Maryland

5.16.2010 we anchored behind Berkley Island and were entertained by a few locals trying to teach someone to use a wake board. The guy tried from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to just get up on the water. They took a dinner break and the class resumed at 6 p.m. The learner had a lot of guts. He took many falls without a second of success. His friends in the boat, now three sheets to the wind, appeared to take pleasure in his failure. Between howling laughter they yelled, “Keep the board close to your chest”.

Every time they past our boat we were waked. At first the Captain was angry. Then he got into the spirit of the game. We flashed Olympic type score cards after each fall. This seemed to encourage the learner because after being scored a 1-2 he made it up on the board for 10 seconds. Eventually he stayed on for a minute. As the sky darkened his record was 2 minutes and 5 seconds. His determination validated the old saying “You got to believe in yourself”.

5.17 &18 we stayed at Dozier’s Regatta Point Yacht Center to ride out a storm. I use the word ride because waves rocked us the entire time we were there. On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate them an annoying 4.

We arrived at the marina at 0900. The president of Dozier’s Waterway Guide helped tie our lines. Yeah no tip needed! I quickly made my way to the laundry room. There was one washer and one dryer installed side by side in this 16” by 8” room. Opposite the appliances were an ironing board and clothes folding table. The open floor space was 4 feet.

Halfway through my wash a live aboard named John put his pile of clothes (2 loads vertically stacked) on the floor by the washer which means he gets the washer next. It also meant that the open floor space was now three feet.

John and his family live on a 42' catamaran,(5 years). He has 14 year old twins. Last winter it was so cold they rented a house for three months. We chatted for a few minutes and then he left to do boat chores.

Halfway through the dry cycle a woman came rushing into the Laundry room with 3 loads of wash, in a horizontally containment bin. They took up an additional one and half feet of the opening. She was in a state of panic and asked my advice on whether she should jump the claim to the washer.

I gave up making crisis averting decisions when I retired. My response was “It’s up to you” which of course wasn’t enough for this woman who continued to rant about inconsiderate people, inadequate laundry facilities and marina laundry etiquette. She asked me how long the washer was empty. I said 10 or 15minutes. She started asking for details about the man who owned the clothes on the floor. I couldn’t remember and this just made her mad and she repeated all her marina laundry complaints.

Thank goodness John returned. She asked him how many loads he was going to do. He felt her panic and said he only had to do one. He could do the other later. Both John and I assumed she was going to be at the marina for only one day. Why else would someone have a virtual nervous breakdown over getting the laundry done, right?

John put his wash in and left. I would have followed but the dryer stopped. Andrew came to help me fold clothes, which was nearly impossible because the woman had blocked the folding tables. She talked non-stop about her trip and then read local brochures out loud. I was nodding not listening at this point. Andrew and I tried to fold a sheet around the woman. She did not take the hint. We decided to ball the sheets up with the rest of the clothes, take the wash back to the boat and fold in peace and quiet.

The marina's loaner car was a Mercedes. Seriously! Ok, it was a 15 year old Mercedes station wagon. The bucket seats were made for small yuppies. It had some interior wear, but it ran fine.

Day 2 we were recruited to drive ‘laundry etiquette’ lady and mate to town. We learned that they planned to stay at the marina for three days. Luckily it was a short ride.

Dozier's Regatta Marina (DRM), Deltaville VA- Freedom and Winter Hawk

Tut waits patiently for his turn to blog.

Tut needs help spelling some doggone word.

DRM front view

Dozier Waterway Guide's official Yacht

Side entrance

Tut makes his way to the grassy area . He scared 2 rabbits and a bird.

marina fountain

Winter Hawk - We visited their 2008 American Tug which cost us $300.00 in upgrades.

Dolphins

Solomon Island

We reunited with John who we met in Dismal Swamp. We had dinner at the new Laughing Buddha restaurant.

Winter Hawk waiting to be put on the hard until fall.

Harbor at Solomon Island

Light House on way to Annapolis

Dredging operation near Annapolis

Another light house

Another dredging operation

Crab boat next to nuclear plant

Adagio : We first met them in Alabama in October 2009.

Very cool light house

Annapolis : Saint Mary's is in the background . Our friends, Ed and BJ (from Harbour Cay Club)
live a block from St Mary's. BJ assured me it was an easy bike ride from the marina. She did not say don't come over when St Mary's School dismisses.

Freedom docked at the Annapolis Yacht Club .

St Mary's is a very large school.

We rode our bikes down a narrow brick sidewalk, encroached with brushes and trees . The street was lined with cars driven by anxious parents. It was dismissal time. I knew we were in trouble when Andrew swerved to avoid a child and a no parking sign. I got off my bike in time to save it from a car door being flung open . A drove of children politely pushed by me.

The bridge we drove across to get to Ed and BJ's house.

Bank on way to Delaware City.

Houses built on a hill giving everyone a view of the ICW.

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Laughing gull waiting for his lunch order to arrive

It's ready!

Delaware City, Delaware

This is what happens in strong current when you have twin engines and you're learning how to use them. The stern hit the dock hard three times . Andrew and another guy helped keep the boat from taking out the dock and another boat.