Mona SOBO 2016

[lance on cloud nine]

I too, thank you for the updates. Very enjoyable reading!

[ralay]

Coming in big ship inlets is not so bad at night.  There are plenty that are 40' deep and lit like a runway.  But, yeah, best not to mess with shallow/poorly lit ones.  Also comforting to talk to cruising friend/BoatUS first.  If it had been dark, I think we'd have continued on rather than try to fumble in. 

Yes, I have a backlog of photos and video clips.  Just need a day to sit in a coffee shop and upload them. 

And, yes, we were a bit proud of the boat and ourselves.  Hank on sails are a lot of work, but it's nice to have a lot of choices, all of which can be set well.  (Triple reef main, reefable staysail, Yankee, genoa, asymmetrical spinnaker, storm jib). Obviously also nice that there's two of us.  There's probably a good chance that the boats we saw motoring were single handers and nobody can blame them for not wanting to move around deck in that weather without anyone watching them and helping with the sheets/helm. 

We're actually doing pretty well right now with genoa and full main.  Our forecast tailwind has definitely turned to headwind.  Woody's at the helm and we're on our ear, but almost to the inlet at Cape May.  Wish I could say I thought we'd be able to sail up DE Bay, but I think a calm is the best we can hope for.  Strong easterlies are in very short supply.

[ralay]

Pics

http://imgur.com/a/6zISV

[CharlieJ]

Very nice, thanks. Especially  liked the shot of Mona at anchor-ya'll have her looking lovely

[Norman]

 :) Great pictures!  I think that is the first picture of Mona that I have seen, very impressive boat!  You take fine care of her.  That relaxed run under spinnaker is definitely the way to cruise.

Thanks for sharing with us.  I am no longer tough enough for the kind of sailing that the two of you are doing, pounding through the ocean in cold weather.

Just a week and a half to Thanksgiving, and togetherness with family.  A different world and atmosphere, I am sure that you will enjoy the change!  We are also sharing with family, a traditional meal with dishes brought by each part of the family.

See the two of you soon in the Chesapeake Bay!

[Jim_ME]

Appreciate your cool photos. But, so far, have only been able to view up to JW and the giant block... Will try again tomorrow and hope to see the rest... :)

Update: Enjoyed all the photos today, after enabling cookies. :)

[ralay]

Couple of short little video clips.  Password is Mona.  These have been the extremes of our sailing conditions, although the water always looks flat on film.  I'd mute your speakers unless you want to hear windtunnel noise. 

https://vimeo.com/191690440
https://vimeo.com/191691635

[jotruk]

great video looking farward to the next one

[Cruiser2B]

Links to video say I need a password ???

[CharlieJ]

she gave it to you - Mona  :)

[ralay]

Spent 3 or 4 days in Cape May, waiting for the currents and tides to clock.  We had a full moon and big tides.  We needed a low tide to get under the 55' bridges in the Cape May Canal, a fair current in Delaware Bay (ebb currents were up to 3kts), and fair/no wind. 

We went and had vegan waffles and spent a lot of time at the library.  I pulled out my folding bike and rode down to the state park and lighthouse on Cape May point.  This spring we met a fellow who had just bought a boat he was trying to bring north.  He said DE Bay kicked his butt, but he was determined to head out early the next morning into 25kt headwinds.  We gave up trying to dissuade him.  The next morning, we saw his boat all dried out on the beach.  He'd drug anchor in the middle of the night.  At high tide, he got towed into the marina and vowed to come back for the boat later.  Well...it's still in the same slip.  So I suppose it's going to join the ranks of lonely boats owned by folks who discovered cruising isn't quite what they imagined.  We also met a French-Canadian couple who were travelling south on a home-built plywood boat they'd just splashed.  They hadn't put the mast on yet, but they seemed pretty happy to be underway after a 7 year build. 

After 4 days, the currents and tides had adjusted such that we could get under the bridges and have a fair current as long as we got moving at 5am.  We double checked our mast measurements, so I elected just not to look up as I steered her under.  No sense in scaring the poop out of myself.  We had plenty of depth as well. 

It was pretty rough coming out into DE Bay even though the forecast was for 5-10kts of W wind.  We were splashing all around and dipping the bowsprit down into the wave crests.  It was awfully slow going even with a fair current.  It laid down later in the morning as the wind died and the bay narrowed.  We made it all the way to Reedy Point, where we anchored behind a jetty with a sweeping panoramic view of the nuclear power plant on the Jersey side.  We rowed ashore to a boat ramp to stretch our legs.  We saw a flapping Confederate flag in the first 15 minutes, so I guess we've made it south according to somebody. 

We waited for a fair current into the C and D canal the next day and took the boat in at Chesapeake City, MD.  There've got a very protected little bleb off the main channel where boats are allowed to anchor for 3 days in the very, very small anchorage.  The fall color here in Delaware/MD is pretty spectacular.  We also visited a small, free museum on the history of the canal.  We stuck Mona in a marina for their very reasonable off-season rates, so we can go on a visiting spree in Delaware.  We're lazing about at my Grandma's house eating ice cream and doing endless laundry.  The weather has been unseasonably warm and beautiful (70 degrees today), although a cold front is moving in as we speak. 

I was foolish enough to write in our newsletter that nothing has broken on this trip.  The next day we realized our anchor light/tricolor isn't working.  I finally made my first trip to the mast head.  I'm not a fan of heights and haven't been willing to climb past the spreaders.  Despite all my rubber legging, it wasn't so bad.  I tried to narrow in on looking at the light and rigging and not look down or around.  Woody had to tell me to look over my shoulder to catch the enormous container ship that was someone silently gliding right by us.  There was a tiny strip of land protecting us from it's wake, so I was free to gawk.  Even 50' up, it filled my field of view.  I wasn't even anywhere close to the level of their deck.  It also gave me a chance to have a good look around at the sea of orange and yellow trees and waving golden grasses.  We need to run a new wire, so I couldn't really fix the problem, but it was worth a climb to investigate and take in the view. 

[CharlieJ]

Darned I miss east coast cruising!!!

[Jim_ME]

Enjoyed your update. Was wondering whether you would head directly into the C&D Canal and where you would keep Mona while visiting relatives over Thanksgiving.

Poignant story of the fellow you met in the spring and found his boat still in the same slip as you pass back thRough...

It's been unseasonably warm here, too, but the forecast is also for colder weather ahead--even a chance of some rain with snow tomorrow (Sunday) night. Moved the trailer-sailer farther away from the road (and snowplow)  and may put a cover on tomorrow.

Tonight I heard Van Morrison's new song, which seemed timely...
"Out in the Cold Again"...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fw-S241ioI 

[Bob J (ex-misfits)]

Nice write up Ralay.
Sounds like you guys are doing it the right way.
Relaxed & waiting for a good window.

[Norman]

I always enjoy your write ups of the voyage!

Shallow bays are killer bad and should not be voluntarily experienced.  Perfect plan, stay in shelter until all conditions are good, then enjoy the sail or motor.

About that new sailor who ignored your advice and entered the Delaware Bay, he may have felt that small waters should be safer than big, and if he could not do the bay, he was not brave enough to continue, bad logic, but common.

Like CharlieJ, I carry 4 anchors, 3 styles, 2 sizes, and if the one that is deployed seems to be dragging, I simply deploy another type, probably bigger one, and maybe more chain.

Which is your next port of call?  I am looking forward to meeting both of you in Annapolis!

[ralay]

You've got it a little backwards.  We met him going northbound in the spring.  He'd had a lot of trouble in the small water he'd just come from (DE Bay), but was still really eager to leave the next morning to big water (offshore to NYC) even though we were supposed to get a strong cold front that night and he'd have to beat the whole way.  We weren't sure if he really knew what he was signing himself up for and were trying to talk him into hanging out with us and waiting for fair wind.  At least winding up dried out right in front of the USCG training station is about the safest stupid mistake you can make.  It's very protected and sandy back there and the boat looks fine.  It's got to be hard to buy a boat and have to bring it home single-handed.  The learning curve is awfully steep and I can definitely see how someone might get overwhelmed and throw their hands up. 

I guess we'll go to Annapolis next.  It's too far to make it in one day, so we'll probably stop at whatever anchorage is handy.  We haven't been to Rock Hall; maybe we'll stop there. 

[Frank]

All you can do is offer advice...which you did. Ignorance may be bliss, but it can end dreams with boats. Good on you for trying!!
Happy travels.
Keep the updates coming....really enjoy reading them!
Have fun!!

[CharlieJ]

Bringing a boat anywhere single hand for the first time can be nearly overwhelming. Hope he learns, and keeps going

[ralay]

Back on Mona after almost 2 weeks hanging out with TONS of our relatives.  I've got no regrets putting the boat in a marina in Chesapeake City.  We had several days of 45kt gusts and I would've spent all my time worrying about the boat had we left it at anchor.

We're heading down into the Chesapeake tomorrow, probably, with our next stop in Annapolis.  I doubt our sail is ready, but we'll go have a dig in the junk bins at Bacon and visit Woody's grandparents again.  If any of you Chesapeake sailfar'ers want to meet up, let's make it happen! 

[Frank]

I hear Ya on the 45knots at anchor.
Yes..it can be done, but sure feels a lot better knowing your "home" is safely tied up while visiting.
Glad yawl had a good time.