybe...
 
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#57 ·
Joe,
Strange tales from Tarrytown Marina and leaky diesel fuel! I'm sure that some arm, leg or whatever appendage of the NYS DEP would be interested in your report.

I helped out on a sailboat on the leg from Cape May to NYC this past June. That is one loooong haul. I could not sleep being on an unfamiliar boat and wanting to see it all. I was exhausted when I was dropped of at 23rd St. in Manhattan. The other 2 guys went up to Nyack (another 5 hour stretch) by boat. I felt like a traitor but I'd done the NYC to Nyack leg before and pretty as some of it is I would not have lasted, no how, no way.
There really is nothing else like sailing at night on the ocean and watching the sun set and rise again.
I wish you good luck for your passage up the Delaware after your crew rests up and regains their composure.
It is still a looong way from the Chesapeake but there is a new tropical storm, soon to be hurricane Sandy heading north from Jamaica. Hopefully it won't affect the east coast much but I'd rather be in the Chessy then Delaware Bay when it got near.
You are just around the corner from crab and oyster country (really more crab than oyster these days) so keep on chugging if you have to.
 
#59 ·
Left Cape May,NJ this morning on the rising tide , Actually before the rising tide as I needed time to get down the canal and into the bay. So at 10 am we split for CHesapeake City .
Chesapeake City is a nice little town with plenty of friendly people (at least the last 3 stops) . We got here in the dark about 1030pm and anchored in the man made anchorage basin.
I finaly got the new BBB anchor chain wet and used the claw anchor and the simpson Lawrence Manual windlass a very nice gentleman gave me a couple years back. ( Thanks Hampton) It works like a dream ! now no cartio after breakfast every morning pulling up a 50lb claw and 100' of 5/16 chain ! whew ! won't miss that.
It was a long motor up the Delaware 11-12 hours . I tried every sail combo I had, even the Spinaker, but there just wasn't any wind. The good part was - nice flat ride.
3/4 of the way up a beautiful 45' 1989 Morgan passes me , And to my suprise starts hollerin' my name as the pass ! who is it but an old cruising aquaintence, what are the odds ?
Of course after seeing the morgan I'm even more bummed with my Buccaneer. With the tide pushing the bucc. and no wind to sail her she wallows all over the place and constantly tries to broach and learches to the side if you go forward, really making stearing a chore. Sails ok but doesn't like down wind, oh well.
With the potential storm approaching we'll probably make for cover soon.
In the mean time I got a few maintinence issues to do and of course the crew wants to check out the town and look in on a few local aquaintances they met in previous trips here.People here have always been so nice to ushere, they make us feel welcomed, we like that.
 
#60 ·
Joe,

Try and get into the mid Bay tomorrow, definately by Saturday and find a hurricane hole for a couple of days as the storm Sandy will be a doozy. Many are pulling their boats already.

Not sure how familiar you are with the Chessie so I will name a few places to go.

We are in Rock Creek on the Patapsco protected on 4 sides. I am at the Maryland Yacht Club Slip D-20

Rock Creek- Patapsco
Broad Creek- Magothy River
Severn River Creeks above Annapolis...Weems has free naval moorings, but they put their boats on them in storms
Aberdeen or Harness creek on the South River

Storm looks like at least 36 hours E to NE to N to W winds. Target area for eye right now from mouth of chessie to NYC. Storms is 400 iles wide at least and will hit with gale force winds. Astronomical high tides with full moon on Monday. Surge predicted at 6 ft but its a long way off to make an accurate prediction. This storm looks nasty.

Feel free to PM me for my cell phone/ If I can assist you in any way let me know. I amgoing to be at my boat from Friday at 3 through Tuesday it appears.

dave
 
#63 ·
Well, it's 3am and I'm still waiting for the armagedin that the news channels and every landlubber I know has called or e-mailed me to worry about.
So far the highest winds reported from noaa at the airfield closest to Chesapeake city ,MD were only about 35-40. And the recent forcast predicts about 20-30 gusts at the most ! big deal.
I quit answering my phone and let it go to voice mail. I'm tired of explaining to everyone where I am and why they need to throw their TV's away and start doing more reading.
Now, don't get me wrong , maybe there are those in danger or are experiencing an actual storm threat.
But it hasn't happened here yet, and I doubt it's gonna.
My real concern is how I'm getting to the Dollar tree and Walmart in elkton in a couple days and hoping their not closed due to power outage. but if so , oh well, I'll manage.
 
#64 ·
Joe,

I am on Rock Creek end of the Patapso at the Bay in a sheltered cove. We are on the west side of the Bay across from Rock Hall. It is blowing 30 steady and have seen gusts already to 45. This registered on my masthead wind istrument. Storm center is still 400 miles away.
Glad you are seeing less. You will on that side of the Bay till the wind shifts to NW.
Not predicting Armegedon but we have a ways to go.

Elton probably won't have electricity for a few days if it is anything like Irene they were own there for 5 days in most areas.

Stay safe

Dave
 
#65 · (Edited)
Good to hear from you Joe.
Yes, the media is having a field day with this predicting a tidal surge of 8 - 11' on the LI Sound, NY Harbor, Hudson and whipping everyone to a near frenzy with talk of mandatory evacuations. As if we don't know how to evacuate in private by now! I suppose that I am near panic as I am still awake at nearly 4 AM, waiting for the bad weather to materialize that is in the forecast.
The barometer is dropping steadily everywhere from Norfolk to Maine and this is not just a 'nothing' system passing through so do take care. I am betting though that NYC will still be here when you pass through on your way back north again.
Enjoy!
 
#66 ·
Elkton, MD 5 day forecast

100% chance of wind >39mph
80% chance of wind >50mph
20% chance of wind >74 mph (hurricane)

Not fun, but the above is realistic anyway. I'm sure you'll do fine.

I think the aggravation of this storm is not going to be its maximum sustained winds, but how long one has to deal with heavy winds. It looks like it will stall after it makes landfall and push 40+ knot winds around for a couple of days. That gets very very tiresome and slows down the recovery effort for power outages and road closures.

Best of luck.
 
#67 ·
The boat is aerodynamic and shouldn't see much actual force as it turns its bow into the wind. Surge is just a really high tide. Chesepeak City is so sheltered it's practically inland. Do everyone a favor and check in when you can.
 
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#68 ·
Ok, so this morning I'm up early cause' I slept half the day yesterday -bored.
There was maybe 20 out of the N-NE no problem , got 2 anchors out and plenty of rhode and chain,good to go.
Aound 9am it starts to pick up a bit, still no problem plenty of swing room and room to my lee.
Then, it shifts more northernly and starts veering from a more NW direction. Well now Im in 2-3 boat lengths of a rocky lee shore and in front of the little creek bridge that flows into the anchorage. I start getting a little concerned and bail the dinghy as I stand on the swim platform the shore is uncomfortably close and a lee shore (got a problem w/ that) So, inside I go and our cabin girl "Marina" (8 years old) starts looking at me asking if everything is OK. I say sure honey, no problem. Mom's starting breakfast , wood stove's cranking heat. Generators running, charging,making ice for the cooler.She asks me again if everything is OK. I reasure her it is (as I nervously peer out the hatches and we swing and I feel the chain tighten and jerk) So , I decide to check the anchors. Up on deck for a cool morning shower. The all chain is taught, with the 45# Claw, the other rope rhode is loose (smaller Danforth type) , I start pulling to check the set. It's free, broke out (blood pressure spike). I haul in over 150' of rhode and chain (blood pressure maxin',heart rate at training level) I come back into the salon and make a command decision. "get on the Helm now (to the first (best) mate). We're moving, hauling anchor"
So, w/ first mate at the helm and specific instructions as to running course speed and reviewing hand signals we haul anchor and power to the free facedock , thankful there was space for us.
Now after de-fib, and a good breakfast we're tied along side w/ every cleat available.
Gotta wipe the crow off my face and I'm good. Comfort factor increased. now to pull the cockpit cushion out of my A. . . .
Might even sleep tonight.
After docking the fellow anchored next to me calls and asks how much room is there for his 45' morgan, as the forecast isn't looking any better and the wind is doing it's best to howl. I say bring it on in and I'll be there to catch a line or whatever you need.
Family safe=check. boat at dock=check, bar of soap to wash off egg=double check.
Does my Daughter know me or what, just can't fool that kid.
Thanks for your concern, now I'm a little more at ease.
 
#74 ·
Only halfway through Joe. Wait till you see the aches die after the open the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna. You will need a lookout on the NW for days.

BTW Chesapeake City not an ideal anchorage as you found. Holding is muck. Little bridge you anchored in front of has a 3 knot tidal current. The Sassarass is our choice when coming from Cape May and Reedy Island on the Delaware on our way to Cape May.
Stay safe
Dave
 
#75 ·
Blowin' like stink again , From the east right now . got me pinned to the floating dock pretty good. The tide is Way high if it gets 2' more there's gonna' be an issue as it's almost as high as the roadway next to it. I checked the tide table and it says we should be going the other way soon (down) . I hope it does . there are 2 other sailboats and a trawler tied to the floating dock as well.just checked outside still up, not good
 
#77 ·
Finally, it's past as most unpleasant things do. We had the good fortune to use a car w/ another couple in the anchorage to get to Wally world for groceries, all stocked up for a while. This morning washed al the leaves of the boat while I topped off the Water tanks.
Now we await the Holloween parade at 1:pm today in Chesapeake City. After which I think I'll go into the woods and cut some wood for the wood stove.
Tommorrow I hope to depart. The question is how far I'll get , If I wait for high tide (1pm) the it will be a short day . If I go earlier I may have to battle the current and end up the same place a the end of the day ,just burning more fuel w/ no gain. Decisions decisions.
Along those lines , Whorton creek looks favorable for an evening's anchoring, although Sassafras is a bit closer and we've been there before. Then onward.
Suggestions ? Anyone ?
 
#78 ·
Sassafras and beyond

Joe, ,

Worton Creek is on of our favorites. About 20 miles from Chesapeake City Go inside of the wind is SW or W as it will be bumpyy otherwise. Inside very protected with bald eagles and a great marina. Next stp south is Rock Hall 18 miles. Lots of marinas. Anchorage in Swan Creek depths no more than 7 ft.

On the west side is Bpdkin Creek and Rock Creek, both on the Patapsco . I am in Rock Creek

Next is on the west side of the Bay is the Magothy
Eagles cove is beautiful with horse farm, Broad Creek very protected with glass house at entrance, and other nice creeks further up

Next would be WhitehallBay with 3 nice creeks
Then the Severn with Annapolis and many nice creeks like Weems above it.

Next is South River around Thomas point with Harness Creek and Aberdeen Creek

Lastly is West/Rhode Rivers split but use same entrance. High bar on Rhodes nice, off of Hartage or Pirates nice on the West

Dave
 
#80 ·
Yeah we lucked out here. East of us ( actually Cape May is due east of us) and north up the Jersey coast it looks like armagedon. Boats like in the magazoines stacked in the corner of basins. We lucked out here big time as there was little surge. W got virtually the same wind they did, more rain but no surge

Dave
 
#81 ·
Anchored in Sassafras River

Chesapeake City,MD. turned out to be a good place to hole-up for the Sandy event. And the people there could not be nicer and more accomidating. Offering rides to local stores,use of vehicles, even free dockage from the town !
The electric and/or water is available for a small fee, $15 for Elec. and $10 for water, A deal considering the dockage is free. And considering the time of year and the impending weather , it was a welcomed spot.
However after 5 days waiting at anchor and the dock in the cool weather it was way past time to move on in my opinion.
So , on the high tide we set out south with a forcast West wind of 10-15. Entering the C&D with the current against the west wind resulted in the usual 1'-2' chop and confused sea in the canal and it worsended to 1-3' with breaking waves , so after 5 hours of motoring into the wind (which I deplore) we turned east , hoisted the sails, turned off the diesel and sailed up the Sassafras to a very protected spot I have used in the past.
It's on the north side of the river back up in a shallow area 4-6' there is a campground near and alledgedly an historic plantation. Though I've never been able to pinpoint exactly where that is even looking on mapquest , there are no signs on the water.
So , up early , start a fire in the wood stove to take off the chill and consider what to do today as the forcast is 10-20 w/ 30 gusts from the west for the day.
I prefer to sail not motor so I may wait until tommorrow for the NE winds before continuing south
we'll see how it looks.
 
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