Fall comes to New Hampshire...
Time to Head South!
Time to Head South!
Docked at Great Bay Marina in Newington, NH. We're loading up for the trip South. (The
flags are to discourage sea gulls which like to perch on Sno' Dog when she's at her mooring.)
flags are to discourage sea gulls which like to perch on Sno' Dog when she's at her mooring.)
Hot Diggity running with Sno' Dog in
Buzzards Bay - fast, but not fuel-efficient!
Buzzards Bay - fast, but not fuel-efficient!
The New York city skyline appears under the
Whitestone Bridge as we head into the East River.
Whitestone Bridge as we head into the East River.
Red sky at night... Atlantic City casinos and wind
turbines in background (click for larger view).
turbines in background (click for larger view).
.
Madison, my only crew, enjoying her first day at sea.
Once again, as cool weather descends on New Hampshire,
we plan to take Sno' Dog south for the winter. And, once
again Nancy is planning to meet me in Norfolk so as to miss
potential rough seas in the exposed northern part of this trip.
(Hopefully, we won't encounter seas as big as last fall.)
Madison & I plan to head out on October 22nd. We expect
to meet Dave Brunell and his brother-in-law in North
Falmouth, Massachusetts later that day. They are planning
their first trip south (to Florida) in their 30-ft Sea Ray and
they're hoping to accompany us on the trip.
Because of the good weather (calm winds, 60° temps), we
decided to leave a day early. See Log below...
we plan to take Sno' Dog south for the winter. And, once
again Nancy is planning to meet me in Norfolk so as to miss
potential rough seas in the exposed northern part of this trip.
(Hopefully, we won't encounter seas as big as last fall.)
Madison & I plan to head out on October 22nd. We expect
to meet Dave Brunell and his brother-in-law in North
Falmouth, Massachusetts later that day. They are planning
their first trip south (to Florida) in their 30-ft Sea Ray and
they're hoping to accompany us on the trip.
Because of the good weather (calm winds, 60° temps), we
decided to leave a day early. See Log below...
In preparation for our trip south, we hauled and
checked the bottom. A bit of touch-up, new zincs
and a new shaft seal* was all she needed.
Notice how well protected the props are on this
boat, I consider this very important!
checked the bottom. A bit of touch-up, new zincs
and a new shaft seal* was all she needed.
Notice how well protected the props are on this
boat, I consider this very important!
| . Log of Sno' Dog - Portsmouth, NH to Jensen Beach, FL - Fall 2009 - Page 1 |
10/21/09 - 11:45 AM - Dep Great Bay Marina, Newington, NH
12:30 PM - New Castle Lt, Portsmouth Hrbr entrance
2:30 PM - abeam Cape Ann - seas calm, wind E 10
4:30 PM - Arr Scituate, MA - Mill Wharf Marina
beautiful day on the water! Very cute little town.
Today: 57.2 n mi - 5.2 eng hrs.
10/22/09 - 9:30 AM - Dep Scituate - cloudy, 55°, wind calm
12:30 PM - East end of Cape Cod Canal, wind SW 15
2:00 PM - Arr N. Falmouth, MA Fiddler's Cove Marina
met Dave & Debbie Brunell & Steve on Hot Diggity
Today: 36.2 n mi - 4.8 eng hrs
Dinner at the Brunell's before our joint departure tomorrow
10/23/09 - 8:45 AM - Dep N. Falmouth - wind NNE 20 kt, 42°
Hot Diggity in hot pursuit!
10:00 AM - passing "Fatal Rock" off Mishaum Point
11:30 AM - Pt Judith - 3 - 4 ft seas, wind NNE 20
1:00 PM - Watch Hill, RI - less rough in the Sound
1:30 PM - Hot Diggity low on fuel, stopped at Fisher's I.
(somehow, they used 100 gal on today's 60 mi leg!)
2:30 PM - Engine prob on Hot Diggity, diverted to Mystic
3:30 PM - Sno' Dog cont'd on, headed for South Shore*
6:15 PM - Arr Port Jefferson, LI, NY - Mt. Sinai YC
*I thought it would be calmer on this side w S. winds tomorrow
Today: 113.0 n mi - 9.4 eng hrs
10/24/09 - 9:15 AM - Dep Mt Sinai - wind S 15-20, fair, 65°!
9:30 AM - Port Jefferson Hrbr.- cruising at 7 kts
(Pleasant cruising along lee shore despite 20 kt S wind)
1:00 PM - Lunch stop & Fuel stop at Glen Cove, LI
Filled tanks: 102.8 gal - 240 n mi since last fill-up @ GBM
2:30 PM - Arr City Island, NY S. Minneford YC - Rain!
Today: 39.9 n mi - 4.8 eng hrs
(leisurely day, hoping Hot Diggity will catch up...
10/25/09 - 8:00 AM - Dep SMYC - wind NW 15, brisk 48°
8:45 AM - thru Hell's Gate, current weak positive
9:35 AM - Verrazano Narrows Br, into the Atlantic!
11:45 AM - passing Manasquan Inlet, 7-ft SE swells
3:15 PM - enter Absecon Inlet, no problem, wind NW 15
3:30 PM - docked in Atlantic City, NJ - Gardner's Basin
very pleasant offshore run, if you don't mind big swells!
Today: 94.8 n mi - 7.6 eng hrs (12.5 kt ave.)
12:30 PM - New Castle Lt, Portsmouth Hrbr entrance
2:30 PM - abeam Cape Ann - seas calm, wind E 10
4:30 PM - Arr Scituate, MA - Mill Wharf Marina
beautiful day on the water! Very cute little town.
Today: 57.2 n mi - 5.2 eng hrs.
10/22/09 - 9:30 AM - Dep Scituate - cloudy, 55°, wind calm
12:30 PM - East end of Cape Cod Canal, wind SW 15
2:00 PM - Arr N. Falmouth, MA Fiddler's Cove Marina
met Dave & Debbie Brunell & Steve on Hot Diggity
Today: 36.2 n mi - 4.8 eng hrs
Dinner at the Brunell's before our joint departure tomorrow
10/23/09 - 8:45 AM - Dep N. Falmouth - wind NNE 20 kt, 42°
Hot Diggity in hot pursuit!
10:00 AM - passing "Fatal Rock" off Mishaum Point
11:30 AM - Pt Judith - 3 - 4 ft seas, wind NNE 20
1:00 PM - Watch Hill, RI - less rough in the Sound
1:30 PM - Hot Diggity low on fuel, stopped at Fisher's I.
(somehow, they used 100 gal on today's 60 mi leg!)
2:30 PM - Engine prob on Hot Diggity, diverted to Mystic
3:30 PM - Sno' Dog cont'd on, headed for South Shore*
6:15 PM - Arr Port Jefferson, LI, NY - Mt. Sinai YC
*I thought it would be calmer on this side w S. winds tomorrow
Today: 113.0 n mi - 9.4 eng hrs
10/24/09 - 9:15 AM - Dep Mt Sinai - wind S 15-20, fair, 65°!
9:30 AM - Port Jefferson Hrbr.- cruising at 7 kts
(Pleasant cruising along lee shore despite 20 kt S wind)
1:00 PM - Lunch stop & Fuel stop at Glen Cove, LI
Filled tanks: 102.8 gal - 240 n mi since last fill-up @ GBM
2:30 PM - Arr City Island, NY S. Minneford YC - Rain!
Today: 39.9 n mi - 4.8 eng hrs
(leisurely day, hoping Hot Diggity will catch up...
10/25/09 - 8:00 AM - Dep SMYC - wind NW 15, brisk 48°
8:45 AM - thru Hell's Gate, current weak positive
9:35 AM - Verrazano Narrows Br, into the Atlantic!
11:45 AM - passing Manasquan Inlet, 7-ft SE swells
3:15 PM - enter Absecon Inlet, no problem, wind NW 15
3:30 PM - docked in Atlantic City, NJ - Gardner's Basin
very pleasant offshore run, if you don't mind big swells!
Today: 94.8 n mi - 7.6 eng hrs (12.5 kt ave.)
Click on small photos to view larger.
The twin lights off Cape Ann, MA. Last year, the
seas were running 8-10 feet as I passed this spot!
seas were running 8-10 feet as I passed this spot!
Click on image to view larger.
6:30 PM HD Update: Hot Diggity had a rough day! They ended up
in Greenport, LI - not much closer to City I. than Mystic, CT
where they were this morning. Not looking very promising...
in Greenport, LI - not much closer to City I. than Mystic, CT
where they were this morning. Not looking very promising...
Another HD Update: Hot Diggity has decided to bag it for now.
They're still in Greenport, LI. They are considering the
possibility of trucking the boat south - perhaps to Charleston?
- then continuing the trip from there. Hope it works out.
They're still in Greenport, LI. They are considering the
possibility of trucking the boat south - perhaps to Charleston?
- then continuing the trip from there. Hope it works out.
10/26/09 - 8:00 AM - Dep Atlantic City - 46°, wind NW 15
back into the Atlantic, surfing up to 18.5 kts!
10:30 AM - Cape May Inlet - 56° & sunny
11:10 AM - into Delaware Bay, wind NW 10, waves small
2:20 PM - enter C & D Canal (peaceful run up the Bay)
3:15 PM - Arr Chesapeake City, MD - Town Dock
Very cute historic town, free overnight dockage!
Today: 89.1 n mi - 7.4 eng hrs (12 kt ave.)
back into the Atlantic, surfing up to 18.5 kts!
10:30 AM - Cape May Inlet - 56° & sunny
11:10 AM - into Delaware Bay, wind NW 10, waves small
2:20 PM - enter C & D Canal (peaceful run up the Bay)
3:15 PM - Arr Chesapeake City, MD - Town Dock
Very cute historic town, free overnight dockage!
Today: 89.1 n mi - 7.4 eng hrs (12 kt ave.)
Madison sniffing the air as we transit the Cape
May Canal - much calmer then the Atlantic!
May Canal - much calmer then the Atlantic!
The Cape May to Lewes, DL ferry departing from
the Delaware Bay end of the Cape May Canal.
the Delaware Bay end of the Cape May Canal.
Madison oblivious to the questionable nuclear
plant lurking ahead. (I added the purple "?")
plant lurking ahead. (I added the purple "?")
10/27/09 - 10:15 AM - Dep Chesapeake City - raining, 54°
(late start due to eye injury, poked it with umbrella!)
1:30 PM - under Bay Bridge - rain & fog, wind NNE 15
4:30 PM - Arr: Solomons, MD - Calvert Marina
Misty rain & FOG all day, but not too bad with winds
aft. Sure nice to have a comfortable inside helm!
Today: 80.4 n mi - 6.5 eng hrs (12.4 kt ave.)
(late start due to eye injury, poked it with umbrella!)
1:30 PM - under Bay Bridge - rain & fog, wind NNE 15
4:30 PM - Arr: Solomons, MD - Calvert Marina
Misty rain & FOG all day, but not too bad with winds
aft. Sure nice to have a comfortable inside helm!
Today: 80.4 n mi - 6.5 eng hrs (12.4 kt ave.)
This is what the Chesapeake Bay Bridge looked like this afternoon as
I passed under it. If you look closely, you'll notice the top is missing!
I passed under it. If you look closely, you'll notice the top is missing!
10/28/09 - Filled Fuel tanks - 102.1 gal - 272 n mi since last fill-up
9:15 AM - Dep Solomon - drizzle & fog, 62°, wind calm
11:45 AM - Smith Pt.- wind WSW 15, clearing, 68°
1:30 PM - Arr: Deltaville, VA - Regatta Pointe Marina
very pleasant run down the Chesapeake, fair 73°!
Today: 48.7 n mi - 4.3 eng hrs
10/29/09 - 9:10 AM - Dep Deltaville - cloudy, 56°, wind NE 15
10:00 AM - passing Wolf Trap - no wolves visible!
1:30 PM - Arr: Norfolk, VA - Waterside Marina
another easy run on the Chesapeake with wind aft
Today: 45.3 n mi - 3.8 eng hrs (11.9 kt ave)
Planning to meet wife Nancy and brother Kit & his wife
here tonight...
Time to start a new page...
Log continued on Page 2...
9:15 AM - Dep Solomon - drizzle & fog, 62°, wind calm
11:45 AM - Smith Pt.- wind WSW 15, clearing, 68°
1:30 PM - Arr: Deltaville, VA - Regatta Pointe Marina
very pleasant run down the Chesapeake, fair 73°!
Today: 48.7 n mi - 4.3 eng hrs
10/29/09 - 9:10 AM - Dep Deltaville - cloudy, 56°, wind NE 15
10:00 AM - passing Wolf Trap - no wolves visible!
1:30 PM - Arr: Norfolk, VA - Waterside Marina
another easy run on the Chesapeake with wind aft
Today: 45.3 n mi - 3.8 eng hrs (11.9 kt ave)
Planning to meet wife Nancy and brother Kit & his wife
here tonight...
Time to start a new page...
Log continued on Page 2...
Chesapeake Bay fishing boats look distinctively
different from New England lobster boats.
different from New England lobster boats.
Heading South toward the sun! In Deltaville,
with temps in the mid 70's, it felt like summer.
with temps in the mid 70's, it felt like summer.
Mouse over to see last year's view of these lights!