Heading out for our Summer Cruise - Post 1

Over the next fourteen weeks we will be sharing with you our 2018 summer cruise. We will be posting once a week. We hope you enjoy the posts.

June 25, 2018 
It's 8:30 pm and we are at our mooring on the West River. The temperature in the salon is still 82F (28C) but in the V-berth the evening breeze provides a gentle freshness. Outside the temperature is balmy. Tomorrow we are leaving our mooring for new harbors and new acquaintances. It’s more than exciting. It has taken lots of work and tons of flexibility to get to this point. 

After spending nearly a year refurbishing Rosalind in 2016, we wanted to head south that year. Some unexpected engine room work pushed back our departure until it got too cold to leave that season. Then, we tried going north the following summer but our plans were forced to change. In the fall, work intervened and changed our plans to go south that year too. Now we are going north, heading out almost two years later than originally planned.

Rosalind

It’s been a long road, but we have learned a lot along the way. We have learned how to live on board and have made a number of important improvements to Rosalind. But we have also learned to really enjoy the process, because at the end of the day, that really is cruising.

June 26, 2018

The weather window that we were waiting for had arrived. Mid-morning on Tuesday, June 26th, we picked up our mooring pennant and headed north on the Chesapeake Bay. The light following winds and seas with assistance from Lucy, our trusted Beta 30 horsepower engine, pushed us up the Bay. We passed Thomas Point Light and before long we were passing Annapolis, the furthest north we had ever sailed until now.  

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

On the VHF radio there was a report of a school of dolphins spotted in the Chesapeake and we took that as a great omen for our cruise. Soon after, we passed under the Bay Bridge and turned east. The wind picked up from zero to 10 knots (0 to 19 km/h) in a matter of minutes, then it went up to 15 knots (28 km/h). We took advantage of the afternoon bay breeze and we had a beautiful sail to the Magothy River entrance. When we reached our destination and anchored in the Magothy River, the wind quickly rose to over 20 knots (37 km/h).

Over the years we had heard great stories about the Magothy and we were soon to discover what a special place the Magothy really is. We anchored in Forked Creek in 14 ft (4 m) of water and enjoyed a great dinner with a spectacular sunset while Rosalind rode out the strong breeze at anchor with her anchor riding sail. 

Sunset, Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay

It's been a day of firsts for us: 

• First time under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
• First time in the Magothy River
• First time this far north

June 27, 2018

A weather front with strong thunderstorms was moving through the area so we decided to stay an extra day in the Magothy River. We stayed on board and worked on the port hardtop handle in the morning then, after lunch, we listened to podcasts and relaxed. 

June 28, 2018

We left the Magothy River and headed northeast across the Bay to Worton Creek. After 25 miles (46 km) we arrived in Worton Creek where, after setting the anchor and getting Rosalind organized, I jumped overboard for a swim. This far north, the Bay is almost entirely fresh water. The water was a beautiful green color and we could see halfway down the rudder. I had been in the Bay before to clean our prop (not a pleasant experience when you cannot see your extended arm!), but this was my first “pleasure” swim in the Bay. The swim was refreshing and I ended up swimming twice that afternoon as the Mid-Atlantic was starting to see the beginnings of a nationwide heatwave. We shared Worton Creek with a couple of other sailboats, had a great evening, and were again treated to a beautiful sunset and moonrise.

Motorsailing past Baltimore Light towards Worton Creek

June 29, 2018
We had to plan the next leg of the trip carefully because of the strong currents at the top of the Bay and particularly through the Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal. After consulting Eldridge, the nautical publication that has been providing tides and current information since 1875, we decided that we needed to get out of Worton Creek at first light if we wanted to make it to Chesapeake City without having to fight the current.

We got up before sunrise and at 5:35 am raised anchor and headed north towards the C&D Canal. The C&D Canal links the two namesake bays and offers a shortcut for both commercial and pleasure boats. The Canal is very well marked and is also lit for night transits. Our destination was Chesapeake City, 3 miles (5 km) into the Canal where there is a small anchorage. Chesapeake City is an interesting destination on its own and we planned to stage there in order to get a fair current to transit the remaining 12 miles (22 km) of the Canal. 

The current was with us all the way that day and we flew up the Chesapeake, at times reaching over 7 knots (13 km/h) instead of our normal cruising speed of 5 knots (9 km/h). As we were approaching Chesapeake City we concluded that we should be able to make a run for it and get through the C&D Canal all in one go with about an hour left over before the tide turned. We motored by Chesapeake City, leaving it to explore at another day, and shortly after noon we were in the Delaware Bay.

Conrail Lift Bridge, C&D Canal

We anchored just outside of the Canal in 23 ft (7 m) of water at almost slack water. It was very hot, in the 90s (32+C), so we had cold showers on deck to cool off. By three in the afternoon, the water was flowing by Rosalind at almost 3 knots (6 km/h). There was a light breeze on the water and it, together with the current, created an illusion that we were moving fast. It was a strange experience. We were treated to another beautiful sunset with no wind and slack water. We consulted Eldridge, planned our trip down Delaware Bay, and turned in early. We were going to have an early start (again!) to leverage the outgoing tide.

Sunset, Anchored off Delaware City, Delaware Bay

This Season's Improvements

Over the extra four months we had on shore before launching, we made a few improvements to Rosalind. We took advantage of being near supplies and hardware stores and tackled some projects from the to-do list.

New Mast Winch
We added a self-tailing winch at the mast on the starboard side. This makes raising the mainsail and handling reefs easier as this winch can be operated with only one hand. The winch is a two-speed Andersen 26 ST in all stainless steel and it replaced a Lewmar 18. It is a beauty! Because the winch is powerful with a 26:1 reduction gear, it also is very useful for winching a person up the mast, and we have already tested it! Cheryl pulled me the mast a couple of weeks ago with little effort.

Andersen 26ST Winch on the Right (Starboard)

Forward Water Tank

We connected the forward water tank to the manual pump in the head and this increased our water capacity by 18 gallons (68 liters). We also installed an access port and calibrated a wooden dowel that we use as a dipstick so we know exactly how much water is in the tank at any time. The forward water tank is located in the forward cabin under the bunk. The tank is now connected to the manual pump in the head/vanity.

Forward Water Tank Access Port and Connections

Manual Pump (Right) Connected to Forward Water Tank 

Securing Spare Anchor and Rode

We secured the panel covering the V-berth storage bin with webbing to prevent the spare anchor and rode from getting loose. The spare anchor is a 33 lb (15 kg) Bruce and we have over 200 ft (60 m) of rode plus 110 ft (34 m) of chain stored under the V-berth. Securing the panel is necessary as these items are heavy and if they get loose they can cause potentially significant injuries to the crew and damage to Rosalind. 

Forward Bunk Anchor and Rode Storage - Water Tank located under Anchor

Straps to Secure Forward Under-Bunk Panel

Folding Cart Storage
Over the winter, we also purchased a folding cart to help with provisioning and carrying heavy items around when on shore. This a heavy duty cart rated for 275 lbs (125 kg) and has 8 inch (20 cm) diameter wheels. The cart is stored in the aft cabin on the aft end of the starboard bunk. We also secured the cart with a strap. The bunk has become a dedicated storage for large items such as the cart, storm jib, cruising spinnaker, and stand-up paddle board (SUP). This year, the cushion for that bunk was left at home.

Folding Cart Stored - Aft Cabin Starboard Bunk (Looking Aft)

Here is a sketch of Rosalind's main cabin looking aft. Under the settee are the battery selector switches and the panel that controls the propane sensor. Above the aft settee, are the barometer, the ship's clock, the VHF radio, and the main electrical panel. Outboard of the electrical panel (to port) is a bookcase. The red and white pennant with the letter B hanging in front of the mirror is from our favorite restaurant "Boatyard Bar and Grill", in Annapolis MD. The table is setup for two, however it can unfold to accommodate four. Above the table, we have a hanging wine glass rack. The overhead brass cabin light has both white and red LED lights. Red is used when we are on passage and the very bright white is used when we are in port or at anchor and we want lots of light. A brass oil lamp is hanging from the overhead. We can use if we do not want to use electricity or if we want to take the chill off on a cool evening. There is also a small brass LED reading light above the table between the storage bins.

Rosalind's Salon (Looking Aft)