Time to Move

It was almost a year ago when a "business" trip found me and some colleagues boarding a 37m Sunseeker named "The Snapper" in Nice, France. During the next 5 days we did actually "work" while the yacht motored to successive evenings in St. Tropez,  Monaco, Beau Lieu and then finally again in Nice. It was really a whole lot of fun but more importantly the trip rekindled my long dormant but powerful desire to sail.  

American Sailing Yacht in the Med

Lighthouse in the Med

Video of "The Snapper"

As a Marine I had spent quite a good deal of time at sea in the 1980s and really enjoyed the power and solitude of the open Ocean. Always a creature of the sea, over the years I had moved from one nautical obsession to another. When I was stationed in Okinawa it was SCUBA. The pristine clear waters of the Ryukyu Islands afforded some of the most spectacular diving in the world and the live coral walls dropping off into the abyss were my regular playground; particularly at night when the reef came to life. Over a 4 year period I logged more than 300 dives. I was later assigned to Guam where I found the diving to be disappointingly unimpressive. Perhaps I had been spoiled in Okinawa but I soon found a new passion; deep sea fishing. The water was so deep off the coast of Guam that one only needed to head a mile or two offshore to be able to catch Mahi, Tuna and even Marlin. I bought an 18 foot Boston Whaler and a couple of rods and went out as often as I could. A couple of years later I found myself living in a small cottage on the York River of Virginia. Again, I bought a small fishing boat and went out as often as possible. Stripers, Flounder, Croaker and Catfish all fell before me.  

Moving to Morocco in the mid-1990s I became enamored with surfing and that remains one of my greatest passions. When work took me to Dubai I was elated to learn that small Arab nation enjoyed regular, if not exactly ideal, surf. And, even when surf was poor or non-existent, some of the best surf spots in the world are just a short flight from the UAE. Oman, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and even Mauritius were regular destinations. The surfing community in Dubai has grown over the last 10 years to the point where Quicksilver now sponsors an annual surf contest. See link below for an awesome video of this year's event

DUBAI SUNSET OPEN SURF CONTEST

Returning to the USA in 2012 we relocated to the Outer Banks of North Carolina even though I work 3-4 days/week in the DC area. The need to be near the ocean and specifically the best surf on the US East Coast more than compensates for the 4 to 5 hour drive from Kitty Hawk to Northern Virginia.  

Surfing Kitty Hawk on "Apocalypse Day" 2012

Surfing is great but….that damn boat trip in the Med made me long for distant horizons and ever more conscious of the ticking of my life's clock I decided it was now or never. After several months simultaneously searching and refining my requirements I purchased S/V Corsair, a 1980 Cabo Rico 38 and moved her to Herring Bay on the Chesapeake. In order to justify the purchase financially as well as being able to maximize opportunities to sail I decided I would give up my Northern Virginia "pied de terre" carriage house apartment and move aboard.  

My lease expires at the end of May. My new home awaits…

The Crew Flies South

After two thrilling days of plundering the Bay Corsair's Crew consulted with our prognosticator and learned of a particularly unpleasant tempest approaching.  Employing that ancient most of all pirate tactics, we decided to run away!  While a freeze warning threatens Herrington Harbour we are enjoying the warmth and debauchery of one of the most notorious ports of El Caribe!

Every Pirate Queen needs a parrot!

Spring Raiding Season Continues! Tilghman Island Plundered!!!

With a desire to exploit our successes of the previous day we plotted a much more challenging course in very "sporty" conditions. Exiting our protected hideaway in Herrington Harbour we spied Tilghman Island on the horizon. Legend has it the towns along the southern most shores of that inhospitable place hold incalculable wealth. We meant to make it ours and so, with a SE wind howling 23-26 kts and occasionally gusting to well over 30 kts, we threw a reef in the main, hoisted the staysail and made a solid 6 kts close hauled on a bearing of about 110 degrees towards our objective. 

Seeking to coax more speed from Corsair we unfurled the working jib about half way. Soon we were averaging about 7.5 kts and making great and exhilarating headway towards the Sharps Island Lighthouse. As we moved farther out into the Bay the waves built to a solid 4-6 feet with a short 4-6 sec period. This made for quite an exciting ride but Corsair with her clipper bow and full keel sliced effortlessly through these minor obstacles.   

At our departure we had noted several other sailing vessels plying the more sheltered waters of Herring Bay,  but now, after a good hour and a half,  we found ourselves all alone. With the wind and waves steadily increasing those sailors of lesser grit and determination had headed for shelter. The Bay was now ours and we reveled in the understanding that we were truly a hardy crew aboard a sturdy and capable ship. After closing with the southern tip of Tilghman Island we launched a "virtual broadside" towards our imagined landlocked foes and then, setting our eyes on the next prize, we executed a flawless jibe to 225 degrees.  An hour later we were closing on the pirate strong hold of Chesapeake Beach.  Receiving a salute of congratulations from the townsfolk who gathered along the sands to marvel at our prowess, we jibed again. Tracking at 5 degrees we relaxed to enjoy the fast downwind run back to our lair in Herrington Harbour.   Reaching sheltered waters behind Holland Pt we furled our sails and returned to port.  Once Corsair was again secure in her berth we went ashore to enjoy a hearty repast of a well-deserved meal and drinks at the Happy Harbor Tavern.

It was a great day to be free and on the seas!

Ahoy!  Thar be treasure on Tilghman Island!

Captain Caroline at the helm

Oh…. it's getting a bit bumpy….

Best cure for seasickness is to be "in charge!"

Spring Raid on Herring Bay!

After the long winter we have finally been blessed with some warmth and wind.  The crew has a week off from shore duty so we seized the opportunity to test our skills.  S/V Corsair proved the noble ship we thought her to be and the crew demonstrated skills far beyond expectations.  

Beware ye seafarers of the northern Chesapeake! 

Here's the video!

Finally…...

At long last I am at the helm!

A New Home

S/V Corsair has arrived at her new home in Herrington Harbor South.  Docking practice and afternoon sail scheduled for Friday. Fingers crossed for decent weather and fair winds.

Moving South!

It seems like every step forward comes with a price.  TowBoatUS moved Corsair to her new home at Herrington Harbor South this morning and it only cost me $150…  A small fee in "boat bucks."

Thanks to Paul Macleod on the Celtic Dreamer for keeping an eye on the operation and taking this photo.