On to Annapolis

Leaving Chesapeake City

We had a lazy start, not weighing anchor till 0830!! We re-entered the C&D canal on a positive current giving us a 2kt push towards the Chesapeake. The day began cool but sunny and got progressively better.  Our cruise down the Chesapeake was beautiful, calm and fair. Hard to believe after our two previous runs!!

The Chesapeake is a busy place with many large vessels, working barges and dredges. On our way down towards Annapolis we passed the Coast Guard tender “Ida Lewis”. We have seen and heard that vessel many times in Buzzards Bay. After passing Baltimore we encountered several very large vessels coming and going from this major port, including the car carrier shown below. It is hard to believe that a brick like this can really float and carry thousands of BMWs at the same time!! We passed under the immense double Bay B ridge and by a large US Navy warship on our way in towards Annapolis. Finally we ran the gauntlet of Saturday afternoon sailboat races as we turned in towards our anchorage in Whitehall Bay. The winds have picked up a bit tonight but we have 100ft of chain down and a long snubber!! (to be explained!!)

The Coast  Guard vessel Ida Lewis

The Mystic Whaler

A typical day in the neighborhood!!

10,000 BMWs

Day 5: Delaware Bay

Big ships in Delaware  Bay taken through very wet window!!!

We set off this am from Cape May, and went through the Cape May canal into Delaware Bay.  Fortunately, we were on an incoming tide, but we had the wind blowing 20kts against us all the way which made it a wet, rough ride.  No problem, our trusty and tough ship got us through.  Even though the ride was rough, it did not compare to the previous days....I guess everything is relative...and we did get the help of a 2kt current that pushed us to a high of 10kts going up  the bay. We turned into the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal around 3 pm and lost the wind but kept the 2kt push. The cruise through the canal was lovely, with the fall colors on both sides of the banks.  We are anchored in the basin at Chesapeake City, which is about three quarters of the way through the canal.  Our anchorage is very quiet and protected.  Tomorrow we travel down the Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis.  See you then.

Entering the C&D Canal

Fall colors along the C&D Canal

Overnight Run to Cape May

We left Block Island at 7 am for the longest overnight leg of our cruise, estimated at 30 hours.  Just outside of Block we saw two dolphins at our bow.  We soon ran into wind at 35 knots and 10 ft seas.  This was followed by multiple thunderstorms, multiple bouts of fog, until about midnight, when the sky began to clear.  We actually could see the moon and stars!  Then we ran into fog again!  However, by dawn, the sky cleared again, and the day got progressively better.  With 30 miles to go, the sea was smooth, the wind was 6 knots, and it was sunny and warm.  We entered Cape May harbor at 12:30 pm, and prepared to set anchor.  Our first attempt met with defeat. Upon retrieving the anchor, we discovered a full size concrete block hanging off the anchor fluke.  We finally got it loose and reset the anchor successfully.  We made a run ashore to buy a replacement bilge pump (the only spare part we didn’t have!!).  The rest of the day was spent lounging in the sun and drinking martinis. 

Day 2 – Tuesday 10/26/10 Padanaram to Block Island

Our good weather deteriorated quickly as the wind kicked up a blow overnight in Padanaram.  Chris stood watch most of the night, making sure our mooring held tight.

Our cruise over to Block was uneventful, if you don’t count the fog, multiple close encounters with tugs, mega coal ships, the NOAA ship, and various barges being pulled and pushed up Naragansett Bay.  We think we might have even seen a seal coming out of New Bedford, but it could have been a lobster pot as well!!

Once anchored in Block, Chris went “prop diving” to see if the prop needed cleaning but after about 5 minutes in the 55 degree water, he decided to call it a day!  Luckily, I did not have to pull him out of the water with hypothermia….he managed to climb out on his own.   Anyway, we are snug tight in Block for the night, with a large catamaran and power cruiser for company who look like they might be heading our way tomorrow.  Who knows…??.!!

Day 1 – Monday 10/25/10 – Borden Light Marina to Padanaram via New Bedford

Our cruise began at 0730 with that well-known curse of New England boaters – THE FOG!! Unable to see a damn thing, we motored slowly down the Sakonnet River with our trusty air horns blasting a 135dB message to keep out of our way. The, just before we reached open water, the fog cleared completely and the sun came out as we passed by Sakonnet light.

We arrived at New Bedford, still the largest US fishing port, at1230 and waited for about an hour for the Pier Oil fuel barge to tie onto us in mid harbor. Apparently the delay was caused by Homeland Security restrictions related to a large refrigerated transport ship berthed alongside the State Pier. We quickly pumped on 620 gallons of diesel from the barge at the best price in New England - $2.75/gallon – and headed back out through the hurricane barrier behind a large fishing vessel named the Island Queen from Cape May!!   Instead of following (as we are headed there on Wednesday), we headed into Padanaram Harbor, picked up a free mooring that looked big enough to hold us in place for the night, and cracked open a beer. Day 1 – no mishaps!! 

We had a beautiful cruise over to New Bedford.  The sea was calm, it was quite warm (at least 60 degrees) and we had lots of seagulls and migrating ducks as company.  The sun even came out for a few minutes.  A good day to start our journey.  

Leaving home port with the full moon behind us

620 gallons of diesel at $2.75 per gallon!!!!

The Intrepid Yacht "Auriga"

"Auriga" is a 47ft Selene motor trawler. Photographed here in Manhasset, NY on our way to New York City in 2006, courtesy of AlexSimmonsPhotography.com.  Her specifications are below:

Length: 47ft… Beam: 16ft... Draft (loaded): 6 ft....Displacement: 63,000lb (loaded)

Power: single Cummins 280HP (continuous duty) diesel with back-up Yanmar 56HP diesel saildrive

Cruising Speed: 8.0 kt....Max Speed: 10.5 kt...Fuel: 1,000 gal...Range: 3,000 miles

Prologue

This blog chronicles the (mis)adventures of Chris and Irina as they journey south aboard their trawler "Auriga" from Fall River, MA to the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands. Auriga is a 47ft Selene trawler weighing in at 65,000lb fully laden (and it certainly is fully laden for this trip), drawing a bit less than 6ft, and typically running at 7.5 knots (though  on occasion we do crank up to a high of 10 knots). We purchased Auriga in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2006 and brought her back to Warren, RI, pretty much non-stop over the course of a week. Since then our longest trips have been to Maine and up the Hudson River. We are now embarking on the first leg of our voyage. We plan to leave Fall River on October 25th and cruise south to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we shall leave Auriga until next year when we shall resume our voyage to the Bahamas.

Well, all the lists are done, and the boat is well provisioned and stocked (we must be carrying a spare part for every single system on the boat -but are they the right ones??, plus lots of food, beer and toilet paper!!).

Now we wait...two weeks to Departure Day!!