Howler Monkeys

So once again...pictures of reflections.

It really is very beautiful first thing in the morning on the water...and very quiet some mornings...
We are anchored in the middle of the creek among all of these boats....
On breezy days...and evenings...it sounds as if there are Howler monkeys ashore in Annapolis...a beautiful sound...but alas (and thankfully) we have not allowed them to immigrate to the U.S. yet. God only knows what the U.S. Congress would "give" them at the working public's expense. Do you think the predominately Democratic state of Maryland will "give" them a driver's license and register them to vote even if they are in the country illegally and can not read or write english???? Okay, I'm off of my soapbox...I'm just a little frustrated with all that has been going on in the U.S.....So here is my last thought on these pictures...on reflections...we have been too tolerant...too long...and allowed too much...thankfully, this day, the sound is only the wind through the masts....

Damn....

Friday Sept 26 9:07 am Yesterday right before the storm hit, I started the genset to charge the batteries and heat some water. 45 sec later the genset shuts down...damn....the error code indicated engine overheat...I had changed the impeller just 8 months ago. We dug into the spares to find all my spares were left over used from previous changes. We got on the phone and located a marine store with an impeller....Joyce went for the part while I pulled the pump....we had it all back to together just in time for the 35 knot winds. We hunkered down for a long night. This AM we were in the same spot...winds still 20 from the NE. Guess it was a good thing the impeller went down now and not when we were down island. So now online to find some more spares.... We need to get out of the States...We have spent entirely too much money...need to be at sea where we can't spend it.

Ok Wes , how is this

Seems Wes finds the font color cannot be seen....does this work better?????...We are now able to recieve only the broadcast TV news......TV antenna on the boat.. We had Fox news in the Marina. We must get the boat ready to leave for 4 yrs . If the American public gets its news from these left wing wackos....well we are in trouble.... the left wing biased press is obviously trying to elect Obama... I can't understand how America can fall for this......well...as a past teacher and the lack of sucess of the Public School system's inability to educate our children....we are in trouble........ok...off the soap box...

1 Fantastic Year and counting

Skip Jack on the Bay. There are a few of these still working the Bay. Notice the small boat on the stern, its a V-8 engine used to move in and out of port. The boats must be engines-less to work the Bay.

Thur Sept 25th 9:15 am Today marks a year Joyce and I have cruised aboard the Lady H. We have cruised almost 6000 miles together...to Venezuela and back. We have experienced all Mother Nature could hand out, from a full gale and 50+ knots off the coast of SC to windless days motoring back from St Thomas. We had several 200+ mile days ... the 4 min mile in sailing. We sailed more this year than any other... We have met many new cruising friends...who we will meet again at some new anchorage. I started this last cruise recovering from knee replacement surgery last September and 2 back surgeries the previous year, that left me looking at the trawler ads in the magazines. Joyce has been there and pushed me along when I might have otherwise parked the boat. I'm now at 61 and a certified diver , thanks to Joyce. I look forward to the upcoming cruise and diving with Joyce as we discover the beauty of the underwater world. We are planning a 2 yr cruise..parking the boat in Guatemala for hurricane season. As I look forward to the upcoming cruise, I look back at the most enjoyable year cruising I have had aboard the Lady H. My 1st Mate and sole mate is always ready to do the manual tasks that I can't or more often shouldn't. Simply put, I would not be sailing today without her effort and support. Follow us this year as we sail south together to visit new places, new friends, new experiences. Thank you Joyce......

The Capt's addition

9:35 pm Sept 24th.. As Joyce and I get ready to celebrate our 1 yr aboard together, we get ready for a blow....expected 40+KNOTS tomorrow and Friday. We are up Back Creek in Annapolis...poor holding...with our Rocna anchor down with extra rode....Joyce has filled you in on our last week with Phil and his new wife Joanna. Joanna...new to cruising ....her first time overnight was with us this week....it was fun sailing with Phil again...we will see them again in St Thomas in January.
The Lady is almost ready to sail south next month. We had a new inverter installed...$$$$ really blew the budget ...but will allow us to run the dishwasher and washing machine while motoring...we used to have to run the genset for this. This will allow us to get more out of every gallon of diesel.
Joyce is busy studying for her Divemaster certification, she flies out the day after the Boat Show for Bonaire and a week diving. The underwater case and flash for her new camera will get a work out that week. Of course we will have a computer full of new pics for her to play with when she returns. Must get ready for the blow....later

Sailing with Friends....

No question we have been busy this past week...an enjoyable busy...sailing with friends. Paul picked up friends with our "car" (Little Bit - the dingy) after they flew in from Fort Lauderdale. After a brief walk around Annapolis...and a quiet wind night... off we sailed across the Bay.

This is Bloody Point Lighthouse off of the eastern shore. Now, while smaller, lighter boats with lighter weight sails can sail the Chesapeake even in the lightest of winds...for the Lady H it takes "real" wind to sail. We were in luck as not only was it a beautiful sunny day, the wind for being on the Chesapeake could not have been better. We had a wonderful sail over to St Michael's. Yet, there will always be moments of motor sailing...
Once we anchored at St Michaels I continued with the pictures...this is a shot of the Maritime Museum from the boat. The boats are the old kind with wooden masts...they are called Skipjacks and had to sail while dragging pots on the bottom of the Bay for Oysters.
This is a re-creation of a very popular type of lighthouse around the Bay. Looking from the dingy dock to the Maritime Museum.

Part of the Maritime Museum...The Lady H at anchor in St. Michael's Bay.

Looking at St Michael's from the Lady H....

Would it be...well, can I say...we have our "ducks" in a row??? At least my children will (should) appreciate my humor???

Sunset over St. Michaels....It seems that even at St Michael's the sailor's come out after school or work...but I was after more than the sailing....the reflections?

A "cattle" boat....Paul's words...a boat with beautiful sails...giving us a great view as we left St Michael's on our way to the SSCA Gam.

This was the location of the GAM. A meeting of the Seven Seas Cruising Association. A YMCA camp on the Rhode River.We were joined by other friends there....Paul enjoyed the Diesel presentation....

The grounds were very nice...

Another sunset from the Lady H...at anchor...really a beautiful anchorage...Paul would say...50 some boats at anchor and because they were all "cruisers"...there was no "evening entertainment"...except of course that which we made ourselves....renamed "snake"...On our way back up the Severn River...we passed the most photographed lighthouse on the Chesapeake....Thomas Point Lighthouse.So as our week with Paul's "old" friend and his wife concluded...we went back to Chase Creek...a place that they had found and enjoyed together four years ago...Another view of Chase Creek....You may recognize that this is the creek that we have been going up for bad weather (such as Hanna)...and that we have enjoyed...on quiet days as well.

Another look at Chase Creek....then to the "wall" in Annapolis. We had a wonderful week of renewing and enjoying friendship and sailing...playing Mexican Train Dominos (now known as Snake)...learning a new language such as...subtall (subtle)...malle (mall)...and....marsh incinerator (more on that later). We are hoping/planning that the Carribean will be our next rendezvous!!!

Back Creek

In an effort to "catch up"...and share some photos...here is where we have been spending some time...up the Back Creek in Annapolis. Is there any question that Annapolis calls itself the sailing capital...
During the day the little boats sit quietly...then after school the little sailing boats swarm up and down the creeks...filled with youngsters...
And...a red sky at night up the Back Creek.

Hanna

For all that might have been concerned...we got through Hanna fine. We went...literally up the Severn River and then "up a creek"!!! The top gust we got was 26...in Annapolis we heard the top gust was 44...so I guess "we".... in other words Paul's knowledge of where to hide in a good hurricane hole...did good!!! The worst for us was that Little Bit (the dingy) was filled with water...so first thing this morning I pumped it all out...AND we had put two anchors out (expecting the worst) and when the boat swung around so did the chain around each other.... so that was "fun" getting them unwound...especially with all the mud that the chain brought on board....BUT, all in all an "exercise" in taking care of ourselves!!!

We are cleaned up and back on the hook in Back Creek, Annapolis where we will resume chores...one day at a time...

Bad Pennies

There is something to be said for staying in one place. We have been in the Marina for almost two months...and things got pretty, well, one could say boring. Boring can be good....and then, one morning we woke up to a scene from "The Birds"...except they were seagulls.

Then back to boring....and things were so dull in fact that while we were in Safeway this week...and I was be-moaning the fact that Halloween stuff was already being displayed (oh heavens)...I passed by and then went back to this display because...EEK...this is now my new camera case inside the boat. You see, I needed something to hold the camera safely and hopefully be rather "inconspicous" at the same time. I was planning on buying some material and making one...but this was just the PERFECT size! Soon the novelity will wear off and the legs will become a top...and I will take the eyes off...but it is a GREAT padded camera case!
And then there is Mexican Train on Saturday nights....well, I wandered off for a moment to get a picture of this unique bird...anyone know what he/she is??
So this is the part that we will miss....our Saturday nights...And, friends....And, everyone at the marina...it was hard to leave today...I did get hugs...never enough. To all of you...and I will not name you individually...but it seems to me that each one of you should know....that both Paul and I give our warmest wishes to each one of you...that you stay safe and follow your dreams...
And, here we are anchored at Magothy tonight...going to dive to clean the hull and prop tomorrow.

So to all....enjoy us being gone...because like a bad penny we will be back....at least we hope to!!! Love to all!!!!