Back to Nine of Cups - Chesapeake, VA
/We're back! We left the dry heat of Las Vegas at 11 am (PDT) and arrived in Baltimore at 6:30 pm (EDT). After a 4-1/2 hour direct flight, a 3-hour time change and 2113.6 mi (3401.4 km), the humid heat of Baltimore smacked us in the face as soon as we walked down the jetway. We had reserved a one-way car rental to get us from Baltimore to Chesapeake, VA another 3-1/2 hours away where Cups was waiting patiently for us. Wimps that we are, we managed about an hour of road time before we opted for a picnic lunch from Safeway and a cool room for the night just south of Washington, DC.
We were back on the road by 8 am enjoying the scenery. Signs for crab and shrimp began appearing. Thick, green forests lined two-lane roads. There were antique shops galore. We passed through Windsor, Virginia … peanut capital of the world, they claim. Historical battle sites and markers were common and the Civil War iconic split-rail fences snaked along the roadside. And then there was the smell of salt and we were getting closer.
After a quick stop at Wal-Mart for some basic provisions and new pillows, we arrived at the Atlantic Yacht Basin. There was Nine of Cups gently bobbing in the water right where we left her. Inside, she was musty and had that closed-up smell, but there was no mildew nor mold to complain about. We opened all the hatches and ports, lugged all the duffels and gear aboard and began getting straightened away.
She was looking a bit forlorn with lots of pine needles and tree debris on her decks, but all in all, she was in fine shape. We washed the decks and got rid of a few new liveaboards … namely spider webs in the rigging and mud wasp nests in the cockpit. In no time at all, she was looking shipshape.
A day and night aboard and it was as if we'd never left … that is except for Hurricane Hermine which was quickly approaching. By the time she reached the Chesapeake, she'd lost some of her oomph and we only saw heavy rains and winds at about 30-40 mph.
There was significant surge and flooding along the coastal areas, but the Atlantic Yacht Basin is snug and secure and we experienced nothing beyond discovering a new hatch leak and a bit of rocking and rolling. We checked the lines and adjusted the fenders a few times, but otherwise neither we nor Cups were any worse for the wear.
So … now that we've weathered the hurricane, what's the plan? Well, David's brother, Paul, is hopefully heading our way in the next week. While awaiting his arrival, we have plenty of chores and repairs to catch up on. We're making plans for the few weeks we have on the Chesapeake, but mostly … it's just good to be home.
Happy Labor Day!