To Escape & Disappear on the Water

If anyone actually reads this blog then I must apologize for the complete dearth of new material over the last few months.  However, I have a great excuse; I was sailing….!

My eldest son, who lives in Dubai where he works as a Director of Photography and Filmmaker flew back to the US for a summer visit. Since completing ASA 101, 103, 104 combined course with Offshore Sailing School out of Ft Lauderdale last November he had not had much opportunity to sail and we were both excited about the chance to get back out on the water together. After arriving at Dulles International early on Saturday morning 12 July we drove straight to Herrington Harbour South and where we joined by my daughter and cast off the lines for our first overnight adventure on the Chesapeake Bay.  

The original plan was to sail to St Michael's, MD where we would spend the evening and then return but the prevailing wind was not favorable for that route so we shifted the destination to Oxford, MD. With a steady 12-15 knot wind we had a great sail down the west side of the Bay past Chesapeake Beach. Turning East and using the Sharpe's Island Light (which is reminiscent of the leaning tower of Pisa) as our marker we entered the Choptank River and continued East until heading North into the beautiful Tred Avon river. We took a slip at the Hinckley Yacht Services Marina and after tying up marched over to Schooners for some great food and entertainment.

Where are the dolphins?

Land Ho!

Schooners

Amazing Antique Boats

S/V Corsair @ Hinckley Yacht Service Marina
Oxford, MD

Overnight the wind had picked up considerably and was now a steady 18-21 knots out of the North. We cast off early and with some trepidation as to what sort of conditions we would find out on the Bay. Once we entered the Choptank and raised the sails we quickly found ourselves healed over and running West at well over 7 knots.  Once we made the Bay proper the winds relented a degree and we enjoyed another fantastic day on the water finally returning S/V Corsair to her slip at HHS by mid-afternoon.

Most of the month of July was spent in the Outer Banks but I did get a chance to take S/V Corsair out for an afternoon sail with some friends at the end of the month.

And then on 7 August, the day of my son's flight back to Dubai we got in a nice day sail.

For the rest of August and the most of September poor S/V Corsair was dock-locked  due to international travel.  When I returned to the US I thought it wise to check on the condition of my running gear.  What I found was not that pretty!

I had long planned to sail up to Annapolis for the US Sailboat Show in mid-October and didn't want to have any problems with a fouled prop so I scheduled a short haul.

With the prop rid of those nasty barnacles S/V Corsair was ready to sail to Annapolis.

The US Sailboat Show trip was a real pleasure.  I had great crew and the weather and wind cooperated just enough that we sailed almost the entire way up and back and didn't freeze or get absolutely soaked.

Great crew!

Now winter is fast approaching but I am determined to get out on the water a couple more times before I have to winterize the marine diesel.  Stay tuned!

S/V Corsair - 1980 Cabo Rico 38 Interior Tour

I shot this video to give everyone a much better appreciation for the interior of S/V Corsair, my 1980 Cabo Rico 38.

"Bought A Boat and I Sailed Off In It"

I was shocked to see it's been almost two months since I updated this blog.  What the hell have I been doing??? Well, there has been quite a bit of sailing; both on S/V Corsair as well as S/V SeaSprite, my "other" boat.  (Read about her here - S/V SeaSprite)

Since I last reported in S/V Corsair has been underway four times.

4 May  - Herrington Harbour South to Galesville and Return

2 June - Herrington Harbour South to Tilghman Island and Return

16 June - Herrington Harbour to Poplar Island and Return

24 June - Herrington Harbour to Tilghman Island and Return

I feel like I am slowly gaining some level of moderate proficiency as a sailor but there is so much to learn.  These short day sails are already becoming monotonous as there is no sense of "going somewhere."  And, that is what I really want….to go somewhere!

A little adventure with S/V SeaSprite this weekend should help.  I am going to sail her from Regent Point Marina on the Rappahannock River up to Herrington Harbour North.  Check back on Monday to learn more about the trip.

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.

Scuttled Again

The joy of out-smarting the weather gods by launching Corsair a day early last week was short-lived. Now that she was finally in the water and in anticipation of an approaching "spring break" sailing week with my family,  I wanted to spend a day practicing docking under the watchful eye of an instructor from The Sailing Academy. I originally arranged to do so last Friday but as the day approached the weather forecast deteriorated (what a surprise!).  So, I rescheduled for Sunday, but that went bad as well. Finally, it looked like today, Monday 31 March, would be perfect. Temps were forecast to be in the mid-60s and there would be some light winds but nothing too difficult to manage.  

I traveled back up to Northern Virginia late Saturday evening so I could spend Sunday on the boat. There were inventories to complete and safety equipment to inspect in anticipation of finally casting off.  Arriving at the boat around noon on Sunday, I found the weather again progressively worsening. By 3pm the wind was howling at a steady 25knts with gusts over 40knts. The rain was bitter cold and at one point was mixed with large snowflakes. I then got a call from my instructor informing me that the wind forecast for Monday had changed and while the sun would be shining the winds would not abate and there was no way we could undertake the docking instruction. We'd have to reschedule again.  

Now, I had a new dilemma. Herrington Harbor North had given me until 9am today (Monday 31 March) to "get out of town." They are busy launching boats and need temporary slip space. With weather as an excuse I could stay another day but work requirements meant I wouldn't be able to get back to the Marina before Friday. How was I going to get the Corsair to her new home in Herrington Harbor South? 

It turns out my unlimited "gold" towing package with my BoatUS membership allows for such requirements. After a few phone calls I had arranged for Capt "Mike" of TowBoatUS to tow Corsair over to her slip at HHS on Tuesday morning.  

Stay tuned;  someday soon I may actually take the helm of the boat I have owned since last September.

While hunkering down I played around with a fish-eye lens attachment for my iPhone.  Here are some of interior shots.