Pathfinders on the water, South River to Sardinia / worth the price of admission

Bobby took his new (to him) Pathfinder LAGNIAPPE out for his first sail this weekend on Selby Bay and the South River, and doesn't she look great.  

From Bobby:  She sails beautifully. I have a few rigging things to figure out, getting the mainsail shape right most notably.

We had good wind Saturday, and with three of us in the boat we had some sustained beam reaching at 6 knots. The boat points remarkably better than I thought she would. 

All in all I'm over the moon. She's exactly what I wanted. Next order of business is to commission a boom tent so I can get out for some overnights as the weather cools.

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And Lorenzo, who lives on the shores of the Mediterranean, has taken his family and the Pathfinder ASTRID to Sardinia.  He has posted a brief video, which will tell you something about how well a Pathfinder sails, from his single-handed sail from the bay where he launched ASTRID to where she'll be moored.  Lorenzo has posted wonderful photographs of the family adventures on Sardinia in the past, I'm hoping for more of the same from this summer's trip.

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This past weekend the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum posted the participant registration forms for the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival.  I signed up right away, my third MASCF in a row (which is being much too social for for my taste) but I want to go as circumnavigator, author, artist and good friend Webb Chiles is the Saturday night speaker.  

Being 25,000 miles-plus into his sixth circumnavigation, this one aboard the ultra-light Moore 24 GANNET, he will no doubt have some interesting stories to tell.  I have heard Webb speak before, I wince when I realize it was over 20 years ago (but not quite 30!).  Trust me when I tell you that Webb's talk will be well worth the price of admission.

morning light

The break in the storm lasted 20 minutes.

The light, just a moment or two.

too long anchored, unknown comments

Work and weather have conspired against me.  It seems I'll go a month this summer without sailing.  A couple trips to see the daughters, a shifting work schedule and stormy weekends have left me very frustrated.  I'll try to make up for it in August by leaving SPARTINA on the water or a week of morning and evening sailing.

Above is my new backup anchor, or at least a part of it.  I had been searching online for a secondary anchor and the price was typically about $34 with $20-something for shipping.  Stopping by a Dick's sporting goods shop I found this 15# navy style anchor for $34, no shipping.  The backup anchoring system will involve the navy anchor, a bit of chain, a 5# mushroom anchor and then 75 feet of line.  The flukes of the navy anchor and the mushroom anchor will live under the ports on the bunk flat, along with water bottles and ballast weights (you can see a little bit of the red ballast) (Good to have all that weight down low and right next to the 100# steel plate cb).  The shaft, anchor chain and line will be stowed in a dry bag under the thwart.  At least that's the plan right now.

This might seem like a little bit of overkill, but sitting in the hook at Tangier Island waiting for the storm with gusts to 60 miles an hour, well there was nothing I wanted more than a good secondary anchor.  Hopefully I will never have to use it.

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Looking back through the blog just now I noticed that I have received several comments from people that I did not know about.  Up until a few weeks ago I rec'd an email each time someone made a comment.  For some reason that stopped happening.  I enjoy hearing from people and I do my best to respond.  My apologies.  I will start checking for comments now.

something wicked this way comes

An unusual storm is coming up from the south this weekend.  In the winter we have nor'easters.  I've heard this described as a sou'easter. 

 From the Washington Post....

  It could be a tough weekend for beachgoers along the East Coast. A bizarre storm system with potentially subtropical characteristics looks to trek up the East Coast, bringing with it the potential of heavy rain, windy conditions, and perhaps some localized flooding from the eastern Carolinas to coastal New England.

Pathfinders north and south

Two consecutive emails brought news of John Welsford Pathfinders to the north and south of me.  Way south in Aruba good friend Rik treated himself and friends to a sail on VANESSA.  I really love the smile on his face, can't blame him one bit for that.  Seems as if there is always plenty of wind down there and I know Rik enjoys it.

To the north Bobby sent me photographs of of the newly lettered and first time (for Bobby) rigged LAGNIAPPE.  He hopes to have her out for a first sail in the next week or two and I'll be looking forward to photographs from that great day.

I am happy to sail that both Rik and Bobby have sailed on SPARTINA, maybe one day I'll sail on their Pathfinders.  Thanks for the emails and photos, guys, enjoyed hearing from you both.

Charm City by rail and back

Leaving the station at dawn, crossing the Elizabeth then up to the fall line before turning north just inside the tidal rivers.

D.C. by 11:00, Baltimore and the Inner Harbor by 12:30.  A long walk along the shore with the oldest daughter, then a water taxi to Fells Point.

A visit to the Waterfront Hotel to pay homage to "Homicide, Life on the Streets," a favorite television show and if you haven't seen it, too bad, it's gem that is hard to find.

A Natty Boh at the Waterfront, then oysters and mussels at, where else, Bertha's.  

The water taxi back to the inner harbor for an O's game, and unusual and unexpected win in a season filled with losses.

Dawn, a long walk at the edge of the water, from the inner harbor to Canton and back, followed by a visit to a poet's grave. 

Back on the tracks, through D.C. to an evening run along the Potomac.

Crossing the Elizabeth once more, this time at dusk, returning home.  A nice weekend.

Quantico Creek

amtrak #88

Crossing the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River, bound for Charm City and an O's game.

I'm sorry, you're breaking up

So I get a phone call from a colleague this morning.  The plans for the trip to the Eastern Shore have changed.  Maybe, after all,  I don't need to make the drive.  What could I say?  "We've got a bad cell connection, I'm sorry, you're breaking up."  A garbled exchange: What?, Huh?, Can't quite understand you.  The voice, tinged with defeat, says well, ok, maybe show up, but an hour later.  I can hear that part.  An extra hour to hang out on the working waterfront and white sandy beach at Cape Charles.  Got to love a bad phone connection.  Yeah, I can hear you now.

tastes of summer, Chris

Had friends over last night for dinner, everyone bringing a bit of seafood, salad, dessert and drinks.

Boiled crawfish and steamed little neck clams.  I was busy at the boiling pot and missed getting a photo of the huge wild caught Carolina shrimp.

Breezy with a light overcast, it was a great night to sit out on the back deck and enjoy.

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Last night's breeze was of course courtesy of Tropical Storm Chris which is meandering off the Carolinas.  It will slide north and out to sea, taking with it my chance to sail today.  Clear skies and comfortably cool, it would have been a gusty, double reefed sail.  Lately work has been a little bit too much like work, so I'll relax and catch my breath today.

the Fourth

as seen from the Schooner Virginia