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

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

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

Still in Rock Hall

We are still here in Rock Hall waiting for our bilge sensors which were suppose to be here Tuesday. Well, it's Wednesday night and still no sensors. If you see a slow boat from China headed this way, let us know.
Yesterday afternoon we met up with Jeff and Karen Siegel and their two labs Dinah and Dylan. Cassie and Godiva had a great time with their new cruising friends chasing each other around and getting acquainted the way dogs do. (sniff sniff) Jeff and Karen are the creators of Active Captain, an on line cruising guide that we love to use and contribute newly found anchorages and marinas and post comments to. You can see their site at www.activecaptain.com After our four legged kids had worn themselves out we all went to Harbor Shack for a burger and a beer. We had a great time with Jeff and Karen, exchanging stories, talking about our travels, and of course talking about our four legged kids. We look forward to meeting up with Jeff and Karen again. They plan to go to the Exumas next year so we will probably see them there if not before.

September Song (still waiting) out
Bob


Tammy's new found friend. Notice her ear is bent to the max

Cassie and Godiva enjoying happy hour with us

Meeting Jeff, Karen, and their two yellow labs Dinah and Dylan

Jeff and Karen's boat aCappella. Jeff and Karen are the creators of Active Captain, an on line cruising guide most cruisers are using

aCappella at the free dock in Rock Hall

Karen giving out treats to Cassie, Godiva, and their new friends Dinah and Dylan, Karen and Jeff's Labs

Sorry! All gone

The batteries are here! But we're not leaving

The new house batteries arrived Friday morning and after a lot of grunts and groans they were in their new home. Two guys on the deck to lower them in, two guys below to "catch" them, put them in their boxes, and "slide" them into the rack. After 45 minutes they were wired and ready to go. (NOT) After looking at the manual (if all else fails) we discovered a wire hiding that wasn't connected. (VOILA) It's all working, well the house batteries are good to go, but when Randy disconnected the old batteries he arced them and shorted out our bilge pump sensors. (all three) These are no ordinary float switches. They count, sense water levels, count time, count number of times run, connect to the master state room alarm, (lets us know when we are sinking while asleep) and connect to the read outs in the pilot house. They were ordered last Tuesday and won't be in until this Tuesday. (the factory needs to make them first) Nothing simple on our baby. This isn't all bad because the Chesapeake will be jammed with all the people on their boats filling the anchorages and trying to get in their last long weekend at the end of summer here in the North. (amateurs weekend) There was a constant traffic jam Friday and Saturday, with boats leaving our marina and boats coming in to get fuel. Not only that, but the dockage is free plus a courtesy car (normally 2.25 a foot per day plus electric) because they screwed up. I guess it's time to get a few more boat chores done, enjoy the pool, go to the farmers market, go to happy hour, and get "crabby" (pig out on blue crabs)

September Song (a good place to be stuck) out
Bob


It must be Friday, The 160# monsters are here

Randy, the electrician, and a helper loading the new batteries from the dock to the aft deck

I'll count to three and then we liiift

Hooking up the new house batteries. Now which wire goes where?

Harbor Shack, Our happy hour hang out. .99 cent Coors, 1.88 Captain and coke, and .35 cent wings.

I fed the parking meter while we enjoyed happy hour. Didn't want to get a bar ticket

While we were at the Harbor Shack for happy hour we noticed a 49RPH at the marina next to Waterman's. Tammy looked through her telephoto lens and saw it was River Girl. We met River Girl last winter as our paths crossed on the waterway in Florida. We got to meet them face to face at the Defever rendezvous at Cabbage Key and Useppa. You never know when or where you are going to meet cruising friends as you travel the waterways. Ron and Janice Walton (River Girl) and their friends Tom and Sandy were there for the night. When we left Harbor Shack the four of us stopped by to say Hi, have a drink, and catch up on where we have been and what we have been doing. It's always great to see cruising friends and Defever Cruiser members as you travel. Great to see you guys. I'm sure our paths will cross again.

Janice on River Girl enjoying a glass of wine

From left to right Ron, Sandy, and Tom on the fly bridge of River Girl

The party crashers on River Girl's fly bridge

Sunset over Rock Hall Harbor

"The crab feast"

After happy hour and a visit with River Girl we headed to Waterman's restaurant for the best blue crabs on the Chesapeake. We were not disappointed. Doug and I ordered the crab feast. (all you can eat blue crab in two hours) First they cover your table with paper because things will get messy, give us our wooden mallets, set a five gallon bucket next to the table for the shells, and bring out the first cafeteria size tray piled with blue crabs. OH MY, this could get ugly!!! After two trays of crab, four pitchers of beer and a whole lot of OOOO's and AAAAAAH's, Doug and I needed a shower. We had crab everywhere. It was a messy job, but someone has to do it. They were SOOO GOOOOD!

September Song (crabby and happy) out
Bob


Notice the paper on one side of the table. Things could get messy!!!!

The first of two trays of crabs.

Crack'n and a pick'n

It doesn't get any better than this!!!!

Doug pick'n and a grinn'n

We filled a five gallon bucket 3/4's full with the shells. That's alot of crab. "I can't believe we ate the whole thing"

My new hat. Stephanie says "not"

Happy boys after a crab feast

Stuck in Rock Hall MD.

We are docked at Haven Harbor Marina where we are waiting for four new house batteries that will be here Friday morning. (we hope) We were having a problem with our house batteries (these are the ones that we run everything on at anchor) heating up so I did a load test and found one out of the eight 160 pound monsters bad. We arrived at Haven Harbor Sunday and an electrician came to the boat Monday to check the other seven out. Battery Doctor says 4 need to be replaced. (YUUUK!!!) Each battery cost about the same as ten car batteries. (DOUBLE YUUUK!!!) The batteries won't be here until Friday so I will catch up on some maintenance things on September Song and enjoy Rock Hall. 1.88 Captain and coke and 35 cent wings at happy hour is about the only good deal we will get this week. If we have to be stuck, I guess Rock Hall is better than most.

September Song (there are worse places to be stuck) out
Bob


This is one of the things kids do for fun on a sailboat. Not many kids have a swing set like this.

This is the only bridge that crosses the 150 mile long Chesapeake Bay.

Sunday on the Chesapeake can be busy. No, the radar doesn't have the measles. All the red dots on the radar screen are other boats.

We are in the land of sailboats. 250 slips in Haven Harbor, Rock Hall Maryland, and we and Gypsies are only a couple of the few power boats in here. I'm not sure why they let us stink potters in with all these rag baggers. I guess our money is as green as theirs.

September Song is at the end of this dock with nothing but sailboats all around her. She feels like she doesn't belong. We assured her that she is still the biggest and best boat in the marina and all the others are envious. She felt better after I told her that.