vacation from her job as a police dispatcher for the Huber Heights Police Dept. The Alberg 30’s are
very sea worthy and strong, and this helped the
neophytes stay out of serious trouble. This is a
story/journal of the maiden voyage to bring the boat
from North Carolina where we found her, to Sandusky
on Lake Erie. Some experiences are scary, but most
are funny, especially looking back on them from 3
years experience. This is but the first trip, after
outfitting, practicing on Lake Erie and getting
married, we set out to see the East Coast and the
Bahamas, but that is another story.
Chapter 8 The Chesapeake Continues
May 30, Friday
The day broke clear but with low clouds
on the horizon. The weather report is for cool and cloudy
but little chance of rain that is the good news. The bad
news is that the wind will be on our nose all day. That
means either a long hard day of tacking or using the “iron
genny” and listening to our little diesel engine. We opt
for the “iron genny”.
As Karen finishes her chores below, I
set about getting the “top sides” ready for another day at
sea. The engine is idling to warm up, and I am taking the
sail covers off when I look up to see Peter and Jodie on
"First Light" motoring by. We had last seen them as we
pulled out of the turning basin just south of Norfolk. I am
surprised because I had not recognized them when the came in
last night. I called Karen on deck and we waved greeting
back and forth. It would have been fun to sail “in company”
with “First Light” but they were long gone by the time we
got underway.
Just as the weather forecast had
predicted, the wind is from dead ahead, so we motor all
day. Motoring when the seas are calm is the easiest way to
travel. We put the autopilot to work as the “tiller man”
and just relax and watch the world slip by. The autopilot
can actually steer the course we dictate better than a
human. Our only job is to watch for other boats and monitor
the GPS to insure that we aren’t pushed off course by
currents or winds.
My gaze drifts astern and I began to
laugh when I see the little red lantern swinging off the
anchor shaft. Karen couldn't figure out what was so funny
and came on deck to see. When I saw that lantern hanging
off the back of my boat I had a vision of a movie with Ma
and Pa Kettle moving west in an old wagon. They had with
all kinds of stuff hanging off the wagon. That lantern is
still called the Ma and Pa Kettle light.
We made for Herring Bay to anchor,
arriving just as the last light slipped away. We nosed
around for a spot to anchor while watching the depth
sounder. We were in full dark now and it was pretty hard,
trying to find good water out of the wind and wave. While
poking around someone in the marina called on the radio and
offered me directions to a better spot. Following this bit
of “local information” found an excellent spot not a half
mile away. We spent an uneventful night.
Total 78.5 NM
May 31, Saturday
Today is fuel day because we had less
than a quarter tank left. We lazed about waiting for the
fuel dock to open. At 8:00 we motored in and tied up at the
fuel dock. Filled the tank and walked across the street to
a little store and bought some rolls and a macaroni salad
for lunch. I called my son Steve to advise him of our delay
due to weather and update him on the expected time of
arrival at Belmar New Jersey. Steve was to join us at
Belmar and spend a few days onboard with us as we continued
north.
0900 with our tank full of fuel headed
for the mouth of the C & D Canal. We had to motor for the
first hour but as we approached Annapolis, Maryland we set
sail. The wind direction dictated that we tack upwind to
make the direction needed but there was plenty of room so
each tack was nice and long. Just as we settled in on our
first tack, Peter and Jodi on "First Light" sailed by. I
fell in behind them and followed them across the bay. When
we tacked, I blew the tack and we fell “into irons” “In
irons” means that you have lost headway and the sails are
flapping in the wind, and not able to power the boat. One
wins no races while “in irons”. Peter and Jodi are much
more experienced and they easily ran away from us. After
spending 2 hours tacking and making little headway, we
doused the sails and fired up our little diesel. Just
before going under the bridge, we passed Peter and Jodi as
they tacked up the bay. About this same time, I got to see
my first Alberg 30 under sail. I knew that there were a lot
of them on the Chesapeake, but never guessed that I would
see one on that big stretch of water.
The weather gave us a little concern
all day but around 1600 it began to cloud-up. Tall
thunderheads popped up to our West, and to the North East.
The wind got real quirky, gusting from this way and that
making sailing a busy exercise for a while. We soon tired
and doused the sails, and started our old reliable engine.
We watched rain showers all around us, but it never did rain
on us. All in all we had a really pretty day. The sun set
beautifully just before we anchored at Cabin John Creek.
We anchored near a fish pen, just off
the shipping channel. Before going to bed, we watched tugs;
tows and a couple boats go by in the dark. The tugboats
carry lots of lights and are really pretty to watch.
Through the night we would hear herons coming to sit on the
stakes of the fish pen. They have the strangest call. We
had never heard them before and it took us awhile to figure
out what the horrid noise was.
Concerned that a fisherman might run
into us in the dark, I lit our Ma and Pa Kettle lantern, and
hung it from the stern anchor. It must work; we never heard
or saw any boats all night.
Total: 67.1 NM
Please click here for additional information
or if you would like to contact the
author of this article, Earl Lang, owner of the Acme
Bicycle Shop in Punta Gorda. Thank you!
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