4 Days on Silent Maid-day 2

Saturday, Sept. 12, 09
Barnegat to Cape May
map

Up anchor at dawn.


Motoring inside the bay.







Coffee, pancakes and homemade blueberry syrup on deck. The galley is improving.


We pass under the bridge to Island Beach.








Cleaned up the galley, The kettle with hot water rides in the sink. The GPS is in the locker to the left. It shows the ship's position and coordinates.




Pete drives for a while. More odd jobs are completed.











A bayman out working.


The forepeak. The arch of wood up there is the house side forward. It and my head became close aquaintences. I can stand everywhere in this cabin except on the forward berths and I cracked my head on this structural element more than once. Slow learner I guess.



We pass an old menhaden plant and this.


Still motoring.


The foredeck from the grand height of the cabin top.





Atlantic City appears in the distance. It is squally Rain off and on. Low ceiling.



Heading out the inlet we are passed by a dragger. The swells are quite large. John decides to try the sail to smooth the trip. I make grilled cheese and zucchini soup.


Here is our position on the GPS. In the Atlantic.

After I clean up from lunch, I get to sail a bit. We are close hauled motor sailing, tacking in and out since the wind is dead ahead.
The engine smooths out the pounding to a tolerable level. Maid kind of shoulders her way through the chop and the engine gives a bit more thrust.


This is good fun. I am so glad to be here.


It is kind of cold for summer weather, I have a hat and mittens on. The cockpit would be really dry if it weren't raining.The guys get the sail in and I get to run the inlet up to the Cape May CG base.


We wash her down and head for a shower ourselves. Chuck is our host and shows off his hometown to the best. Dry, clean, and well fed, the day ends well.



Good Night, Maid.