We had a wonderful long weekend of sailing with friends from Lafayette, Louisiana. We met these folks on St. John, VI, so that was a big topic of discussion. We got to see the start of the wooden canoe race Saturday at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. Saturday was blustery with a great overnight in Dividing Creek on the Wye. Back to the dock Sunday on pretty much a single take across the East Bay to Herring Bay.

On Thursday last week I got news that our hurricane storage for De Life, our 2009 Beneteau 40, was not so hurricane proof. She was knocked off her jack stands and dismasted at Independent Boat Yard on St. Thomas. The second inspection by my co-owner showed that she was holed by a jack stand on her ground side. Our dinghy is safe and on loan to liveaboard sailors who lost their dinghy. I filed the insurance claim Sunday and we have survey scheduled for this week. If she is repairable, I expect it to be a long time before she is ready to sail. Sadly, she is probably bound for the land fill. We spent over 35 weeks sailing her in the Caribbean, so I am philosophical that the experience was worth it for us.

News from friends on St. John and St. Thomas is not confidence inspiring. It is worse than Hugo in 1989, with more development and people. Public safety is a major problem as is lack of health, water and food.

Many of my friends have asked who to support? For now, I am supporting first responders through St. John Rescue. They have paypal on their website St. John Rescue, Inc. - The life we save may be yours and a gofundme at https:/…gyp4sw-hurricane-irma-relief-fund. Check out their facebook page for current updates on their work https://www.facebook.com/stjohnrescue.

Cheers, RickG

I'm so very very sorry to read about De Life. Unless boats were in that wine cellar with Richard Branson, I'm not sure there was anything "hurricane proof" in the path of Irma. I'm glad you have wonderful memories to cherish.

I've never had the pleasure of sailing among those islands but I have other friends, including a sister, who have, and everyone is shocked and saddened for the people who live there. I sincerely hope they get the help they need. I have friends who are recovering from Harvey and it's just devastating.

Best wishes to you.

Lee

This weekend was fabulous. Yesterday was like sailing in a postcard. I sailed to Bloody Point on Saturday, then up the South river to anchor in Harness Creek for the night, then back yesterday.

It was clearly gusting above 20 knots when I passed Thomas Point light yesterday morning, but the stats show 14-16 for that time period. What gives? Are they only taken at the top of the hour or something?

Another thing: while tacking toward Annapolis, I looked back toward the lighthouse, and saw about 25 cabin cruisers, seemingly all the same make, motoring out in a line and turning back around at the same point north of the light. Do any of you know what that might have been?

My sailflow shows moderate winds through the weekend... is that what others are seeing in predictions? Trying to decide if I need to fly to Baltimore to take the jib off and wrap the main. I stripped the boat and set her in the center of the slip last week just in case but if there are going to be winds >40, I would add some precautions. Thanks for reports! And to those who got out last weekend..pure envy

We saw a parade of large same make powerboats north of Annapolis on our was back from Rock Hall Sunday. Was a bloody beautiful sail true wind indicatedon Haleakula at 15-16 knots.

We anchored all the way in the rear of Swan Creek in an area must sailboats don't dare go. The creek is a gradually sloooping depth so if you tread carefully and figure out low tide it's ok. 1 hour after we anchored a monster 50 ft powerboater plopped down in front of us to windward and turned his generator on which nearly choked us with fumes. We politely asked him to move to which he gave us the finger. So we moved because of the fumes and the wat he anchored.

Midway through the night the winds piped up and when we awoke in the AM he had dragged hard aground next to a duck blind. Karma.

Hoping for good weather for our trip to Onancock starting Friday but keeping a watchful eye on Jose who is doing a loop de loop and doesn't know which way to go.

BTW there is a beautiful horse farm back of Swan Creek n the eastern side which rents horses to go riding. We dinghied over and checked it out. Maybe something we do next time we anchor there.

Dave, old guys should not ride horses - it pisses the horses off!

Gary

I don't see remnants of Irma being more than a minor problem for the Chesapeake.
Now keeping an eye on Jose, currently doing a loop in the Atlantic. Models all over the place.


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Donde, Jose!

If the winds are predicted to pick up I'd be happy to prep Pendragon again for you Jim to save you the trip.
I pm'd you my phone number.
John