Saturday, September 19, 2009

Last day on Pickering Creek

Tomorrow (Sunday) we start our trip to Cambridge, Maryland where we will meet up with Gypsies in the Palace and Tide hiker on Monday. It has seemed strange, not seeing Gypsies in our anchorage after traveling with them for five months, but the dynamic duo will be cruising South together. We are looking forward to meeting up with Norm and Vickie again. Cambridge will never be the same!
We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here on the Wye River and Pickering Creek, exploring in Half Note, walking in the woods, playing with the girls, chilling out, catching a ton of Jimmy's, and pigging out on blue crab. It has been a wonderful week in this little paradise, but it's time to move on. It's that wanderlust you know.
September Song (Goodbye Pickering Creek, you were awesome) out
Bob


September Song at anchor with Half Note tied to the dock the crabber let us use to take the girls to shore to play

Do you think Godiva is ready to go for the ball? She doesn't act like she is almost 10

Fun in the farm pond looking for fish

Cassie coming out of the bean field after chasing God only knows what
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First signs of fall

ACHOOEE!!!!! Bless you!
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Still on Pickering Creek

We are still here on Pickering Creek and loving it. The weather hasn't been all that great, cool and cloudy, but sometimes it's great just hanging with your best friend, doing a little exploring, catching BIG blue crab, and just hanging out. Stephanie is even getting into the crabbing. She just caught two jimmy's. (jumbo male blue crab) Yesterday I caught the largest blue crab I have ever seen. He was 17 inches from tip of claw to tip of claw.
Yesterday Stephanie found out that we were anchored in front of the Pickering Creek Audubon Center, a 400 acre nature preserve. We loaded up the girls in the tender and enjoyed a long walk on some of the trails. Stephanie also found out who owns the huge house just around the bend. She looked it up in the tax records on line. (my little investigator) It is owned by the Executive VP of Sunoco. (big bucks) Sorry I don't have many pictures, the camera was being difficult. The butter is starting to get a little hard, so our plan is to start working our way South in a couple of weeks. A few of the trees are starting to show color, but I don't think we will be here long enough to see fall. Got to go, it's my turn to check the lines.

September Song (enjoying Pickering Creek) out
Bob


Executive VP of Sunoco's house

SLOW, binoculars on birders

The biggest I have ever seen. 17 inches from tip of claw to tip of claw
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

We have moved

We moved about one mile into Pickering Creek off the Wye River East. Sometimes you don't have to move very far to find another beautiful spot. We found this secluded anchorage while out exploring yesterday. Sorry for the short post, but Cassie says "it's time dad, let's go crabbing!" I agree. Go wake-up your sister. Wish us luck.

September Song (the kids are getting crabby) out
Bob


Wildlife along Pickering Creek

Deer eating grape leaves in a vineyard next to the house in the next picture

I wonder who lives here? The house alone would cover a football field. There is a vineyard, tennis courts, basketball court, horse barns, and other misc. toys throughout the grounds.
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Exploring Pickering Creek

September Song at anchor in Pickering Creek

Cassie watching a crabber off the bow. "Let's go crabbing dad" "Tomorrow we will give it a try Cassie"
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Monday, September 14, 2009

Good-bye to Rock Hall

The bilge sensors finally came in Friday afternoon and were installed that same day. I think Haven Harbor was glad to see us go after giving us free dockage for the last two weeks because of Randy's error. I have to say they were very good about it all and made it right.
Friday morning (04:00) Doug drove Tammy to the train station in Baltimore because the weather was not good for crossing the Chesapeake on Thursday. Tammy is going to visit friends and family in New England for a few days while Doug does a couple of thing for his captain's license in Baltimore. Friday night Doug joined us for drinks and dinner (the poor boy has to eat) on September Song. (Stephanie is the best cook) Saturday morning we helped Doug cast off his lines as he was single-handing Gypsies in the Palace to Baltimore. I'm sure it seemed weird without Tammy. This will be the longest we've been apart since leaving for the Exumas in March. We miss you guys!
Sunday mid morning we cast off the lines and headed for the Wye River which took us through Kent Narrows. Now we know why they call it narrows!!! We arrived at the Wye River East mid afternoon after a gorgeous day on the water and dropped anchor in a quiet little cove about 2 miles up river. While it was still light I thought I would test the crab fishing. Didn't take long before I had a couple of what they call jumbo blue crabs. They are huge! (they cost around five dollars each in the fish market) This was enough of a test for Bob the crabber to fish for crabs in the morning. Well, I wasn't disappointed. The kid was on top of his game and half-filled a five gallon bucket with some of the largest blue crabs I have ever caught. After a few hours of crabbing Stephanie steamed them, I cleaned them on the swim platform, including Fred, (you will see him in the photos) and it's crab cakes tonight. As Tammy would say, "happy boy"

September Song (happy boy!) out
Bob


Lighthouse at the entrance to the Wye River

Our view at anchor from the bow

Looking the other way. What a beautiful river

Another beautiful sunset over the Wye River. A perfect end to a perfect day
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Crabby Bob's at it again


Fred the crab is on the line holding onto the chicken leg I use for bait

That's Fred at the surface and me ready with the net

Me dipping Fred out of the water

Fred's not very happy
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Next group of crabs waiting for their bath. How's the water Fred? Fred! FRED!!!!!!!!!

First batch of crabs, including Fred, ready for me to pick for crab cakes tonight
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