Warming Up & Staying Busy in Chesapeake

“If you don't like the weather … wait a moment, it'll change” is a quote attributed to Mark Twain about New England, but it seems to fit here in Virginia, as well ... except for the “moment” part. The bitter cold weather we recently experienced is history now. It was 17F / -8C outside a week ago today (and 49F/ 9C inside!) and 70F/21C by last Thursday. The temps have been hovering primarily in the 50s and 60s (10-15C). Needless to say, we appreciated watching the river ice melt away. We have definitely embraced the change.

Keeping warm a week ago was a matter of triple and quadruple layering, wearing a scarf, mittens, heavy socks and hat … indoors! Our flannel sheets and bed warmer kept us comfy at night, except our ears and noses always seemed cold. We groused over morning walks up the dock. We had three small electric heaters on timers churning out BTUs day and night. It was uncomfortable, but not untenable. We ate bowls of hot oatmeal for breakfast and homemade soups for lunch and dinner. I happily baked a lot … and at times seriously contemplated jumping into the oven myself.

All bundled up on the saloon settee with a heater at our feet, we busied ourselves with writing and reading. David fixed the old alternator that had crapped out last autumn. He removed the forward head and began sanding the sole in preparation for varnishing when it warmed up and the installation of a new head. He's also involved in an alternator evaluation study and worked on test jigs and protocols. I got an article or two sent off to SSCA. We climbed into our bunk early in the evenings and stayed in our warm bed as long as we could in the mornings.

Now the heaters are off, the temps are mild and our spirits have warmed up accordingly. The gentle sound of melting snow trickling from the boat and wharf into the river below was music to our ears till finally the snow and ice was all gone. David has continued work on his alternator project, but much of it now entails working outside on the dock … a bit easier with no snow and non-frigid temps. I should be working on either the book I'm writing or the website and, of course, I'm doing neither. Instead I've been doing some sewing. Awhile ago I made some curtains for the aft bunk and bought enough extra fabric to cover some pillows which I've never done. This week, I ferreted out the fabric (that took a couple hours since it was well stowed … read that “lost”) and made the pillow covers.

We also needed some replacement fender covers. I searched on-line for either a pattern or instructions and David found one on a sailing forum that made so much sense and was so easy, I'm sorry I didn't think of it myself. A how-to blog will follow in a few days. In the meantime, the fender covers are done and on the fenders and look great.

We hadn't been walking much lately, neither in Boston nor here, due to cold temps and inclement weather and I've regretted it. With the return to reasonable weather, we've been walking daily and feeling all the better for it. We're energized! Having no car handy to get to the supermarket or hardware store and having to walk to the toilet several times a day facilitates our achieving the goal of 10,000 steps a day, believe me.

There's been a bit of social interaction. A few cruisers have passed through on their way south and stopped for the night at AYB. One couple came aboard for drinks and we've chatted with others. A Canadian couple has been living aboard here since late last autumn trying to sort out multiple engine issues. We see them quite regularly and empathize with them about their boat problems. Otherwise, we are pretty much left to our own devices at the far end of the dock and, quite honestly, it suits us just fine.

Weekend in the Freezer

Oh, my, it's been cold in Virginia! Even with the heaters going, it's mighty chilly aboard Nine of Cups. Climbing out of our bunk in the morning has been painful. Worse is the early morning, bone-chilling trip up the wharf. Ice crystals glisten on the wooden planks and provide an unduly amount of slip and slide as we tenuously walk the 800 steps to the toilet block and back. I'm always afraid I'll slip right off the wharf and into the river. I've located the ladders for climbing back onto the wharf, just in case. The Elizabeth River, the part of the ICW on which we're located, has a layer of skim ice on it. No skating yet, but if the cold persists, it might be an option. Actually, we're told there's rarely a solid freeze on the river. The water is slightly brackish and the constant traffic of barges, tugs and boats keeps the water churning a bit.

Because it's colder outside than inside, there is condensation on the hull which I refer to as “drool”. If we push our bunk pillows too close to the hull, they get wet and subsequently freeze to the hull. The portlights drip and dribble. The socks in which we keep our wine bottles are a bit soggy. The wine is safe and definitely cool, however.

Winter Storm Helena (they name them now!) blew in with a vengeance over this past weekend. Blizzard warnings were in effect and Virginia's Governor declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of heavy snowfall, gusty winds and white-out conditions. The “chilly” moments I described previously and the “skim ice” on the river has now intensified.

Cups has had some morning frost on her hatches and ports lately, however on Saturday, we woke to the much-anticipated snowstorm. We've stuck an outside thermometer on one of the portlights and though it's warmed a bit by the interior heat, it showed temps in the 20s and later in the low teens. Brrr and more brrr! There was so much snow, we could no longer see out the ports!

The usually temperate mid-Atlantic Virginia climate has become an ice box with the raging blizzard depositing nearly a foot of snow on Cups' deck. Throughout the night, we could hear the ice groan and Cups respond in protest with creaks and groans of her own. And here we are ... without a shovel!!! David has worked with a broom to clear off the bimini and solar panels.

After a gray, snowy day on Saturday, Sunday morning dawned brightly with a temp of 17F outside and 50F in the cabin. Are we complaining? Not really.

In truth, it's just one more adventure. No worries. Temps are supposed to climb in the next day or two.

By the way, if you've never watched the BBC series “Life in the Freezer” narrated by David Attenborough, it's a fascinating, highly entertaining documentary on life in Antarctica … somewhat akin to life aboard Nine of Cups at the moment ... less the penguins.

Life Aboard at the Atlantic Yacht Basin

We wake each morning to the horn blasts signifying the Great Bridge is about to open. It's not an unpleasant sound; it's a muffled nautical sound and we wait for it before we rouse ourselves out of bed to start another day. The kettle is on first thing … a cuppa before our morning walk. We've been walking every day even when it rains. Sometimes we explore the area around the boatyard, but more often we head to the little park on the north side of the river via the Great Bridge. The park itself has historical markers that describe the illustrious role played by Great Bridge in the Revolutionary War. This is also an historic battle area for the Civil War and there are lots of info signs and monuments to check out. I'll tell you about the history in a later blog.

There's a 1.5 mile loop route through the woods along the banks of the ICW and when it's not too wet, we enjoy this walk. It smells fresh and piney. The birds and squirrels are very active and we spotted a bald eagle standing sentry one morning. Native trees have name markers and there's a wooden boardwalk with views over the marshland. Plans for expansion of this park include a Visitor's Center and more trails. A wharf alongside the river provided us with a free night's tie-up when we first arrived back in June.

On the west side of the bridge, we can walk along the Elizabeth River towards the Great Bridge Locks and watch boats transit both the bridge and locks. In the early morning, casual fishermen and crabbers line the waterway.

The Great Bridge Locks Park provides lots of historical information about the building of the canal and the locks. There are picnic areas and playgrounds and wonderful views of the river. Herons hang out here, trying to get their share of the river's fish for breakfast.

We trek to the local supermarket, Farm & Fresh, everyday … whether we need to or not. It's only a ½ mile walk … a reasonable round-trip, but not nearly enough to reach my 10,000 steps goal (yup, still doing that), so we walk a bit further or longer or more frequently. Some days it's 2-3 trips to the grocery or the hardware store or Radio Shack or Walgreens ... in between projects.

The usual boat chores need doing, of course. While David is immersed in his projects, I write for awhile and then tend to the daily tasks. The deck and cockpit need cleaning almost daily to remove pine needles and tree debris, especially with the rain and wind we've been experiencing. I made new curtains for the aft cabin and installed them and subsequently decided matching pillows might be nice … they're on my to-do list. Cooking, cleaning, laundry and all the regular “pink” chores get done during the course of the day.

The cockpit mat was growing moss (on its north side) which probably indicates it's been wet and in the shade for way too long. I scrubbed it with a product called “Spore No-More” that David acquired a century or so ago and it seems to be working. Just in case it doesn't work, there's more old line where that came from and I know a good ocean plait mat maker.

By 6 pm, we're usually ready to call it quits for the day. We take evening showers in the marina facilities, then return to Cups for a beer or glass of wine. Though there are several restaurants quite nearby, we rarely eat out. It just seems easier (and cheaper) to eat aboard most evenings and save the infrequent dinner out for a special occasion. The meals are simple … grilled chicken breast and salad or white chili or sometimes just a salad or sandwich.

We either read or watch a movie on the computer till 10 pm or so and then head to bed and read a bit more before falling asleep. That's a day in the life here at AYB. Not so different than any other marina we've stayed at in other parts of the world. Not all that exciting. Needless to say, the days are flying by all too quickly, and even though we haven't left Atlantic Boat Basin yet, it's very pleasant just being aboard again. It's easy to get into a routine.