Hunting & Gathering - Virginia Beach

We had lots to do before leaving Cups. David was intent on getting as many chores done in advance of our departure as possible so that once we return in September, we can spend time sailing in the Chesapeake rather than doing repairs and maintenance. Much of what we needed in the way of parts and supplies, however, were not available within walking distance. This easily prompted us into renting a car for the day and heading out for a “hunting and gathering” trip … and maybe lunch in nearby Virginia Beach.

We had our list all written out and even remembered to take it with us. West Marine was at the top, followed by an auto parts store, WalMart, Lowes or Home Depot, a grocery and whatever else we saw along the way that tempted us … and lunch. Don't forget lunch!

Hertz picked us up a bit late and by the time the paperwork was completed at their office, it was 10am before we hit the road. We headed first to WalMart since it was on the way. Our microwave, which admittedly we don't use very often, had died … after only 14 years. We found a compact, same-size replacement for $49. David found the motor oil he needed, but not transmission oil. We headed to the auto parts store for that. Lowes had muriatic acid for cleaning out the head hoses. By the time we arrived at West Marine, we were all primed for buying stuff. Oh-oh! We managed to get away for only a couple hundred dollars … three gas jugs, engine spray paint and some electrical parts... though we were tempted to buy much more. Luckily, we were hungry and that trumped more West Marine purchases!

We drove down to the shore and had a late lunch at the Waterman's Surfside Grille. It was touristy and crowded, but the she-crab soup and lump crabcakes were worth the bother. We sat on the covered outdoor patio with the smell of the salty ocean sweet to our senses. A light breeze ruffled the awnings and the white sand beach was just a few feet away. We ate, sipped cold draft beer, chatted and just enjoyed the day.

After lunch, we wandered along the Boardwalk for a few minutes and then along Atlantic Avenue. The beach was colorful with bright umbrellas lined up at the shore and people of every description soaking up the surf and sun. Way in the distance we spotted a sailboat.

Across the street, the shops on Atlantic Ave offered all sorts of things to woo the tourists. At one store, we could have received a free hermit crab if we bought a cage, but we chose not to. We could have rented bikes or self-powered dune buggies to get around town or bought a boogie board or new swim togs or beach toys or kites, but we passed up all these wonderful opportunities and decided to visit the Cape Henry Lighthouse.

We noticed the giant King Neptune statue as we were heading north and David patiently stopped in a no-parking zone so I could get out and get a quick photo. My camera is not working properly and I was forced to use my phone as a camera … a new experience for me. The rest of the world, I'm told, does this all the time.

There are actually two Cape Henry Lighthouses and they're both at Fort Story, an active US military base. To gain access to the lighthouses, we had to stop at an inspection post, show IDs, proof of registration and insurance for the car, answer some questions and evacuate the car while they gave it a thorough once-over. Finding nothing suspicious, they issued us a pass for entry. This was the highlight of the afternoon though they discouraged me from taking any pictures at the inspection point.

We drove a couple of miles through the base (do NOT leave the main road, we were cautioned) and there before us stood the lighthouses. The original Cape Henry Light, first lit in 1792, is octagonal-shaped and was the first federally-funded works project in the USA. It has been claimed by a non-profit for preservation and upkeep. We passed on climbing the 191 steps to the top and contented ourselves with views from below and afar.

Close by is the 1881 black and white patterned lighthouse which replaced the deteriorating older one. It still stands sentry over the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.

We headed back towards Chesapeake, but had to stop when we saw a Trader Joes. And then another stop at Mickey D's for an afternoon iced coffee. I spotted a Good Will and really needed a “thrift store hit” so we stopped yet again. I netted a classic Blue Willow china saucer (c. 1940) which doesn't go with anything at all and made no sense to buy, but for $2, I thought it was a steal. We finally made it back to the boatyard.

All in all, a fine day. We hunted and gathered all the supplies and parts we needed for Cups and the crew was delighted with lunch out and a break from the boat. Now to put all those supplies and parts to good use.

Cups' New Digs - Atlantic Yacht Basin

We had lots of questions and the folks at Atlantic Yacht Basin (AYB) had all the right answers.

Yes, they had room for Nine of Cups now until early September and they would make accommodation for her to stay a few months in late autumn till after Christmas as well. Their rates? About half of what we had anticipated paying in the lower Chesapeake or Baltimore area. Because this is a boatyard and not a marina, we wouldn't be paying for all those classy amenities we didn't need and wouldn't be using. This would be so much better for the budget.

What about getting the transmission repaired? We spoke to James, Vice President of AYB and a 40-year veteran at the yard. He has a mechanical background and stopped by the boat the very day we arrived to confirm David's suspicions of a rear seal leak. David removed the gear reduction case and it's currently in the hands of a mechanic for rebuild. Couldn't have been easier.

We were concerned that Cups would be safe on the off-chance that a hurricane came through. In fact, AYB is considered a hurricane hole. Being inland and before the Great Bridge Locks, this area is well-protected from tides, surge and wind. Boats come here when a hurricane threatens. We were feeling better and better about leaving Cups here. The decision was easy … we're staying.

So what's it like here? It's a boatyard and it's pretty rural actually. The area is heavily treed and we feel like we're docked in the middle of the woods. We are on a linear dock right on the Abermarle to Great Bridge Canal. There are mostly big motor yachts on the dock and Cups is definitely feeling a bit under-dressed. This is definitely not the usual crowd she hangs out with.

During the day, we hear the hourly horn sound for the opening of the Great Bridge bascule bridge. There's a lot of boat traffic that goes by, but it's very, very slow because they're all waiting to transit the bridge and are nearly at a standstill. Hence, very little wake or wave action. We hear the low rumble and sometimes feel the vibration of the tugs as they pass by pushing massive barges and equipment along the river.

AYB is quite large and pretty much surrounded by water. In fact, though it's really a peninsula, the employees call it “the island”. There are huge sheds with high, high ceilings for covered boat storage ... not masted sailboats though, mostly power boats. There's one outside linear dock in the back of the boatyard called “sailboat alley” where most of our kindred spirit boats are parked for long term stays.

Other sheds are dedicated to carpentry, painting, refinishing and a variety of other trades and services offered here. It's a busy place, but on the docks, it's very quiet and peaceful. We can easily walk to the grocery, a hardware store and several restaurants. I even spotted a thrift shop not too far away, but I haven't checked it out yet.

As for the rural nature of the boatyard, Queen Anne's lace and other wildflowers (weeds) have sprouted up in lots of places and attract butterflies and dragonflies.

There are groves of Virginia pine and native shrubs surrounding us. We spotted a big fat water snake sunning himself on the rocks.

I noticed a couple of blackberry bushes during my amblings that looked loaded with ripe blackberries. Blackberry crumble in our future!

In general, we think Cups will be safe and happy here for a couple of months until we return in September. Before we leave, there's lots to do, but at the moment, we're content to have found a place to stay for awhile.

Riding out Tropical Storm Colin - Pt. 1

We interrupt the fun and games in St. Augustine to bring you Tropical Storm Colin. We delayed a previous departure from St. Augustine as we waited for Tropical Storm Bonnie to make her way up the Carolina coast and dissipate … and come back to life … and finally die a lingering death. We were all set to leave when Tropical Depression 3 sprung up quite unexpectedly (for us anyway) off the Yucatan peninsula. It became Tropical Storm Colin overnight and quickly made its way across the Gulf of Mexico, strengthened and headed straight for Florida. Just our luck, Colin is the earliest Atlantic “C” storm on record, since they started naming storms in 1953. Going all the way back to 1851, however, the previous earliest appearance of the season’s third storm was June 12, 1887, although some early-season storms were undoubtedly missed during the pre-satellite era.

We hemmed and hawed and vacillated back and forth about sticking around in St. Augustine or leaving. Should we stay on our mooring? We're quite well protected here behind a barrier island though we're not far from the St. Augustine Inlet. We can expect some fetch and storm surge. The current is sometimes strong and when wind is against current, it could get mighty uncomfortable. If we left, could we beat out the storm? Are we being wimps? It's always hard to make the decision. We never know how much sensationalism the weather forecasters and news agencies are adding to the facts. Plus we all know, weather forecasting is not an exact science. In the end, Mother Nature does what she wants to do, despite weather models, predictions and memos to the contrary. Perhaps Colin would just peter out and then we've wasted two good sailing days for nothing. On the other hand, if the projected path of the storm was as forecast, it would nail us off the Carolina coast just as we reached infamous Cape Hatteras with projected 50+ knot sustained winds … higher gusts … and heavy seas. The GRIB forecast and Buoy Weather confirmed this. We decided to stay put. The day was sunny and bright and breezy and it was hard to imagine what was coming our way.

We woke to heavy, gray, ominous-looking skies, flat-calm water and no wind. It showered with heavy downpours throughout the morning and we're anticipating the same for the rest of the day. David took the opportunity during lulls to check mooring lines, batten down the canvas and wash the remaining salt off the decks. When we have extra fresh water, we tend to make the most of it. With a predicted 3-5” of rain in the next 24 hours, we'll have all the fresh water we can deal with. We are not alone in the mooring field. There are several boats who have made the same decision to hang tight. Folks are out and about checking lines, lashing things down and preparing for the worst.

Ashore they're expecting localized flooding. The forecast also includes violent thunder and lightning, possible tornadoes and of course, strong, gusty winds. The extra iPad and GPS are in the microwave oven, just in case.

We are just south of Jacksonville and in the direct projected path of the storm, the worst of which is scheduled to arrive around 0200. Of course, always in the middle of the night! We're not expecting to sleep much, so I think I'll have plenty of time to write and provide a blow-by-blow description of the storm for you tomorrow. Stay tuned!