Summer is close to ending in the Chesapeake

It is amazing but we are closing in on the end of August and that means one thing......almost time to head south.  We continue to work on Nati and make the necessary trips north but things will begin to change when September comes along.

Sails are scheduled to arrive the week of 9/8......can't wait to see them!!

Rita has done the template for the rest of the canvas work.  It is going to be really cool.....

Anne has cleaned and waxed the whole topside, the engines have been readied for action and we are getting prepped for our annual haul-out for the middle of September.

New halyard.....new sails need new stuff, right?!

We went for another 6 inches of halyard

The days are getting shorter around hear.  Sunset is before 8pm now and it is funny the way it appears  to get dark faster every day.  We have had very little wind and the sunsets have been spectacular....

view from the cockpit

The gang is all here!

Just the other day we had a nice surprise visit from a portion of the O'Connor family down here in the Chesapeake!  Steph & Teagan continued on their whirlwind tour of the eastern US and pulled into Pasadena last Thursday.  So.....you know what that meant......kids everywhere!!

It was a long drive Mom

T & E were really happy to get together for a few days of fun on Nati.  We didn't have a pool to use but we did have a playground, sand box and some how Nati actually worked for hide & go-seek!  Those two had rules for that game that I have never heard of but it worked for them so who cares what old people think!!

Trains by Ikea

Teagan found E-man!

On the second level of the playhouse

Sand for everyone!

For the last night we had everyone on board for a late night spaghetti dinner and Bubble Guppy videos.  What more could anyone want!?!?

Bubble Guppies are serious business

Thanks for driving down Steph........lots of fun for all!!

Going north to get off the dock!

It is time to get Nati off the dock!  Enough said!!

Captain E-man at the helm

Really we had to get Nati's bottom cleaned off as 6 weeks in the dirty, warm water of the Chesapeake is enough for any boat.  Nati is in need of new bottom paint but she has to wait another month and then we will be on the "hard" for a few days of sanding and painting.  So..........we head to the east shore to get some swimming in and also some bottom cleaning!!

I'm ready to go in Captain!!

Amy had Friday off so in the morning we head out to parts unknown.  It didn't take long to decide we were going to Worton Creek for the night as Nati was very slow and there was virtually no wind to help the engines move her.  It was our first trip to the anchorage and it was a lot of fun.  Evan showed us some new swimming tricks and we got off much of the lawn we were growing under the waterline.

The next day we decided to make another move and this time we made it to Georgetown.  It was Amy and Evan's first time there so we took a mooring ball and had the use of the facilities on shore.  Evan, once again was a swimming fiend and now he is swimming underwater, eyes open and seems totally at ease.

Once again he wants to drive!

m/v Smoke in the Wind

The motor back to Fairview was in light winds but now Nati can move again in the water.  No more barnacles and no more lawn to mow!

Binnacle 2013.........some time in the north country!

It has not been all work while in the Chesapeake this summer.  On top of our numerous trips north for family we also had scheduled our annual week at Binnacle Island.  This is where we meet up with friends and family for boating, swimming and eating.  We continue this with more eating and cocktails and this usually ends up with more eating and cocktails.  It's a good thing the Chief gets the fire going at sunset as that usually means we can stop eating!

Camp is ready!

More people showing up

Here comes the firewood!

We had a lot of our friends show up this year with one exception......JACK-SON was MIA!!  The really funny thing about this is that for once we actually had a "super-model" on Binnacle for a day and she was wondering where he was!!!???  Once again his timing was perfect!

Teagan, once again stole the show for the year.  She is getting bigger and now likes boating and swimming.  She wanted to go in the river and in her own pool every day.  Steph and Anne thought the water was a little cool.

Somebody is getting very big!

Look......I'm swimming!!

Sunset at Binnacle

Racing Grannie to the finish line

Ahhh.....another rough day!

A new vessel showed up this year and so far we believe the name of the 36 foot CS is Assador.  The crew may have other notions but our treasurer of Pump Out Productions, LLC said the invoice we provided Tom with must be paid in full in order to get the boat lien free!!

All in all it was a cool but fun week.  Dream Chaser, our own F24A provided good ice tea and a bunch of other goodies.  We met Joe & Sue, where they came from, nobody knows but the scallops and salmon was great!  A week at Binnacle wouldn't be complete without the "Steelhead & Co." showing up to empty the docks.  And yes, the "Bite Me" flag still flies!!

Never see this "girl" again!!

We are working away ......

The cockpit has some new wax on it.  The new galley faucet is in and looks great and I have been up the mast to inspect all the rigging and to pull off the old spreader-end covers.   LED bulbs are in the whole main cabin. The list is beginning to get smaller and not bigger.  We even have a screen ordered for the cabin sliding door.  Cross your fingers that it fits when delivered!  The Shurflo smart sensor pump has replaced the ailing port water pump and we expect to see an end to the recycling every few hours.  Even the freezer is sporting some new efficient insulation.

Nice bright lights!

New vs the old bulb

Looking towards the pool and parking

Work shops 

What color is the water here?

The pool at Fairview has been great for Evan.  Now he is jumping in 50 times a day, making us tired but for some reason, not him!  Last Saturday he started swimming (kind of anyway) using two noodles.......he is getting braver by the day!!

Where are the Olympics in 2016?........we may get him there!!

Had our first White Perch the other day.  Bon Bini caught too many so once again........begging does better than fishing for Nati!

White Perch dinner!

Life & times at the marina.....and beyond!

So far we have ordered all sorts of "stuff" for Nati and it is slowly arriving by mail.  Our many projects are ongoing.  Amy & Evan have been on Nati a number of nights and its nice to have a pool and picnic area right here at the marina where we are docked.  Nati is nice and secure and we just have to try to keep the bottom somewhat clean as the Chesapeake is not a pretty place for bottom paint.

View from Nati in the evening

picnic time at the marina

Last weekend we sailed over to Rock Hall.  Had a great time and we made it to the locally owned ice cream stand so E-man could get his "treat".  Of course we had to force a cone down also.

Free dinghy dock for us today!

Evan size door handle

Bad docking

Evan is now jumping in and going under water.  In the Bahamas he got used to the salt water and beach and in less than a few months he is going right under.  If only we could figure out how do download a video now.......

Yep, he is a kicking machine!

The Chesapeake for summer 2013

We haven't been in N'town yet but we have landed Nati in her new location for the summer.  Right now we are in Fairview Marina.   We are getting geared up for a ton of work that we have on our "to do" list but before the work, one must play........so into Baltimore we go.

Ft Carroll

Going out of the Francis Scott Key bridge

Last January Amy surprised us with tickets to see Sting!  All we had to do is make it to Baltimore before the concert and we were in.  No problem with that and we spent a few days in "O-town" just to make sure we had a good location.  We went to Henderson's Wharf Marina and it was only a short walk to the concert.

We have a good view!

The gang is all here

Sting groovin'

You can even understand the lyrics!

Sting is one of the few musicians we have wanted to see and he didn't let us down.  We had a lot of fun hanging out on the lawn and the rain gods held off to give us a beautiful evening.
Thanks Amy, we had a blast !






After the concert the rain came and came and really came!  We've seen tornado rotations twice this week and at least 40+ its at the dock.  Enough already!!  Even the ducks are saying enough!!!!

Today was water maker pickling day......very sad but there is no way we are making water in the Chesapeake.  Too darn dirty for the both of us.

Can't wait to head south this fall to make our own "fresh" water again!

Ok, back to work.........many projects ready to get started..........