Dewey

Dewey's comfortable cockpit. We sailed in the Norm Blanchard Memorial Regatta, Three second's and a third. We lost to an El Toro, aughh. A Beetlecat, an nice sharpy, the competely un-nerving experience of sailing with float planes taking off and landing. The Center for Wooden Boats has a large collection of all types of wooden small craft and a nice stable of livery boats. After the races, we sailed all around Lake Union, looking at the floating houses from Sleepless in Seattle. DEWEY was a Woods Hole 12 Sprit rig. A big, little boat.

Silent Maid Cruise Day 4

Monday, Sept. 14, 09
Cohansey to Philadelphia.
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The favorable flood began at 2am. We got up at 6. Hauled anchor and out into the bay again, motoring against the wind.


Steaming lights on, the dawn breaks.



Breeze dead ahead, ebb starts. Coffee & oatmeal. Chocolate for me. After tiding the cabin, I steer for a long time, hence no pictures for a while. We pass Salem Nuclear, Fort Delaware, the Chesapeake Canal, the Christiana River, the dredge MCFARLAND, The Commodore Barry bridge, and lot of floatsam in the river. The predominate wildlife are seagulls from the landfills, AKA seagull sanctuarys. The post modern tour begins in earnest. Power plants, trash dumps, factories, and oil refineries consume the riverbank real estate. New Castle is a bright dot on the chart. Pretty cute town. I steer kneeling on the aft deck so I can see over the bow, watching for and taking evasive actions around floating trees and almost submerged chunks of wood. River traffic increases and we monitor channel 13.


Amidst the oil refineries, Chuck spots a water purifying plant. I start lunch around Marcus Hook. Tomato & avocado salad, radish coleslaw, potato salad, ham & cheese on pumpernickel.



This is John's cue to start sailing again. I hold her into the wind and the guys set the sail. The sun stays bright today. Nice change after all the wet weather.


Running upriver.






We make better progress against the tide. See the wake.



Sail full out against the forward stay.








Here comes the KALMAR NICKLE motoring returning to Delaware after a weekend tour in Philly.

Lot of cordage on that ship.








Sailing with the big boys around Horseshoe Bend. We catch the bridge and tug making eyes at us. I am sure it is because MAID is so beautiful under sail.




The breeze picks up at the Walt Whitman. Almost home.









We furl and motor into Penn's Landing Basin.

4 Days on Silent Maid-day 3

Sunday, Sept. 13, 09 Cape May - Cohansey Creek
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HILARY ANN, a Carl Adams powerboat with a wonderful open cockpit.

Talking shop in the engine room of ANNA M. On deck enjoying her fine detailing.












Afloat in the harbor of Corinthian Yacht club.






Topping off the water, refueling and stowing the shore power started day three through the canal.




A doryman in JOB.


Passing under one of the bridges across the Cape May canal.










Best seat in the house for a morning cup of tea. Passing the Lewes Ferry.



Out comes the sun. Up goes the sail. Out come the reefs.


The breeze kicks up. The bay responds with square waves. A new term for me, it means waves that are the same height and period. Like 2' waves, 2' apart.




Navy blue sky, sail from on deck, we are beating into the wind again. It has headed us the whole trip so far.

John and Chuck trade off steering. It looked like it would be too hard for me to hold the course, but I did not try.





















We bury the rail repeatedly. After taking pictures, I napped in the lee. The gollywobble got me when I went below for the peanut butter. Afternoon snacks everyday were fruit & cookies. Fig Newtons and Gingersnaps.



Late afternoon the breeze fell a bit with the sun.





Warm wood, setting sun.

We are in Cohansey Creek.



Maid leaves her sail shadow on the marsh grass.




Pete has to go to work on Monday, so we drop him off at Greenwich in a touch and go.



Chuck heads back out the winding creek on the vespers of a breeze.


Almost to the anchorage at the end of the creek.

Good Night Silent Maid.

Supper of soup, salad, bread & butter, peaches with dumplings. No bugs! We sleep with the cabin & ports wide open.