Captain's Log: Just Chillin'

Underway on the Dismal Swamp Canal

We did it. I'm sure that single three-word declaration has you now going to the final paragraph of my previous post to figure out exactly what we did. No? I suppose I can remind you. 

We were at anchor in beautiful Oxford, Maryland waiting for the wind to subside and give us a nice run across Chesapeake Bay to Solomons, MD. It did, and we did, and enjoyed a lovely autumnal cruise. We arrived at Southern Maryland Sailing Association's T-head berth right around 3:30pm on Monday, November 11 where we were greeted by club members Robin and Mark (Mark is also the club's dockmaster). We made fast to the dock, while we were receiving a very warm welcome, but shortly our hosts took their leave. We connected to the available 20-amp shore power connection, which is a bare minimum for us to keep warm as the weather is dipping into the 40s at night. 

After the boat was secured and powered, we put feet to the ground and made our way to the Amazon Locker at Safe Harbor Zahnizer's Marina where we had packages waiting, and then on to our dear friend, Cristin's house to enjoy conversation and dinner. Cristin had to leave for Germany on Tuesday, so this was our chance to catch up before we need to continue on our own journey south. 

Singing a few songs in Solomons, MD

The next few days, we hunkered down in the boat while a biting northwest wind tousled the seas outside our very safe harbor. We did receive a few groceries and other necessities via a big-box delivery service we are trying for the next year at significant discount, and that we are, so far, enjoying. Living aboard often means that local retailers are out of reach since we can't carry our car with us aboard Stinkpot, so reasonably-priced delivery services are a boon. 

On Friday, November 15, I set up my sound equipment in the club and paid our “slip fees” with a performance for the members, and had a great time. Saturday, the wind continued to blow while we re-stowed my music gear and prepared Stinkpot to get, once again, underway. Sunday morning we dropped lines, quickly pumped out our black water at the nearby town pump out dock, and quietly made our way into the rising sun onto a calm Chesapeake Bay. We intentionally ran a long day to maximize battery charge—with the short daylight hours of this time of year, we pay a price at the battery bank for knocking off early. Ultimately, we berthed for the evening at new friends, Mike's and Tammy's home dock up Stutts Creek in Hudgins, VA, and enjoyed a bit of friendly hospitality. All too short though, as we made our way back toward the Hole in the Wall just after dawn, cruising all the way to, and through, Deep Creek Lock on the Dismal Swamp Canal, tying up Monday evening on Elizabeth's Dock (sadly too late to snag one of the two coveted power pedestals). 

We did brave the traffic and closed-due-to-construction pedestrian way across the nearby drawbridge so that we could enjoy dinner at the behest of the culinary delight that is El Puente Mexican Grill and grab a couple missing larder items at the attached Food Lion.

Tuesday morning, we, again, cast off at 11am, taking the head of the short line of two boats locking through Deep Creek as we traveled the length of the canal, locking back down alone at South Mills with the 3:30pm lockage, and traveling through twilight and into the seasonally-early darkness to the Mid-Atlantic Christian University's free dock in Elizabeth City, NC which we had uncharacteristically and completely to ourselves. 

We walked into town and enjoyed some delectable cheeseburgers at a brand-new joint that wasn't there our last time through in May, The Bistro Burger Bar. This will become a go-to for us. Sated, we returned to Stinkpot to wait for another grocery delivery in anticipation of our Thanksgiving plans, which we successfully intercepted despite the delivery driver's palpable confusion, having been led to a parking lot at a Christian University instead of a residence. 

All this time, we had been exchanging messages with friends, Sean and Louise, aboard MY Vector with intentions of meeting up somewhere around Albemarle Sound. They had been cruising the Albemarle Loop while we gently made our way south. We reported our location, studied the wind forecast (even moderate winds can render Albemarle Sound an unpalatable tempest), and agreed that we would meet in the afternoon of Wednesday, November 20 at the free dock (with power and water) in Hertford, NC. 

Stinkpot arrived first around 1pm. Before docking, we dutifully sounded out the T-head dock at the end to make sure Vector would have sufficient depth there (just barely) before backing into one of the slips just inside the T. We made fast, connected to power and water, and awaited Vector's magnificent arrival a couple hours later.

Having all researched the all-too distant and scarce restaurant options in the area, we agreed that an ad hoc cottage pie (shepherd's pie, made with ground beef instead of lamb) aboard Stinkpot would be an excellent way to catch up over dinner, which is what happened. As I'm typing this now, we've been here fully two more days, waiting for a weather (read: wind) window to cross the sound, having dined en masse at the perfectly-serviceable-but-not-spectacular 252 Grill, (a mile's walk away) on Thursday evening, and at "Chez Vector" on the T-head last night (Friday night). Tonight's dinner plans have will have us aboard Stinkpot once again for some homemade pizza.

The wind is supposed to start laying down this afternoon, so we will be getting underway in the morning and forming a very short conga line toward Washington, NC where we intend to enjoy yet another Thanksgiving together with the crew of Vector--A tradition of sorts that began mere weeks after we all first met while we were cruising the Great Loop, and that repeated last year in Sanford, FL.

​Holiday traditions, living and traveling nomadically on boats as we all do, are far and few between, so making this one work when local coincidence allows seems very satisfying somehow. So, with that, and the great anticipation of our three-day(ish) cruise to Washington, NC and the repast to follow, Happy Thanksgiving to all!