shelter

A brief sail across the Miles River yesterday to seek shelter in Leeds Creek from the remnants of Ian. Rain began about an hour ago followed by a few gusts of wind. Might be here a few days before the weather clears.

weather hold

Forecast calls for gusty/rainy weather the next few days. This afternoon might sneak across the Miles River to Leeds Creek and wait out the weather there.

beginnings

launched

Launched this afternoon in Cambridge. Will spend the night on Cambridge Creek, start working my way to St. Michaels tomorrow.

MiRaSar (Mini Raid Sardegna)

 Just now catching up on Lorenzo's sailing raid.  Formerly known as MiRaVar it is now called MiRaSar.  The big news to me is that they had three Pathfinders in this year's sail.  Here is the link for the site, you'll find some wonderful photographs there.

It is early morning here and I will soon be leaving on my own (solo) sailing raid.  Just thought I would post a few photographs from the MiRaSar.  Congratulations Lorenzo on year number five! (And please say hello to my friend Enrico.  Will we be seeing some videos??)

 

here and gone / tracking link

This is a view of Greece as we flew out yesterday afternoon.  An enjoyable trip to say the least.  The Pilgrim and I agreed that our favorite day was going out on a traditional Greek fishing boat.  I hope to do a quick video and post later today.

We arrived back home late last night, our flight (as all of our flights on this trip) arriving exactly as scheduled.  How nice.  And tomorrow I will be gone again, this time casting off in Cambridge for the fall sail on Chesapeake Bay.

Here is the tracking URL for the fall trip.  Or you can copy and paste the link below.  It should go live Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/1JS2

street markets

yesterday

A cool, comfortable day on the Greek Riviera follow by a tapas style dinner with octopus, prawns and scallops. How nice! Home soon.

so a donkey walks between two tavernas…

on a narrow path sided by white-washed buildings and, well, stuff happens. Great dinner nonetheless of grilled octopus and seafood risotto.

slaughterhouse art

Last night visited Apollo, an art installation by Jeff Koons at Hydra's old slaughterhouse.  We had seen part of it during the day.   Interesting in daylight, fascinating at night. More information is found here:   https://deste.gr/hydra/jeff-koons/

We were told that the installation has a temporary permit.  There is a move to make to make the reflective gold Apollo Wind Spinner permanent.  At 30 feet in diameter it is a stunning scene on the approach to the island's port. 

the best meal

Great day of traditional Greek fish with Yiannis and Katerina. We worked the lines of baited hooks that had been set out predawn and then hand lined for mahi mahi. Next was a swim in a quiet cove and a lunch of grilled fish - fish don't come any fresher that this - with salad, bread, wine and beer. What a treat!

dinner

Light dinner of salads and appetizers including tempura crayfish and calamari salad. Life is good!

be still my heart…

the peak, the coast

Long steep hike yesterday to visit an ancient monastery on the peak of Hydra. Worth every step. Then an afternoon walk along the coast with a pleasant swim in warm clear waters.

Hydra

The view from dinner, and scallops with saffron threads. Yes, it's that kind of place.

brunch on the waterfront

the view from the apartment

Athens

Off to a little island tomorrow.

I'll pass on the crab cake

 I read of a new crab house on the western shore of the bay that sounded interesting.  Thought I might give it a try if I'm on that side of the bay.  But then I google mapped it and, yeah, I'll take a pass on that place.

packing

Still have a few weeks until the fall trip on Chesapeake Bay.  In the meantime I've got some other traveling to do so packing now to have SPARTINA and the gear/food ready to go once I'm back.

Above you'll see the mango-colored dry suit.  Going clockwise from top right the two green stuff sacks contain freeze dried dinners, those will be put in the storage areas underneath the thwart.  Red mesh bag has some small items that get spread out in different compartments/places on the boat.  The little blue tub has an insulated mug, tea bags and hot chocolate for chilly mornings and evening.  Below that are the four pieces of sleeping gear - inflatable mat with an inflatable pillow rolled inside, bivy and 30 degree sleeping bag, they live on SPARTINA up underneath the foredeck.  Next you'll see inflatable pfd/harness with a strobe and plb (personal locator beacon) attached.  Binoculars are bottom right.

Lower left is the 30 liter dry bag for clothes.  Above that is green insulated lunch box, four plastic jars trail mix and, to the left, gps, anchor light and SPOT tracking device.  Smaller orange dry bag is the hypothermia kit (I need to sort through that today) and plastic jars of crackers.  The two orange waterproof duffels above that are stored port and starboard midships on SPARTINA, starboard one contains the cooking kit, port duffel contains books and logbook.  At top left the red box contains 15 days of breakfasts and lunches, each day in a gallon freezer bag and those will all go in the thwart storage areas.  Plus there are vacuum sealed packed of breakfast/lunch supplies for two more weeks.

It always surprises me that the gear, plus other stuff not in the photo at the top, somehow all fits comfortably on the boat.  The photo below, from day seven on last fall's sail, leaving out of South Creek off the West River, shows a lot of the gear tucked in place below the coaming.

 

A few weeks to go.  Can't wait to cast off.

almost home

One of the joys of this summer has been following Kristen Greenaway on Instagram as she and her son took a two-month sail aboard Kristen's Cape Dory MAGDALENA from St. Michaels to Maine and back.  What a wonderful journey, one that will leave them both with memories for a lifetime.  

Those of you who sail Chesapeake Bay will recognize the Kent Narrows drawbridge.  Kristen is almost home.  Here is a text I received this morning.

How great is that?? 

 

Kristen, president of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, has been a good friend of many years.  She is in the group of people I have met through SPARTINA (the boat that I built to get away from people but instead caused me to meet mybest and truest friends. ( How did that happen?)).  I always look forward to seeing her in St. Michaels and I've also had the pleasure of crossing paths with her as we were out on our own sailing trips.  Last year we met on Mill Creek off the Patuxent River.   A couple of years ago it was on  Queenstown Creek, a favorite anchorage for both of us.  

I hope to see Kristen soon at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival and hear some of her stories firsthand.  In the meantime I'll share these screenshots of her IG posts, published with her permission.  Well done, Kristen.  And welcome home.