Starting the Trip South

Someone once told me that the only way to begin is to just start. It often seems to be harder than it should. In comparison to what we've been used to, life at the dock got real easy real fast. The car, family, friends, showers, 120 volt power, heat, restaurants, quick trips to the store; oh we forgot the milk; no problem, I'll just run right out and pick some up. Too easy, too comfortable. Without the blatant realization that we pay dearly the longer we stayed, we may never have left. I took the powerful cold front that swept through Wednesday night to be a not so subtle reminder that winter's coming. Time to go. As they say "Andiamo." So we've left, headed south, but not without much regret. Quite lonely knowing that we might not see our friends and family for some months to come. Keep busy moving and getting the boat back into sailing condition; try not to dwell on the leaving part so much.

The weather has been great for our first few days out. A couple of long days, first to Solomons, then to Mill Creek (first stop in Virginia) and then on Sunday to Deltaville. Solomons we know well and love, but we didn't even get off the boat. The dinghy has been put away, rolled up, clean and stowed down below. Mill Creek, quite lovely, peaceful and protected, but there is no place to get off so the dinghy stayed put away, which served as a new sleeping place for the cats. Finally at Deltaville, we dragged the dinghy on deck, inflated and launched.

Realized that we gotta get more stuff on deck. We just don't look like cruisers to the other cruisers. On most other boats heading south, their decks are often cluttered with jerry jugs (for extra water and fuel), fenders, bicycles, barbecue grills, kayaks, windsurfers; you name it. But not us. To look at us, you'd probably think we were out for a weekend cruise. Can't stand to have all that junk up on deck. But even that stance is softening as comfort and convenience are starting to take their place with aesthetics and performance. We were anchored and another boat came in looking for a place to anchor; had the gall to ask us if we were staying for the night! Gotta get more stuff on deck!

We had a nice surprise in Deltaville. Our friends on Seaquel appeared fresh from their week long cruise with their sailing club. We are, simply put, in awe of George and Julie. Not only are they genuinely nice people, they are just about the most unpretentious folks you've ever met. They've traveled around the world in their sailboat, but you'd never know it. They make no airs about it at all. If questioned, they'll act like it's no big deal; that anyone can do it. The reality is that they are among the relative few, an elite group to have completed a circumnavigation. But yet they can sail in their own backyard and still find great pleasure. They are an inspiration.

It's been a rough few days for the cats. While the weather has been nice, the winds have been contrary and often strong. Knowing that we have many days of motoring ahead once in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), we've been eager to sail while we still have the opportunity in the Chesapeake Bay. This has meant a good deal of sailing hard on the wind, ‘going uphill' as the case may be. This means that we're usually heeled over, the cats struggling to find a paw-hold, let alone trying desperately to do what they're usually doing during the day -- sleep. Even had a bit of a near tragedy. Apollo was laying at the foot of the companion way, adjacent to the galley. As we put the boat over on the other tack, we heard a tremendous crash from below. The oven door had come open, spilling the contents of the pressure cooker and water kettle on the floor, right beside poor Apollo. Obviously, we had left the latch on the oven door ajar as this has happened only once before. No apparent harm done to either cat or boat, but Apollo may be short one of his nine lives!

Lots of other cruisers about now. Checked in the day before we left with the ad hoc Annapolis Cruisers net (on the VHF); about 20 others did the same, all heading south after the Annapolis Boat Show. About 14 boats gathered here in Deltaville. Good place to lay over for the last 40 mile run down to Norfolk. The grocery store provides a dockside pick up service where they come and get you and drive you back. Otherwise it's a long 4 mile walk. We only needed bread but took advantage of the service. Ended up buying $35 worth. There is even a West Marine located right next to the market.

Many rumors circulating about conditions in the ICW as a result of the recent hurricanes. There are two canals heading in the same direction on the first part of the ICW. Our preferred route would take us through the less trodden Dismal Swamp Canal which drops you off at Elizabeth City, NC. While neither dismal or swampy, this route apparently is closed for now due to downed trees in the canal. At Elizabeth City, we wanted to see the town and meet the 'Rose Buddies,' a couple of guys who have been greeting visiting cruisers for years with a rose. But we learned that the last of the Rose Buddies has recently passed away. Too bad. Some traditions shouldn't pass.