Annapolis, MD
October 17th, 2006
Alan's Log:
Joan's Log:Our destination was Weems Creek, MD. We have been invited to stay with Skip and Betsey Lefler, future Hylas 46 owners, in their home on Weems Creek, on the Severn River just north of Annapolis.
We arrived in Weems Creek after passing the hallowed halls of the Annapolis Naval Academy (beautiful) on a perfectly beautiful day. Weems Creek is a lovely sheltered inlet which reminded us so much our bay in Gig Harbor. That night we shared a great meal of grilled lambchops and Macaroni and cheese on The Bettie, prepared by Kaye. Later that evening Courtney called with the devastating news that Christine had been declared brain dead, impossible to comprehend. I decided I would go home to be with Courtney and Lauren. Chuck and Lisa left for home and baby, Sydney, the next morning. We rented a car and headed to the airport to pick up Andy of Andy's Canvas. He had flown in from Fort Lauderdale to finish the side curtains on our bimini. He worked all afternoon as we packed all our personal stuff up to move off the boat for the boat show for the LAST time. Skip and Betsey Lefler had kindly invited us to stay at their home on Weems Creek, during the Sail Boat Show. They have a beautiful place with a lovely sloping lawn that meanders down to the creek. (a creek off the Chesapeake Bay is really an inlet or small bay) The Leflers brought their large dinghy over to Moonstruck and along with Andy helped us unload our mountain of "stuff" We then moved into their family room in the basement and made ourselves at home for a week. Skip and Betsey even put up Andy for the night!
On a very stormy, rainy Friday at the boat show Courtney called. Christine had been taken off life support and died peacefully with her family by her side. I left the next morning. The death of someone so young, so vibrant, so loved, how does one explain the feelings, the finality of it? I can not. I am still struggling with the fact that she is no longer part of our lives. She will always live in our hearts and memory with love.
Christine's page
Here are some pictures of our daysailing in the Annapolis area with George and the tall ships.
Before we left Annapolis we spent a couple of days in St. Michaels on the east side of the bay. We had an awesome downwind sail over there in strong winds and spent a relaxing few days at anchor and one night in a marina next to old cruising friends Glen and Cindy. They own the Hylas 49 that we looked at a year ago in Fort Lauderdale when it was being commissioned, so they are now old hands! Cindy cooked a great chicken meal and it was nice to catch up with them and to spend time on a similar boat that is "cleaned up and put away". Inspired by this we spent the next couple of days searching for creative storage areas for the junk that is still sitting in our saloon. We will take some pictures of the interior when we are finished!
We returned to Annapolis for the resolution of our last commisioning issues and are now free! Unfortunately it all took a little longer then expected and we ran out of time to do a trip to Washington DC which really needs a week to be done right, so we'll have to save that for another time.
Our very cute and fun friends Brad and Kara, who are living in our house in Gig Harbor are coming out to Baltimore to celebrate our birthdays together!!! Alan's Oct. 25, mine Oct. 27th, Brad's Oct. 31st. I'll let you in on a little secret, hee hee, Alan is really having a hard time facing this, but he is turning 50!!! Don't tell him I said so. Brad and Kara arrive in Baltimore this Thursday so we're looking forward to a fun weekend! Brad grew up in the Annapolis/Baltimore area, and went to college in Baltimore, so he knows all the cool places to go.
October 20th 2006
Annapolis (Back Creek),
MD
We are leaving Annapolis
after two and a half weeks...The last commissioning issue was dealt with yesterday. We now have a fully functioning cruising yacht and are ready to up anchor and explore the world - well parts of it!
We are anchored in Back Creek. Earlier today a front came through and we dragged both our anchors and had to re-anchor. Winds were gusting to 36kt. All seems to have died down now that the front has moved over us and tomorrow we will head back into the bay for a week of cruising before we return to Baltimore for a weekend of partying with Brad & Kara, then provisioning and preparing Moonstruck for our voyage south.
October 23rd,
2006 Corsica River, MD
(at anchor)
In the meantime we have left
Annapolis and are sort of wandering around the upper Chesapeake Bay. We enjoyed being in
Annapolis, and although it seems like we were there for ages, we didn't
really get a chance to do a lot of sight seeing, with so much going on. It
has been fun to watch the large convergence of sail boats preparing for
their jouneys south. Like the enormous flocks of geese flying over
our boat every day, we too are part of a migration. You can feel the
energy and excitment building. Many boats in Annapolis are preparing to be
part of the Caribbean 1500, an annual rally/race which leaves from Hampton,
VA to go off shore on Nov. 6th for the Virgin Islands. Many others
are meandering down through the intracoastal waterway enroute
to Florida or the Bahamas. It has been interesting to note where the
boats call home, from Canada to VA they are all loaded up with their
yellow, red and blue jerry cans, as we all await the end of
the hurricane season and the blessing of the famous weather
router, Herb Hilgenberg, to make our getaway. So here we are with the geese, tucked into a tiny cove off the Corsica River eating Fig Newtons and doing boat chores as we wait out a very blustery cold front to pass.
October 24th, 2006
Chestertown, MD
(at
anchor)
We are now at anchor off Chestertown on the Chester
River, still on the Eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay waiting on weather
before we venture over to Batimore Harbor to hook up with Brad and Kara. After they
leave we will rent a car and drive down to Richmond, VA to visit my
brother, George and wife Sally, for a few days. Then we head back to Baltimore
one more time, to begin provisioning for the Caribbean and to await the
arrival of Alan's buddies Martin and Colin, from England, who will accompany us
on our voyage south! 
Next......Baltimore again!