May 24-27                                     Cape May, New Jersey

With winds varying between 15 and 25 miles per hour, the sunny weekend was not inviting to boats.  Most of us in the marina remained in place and few boaters ventured in to dock. We felt it was not wise to ride our bikes in such gales.  We left the boat for several short walks but the cold and wind sent us quickly back to the boat.

After visiting Tony’s Marine Shop for supplies needed to complete our onboard projects, we opted for lunch at The Lobster House.  This renowned restaurant is built for crowds and they come every day.  At the entrance is the beautiful bar area of polished mahogany with gleaming brass accessories.  The floor is covered in a red and green plaid carpet and magnificent prints of dogs engaged in duck hunting adorn the walls.  The dining rooms are mostly casual with red checked tablecloths, barrel chairs and nautical accessories.

The waitresses, all young and slender (probably college students), are dressed in white uniforms with red, white, and blue nautical collars, red scarves, and small aprons with the same red, white, and blue trim. They were reminiscent of waitresses from the 1950-1960 eras.  Unfortunately, the food we ordered did not meet our expectations.  The Caesar salads had grit which probably derived from poorly washed lettuce (we complained and the charge was removed from our check).  Fried clams and New England clam chowder proved to be more successful.

Memorial Day brought a welcome weather change with little wind and a sunny sky.  We quickly left on our bikes for a long ride through the city.  Beach Avenue is a delightful treat with its unbroken line of elegant, large Victorian era homes (many now inns or bed and breakfasts) painted in an array of pastel colors and surrounded by beautiful lawns.

Across Beach Avenue from the mansions is the chief attraction for visitors to Cape May—a lengthy beach of white sand bordering an expanse of ocean with its gentle waves.  Multi-colored beach umbrellas provide protection for the bathers who seem more interested in lounging than getting into the water (which still must be very cold!).

Returning to the boat, I began to restore the teak blinds on the windows in the salon.  Teak oil applied with a small sponge immediately made a visible improvement in areas whitened by weather and salt residue.  It’s a tedious task but I plan to complete restoring all six blinds before leaving on Friday.  They are too attractive and expensive to allow any further deterioration.

The marina was busy with boaters and several large yachts who chose to dock nearby.  We were excited to see a small fishing boat come in and begin to unload a huge fish.  With considerable effort, the fish was hoisted on the scale.  It weighed 289 pounds.  When it appeared the rod would break, the fish was harpooned and pulled in by the five fishermen on board. 

As we were enjoying our steak dinner on the aft deck, a 50 feet sailboat with a mast of more than 40 feet came into the marina and docked near us.  Two small children, about six and four, and two adults were on board.  Netting was stretched around the deck of the boat and the children were freely moving from bow to stern without life jackets.  We quickly perused our book on flags and learned they were flying the colors of Germany.  When the boat turned, we could see that Germany was written as its stern.  David left the table and assisted them in catching their lines for dockage.  We were in awe that anyone could make a journey from Germany to the US in such a boat—and with children aboard. 

This had been an unusually quiet holiday for us as we were away from all the family.  Telephone calls were made and welcomed all day as we checked in on one another.  Stephanie, Joe, Blake, and Amanda returned early on Memorial Day from a weekend in Las Vegas.  That afternoon we received a precious movie of Winn playing in the pool.  Suzanne reported in from Denver where she is working.  We also received a text from Kennedy who is luxuriating in Georgetown, Great Cayman Island.  We will all be envious of her tan! 

May 21-23                                   Cape May, New Jersey

Lacking any good reason to stay longer in Greenwich, we took advantage of the favorable weather to continue our journey to Cape May.  As I was pulling in the lines and saying goodbye to the dockhand, another swarm of stinging gnats attacked me.  They seemed to be particularly attracted to my hair.  I felt like Katherine Hepburn in The African Queen but before I became hysterical, I managed to get inside the boat and shut the doors.  Unfortunately, some of the gnats followed me and for hours afterwards, I felt their stings.  They ignored David who remained completely unbitten.

The voyage to Cape May was uneventful except for an unexpected sighting of porpoises leaping in the waves behind the boat.  We were thrilled to be assigned a choice slip at South Jersey Marina, one of our favorite marinas.  With excellent dock help, we were quickly and easily secured. From the aft deck, we could see the charming little “fishing cottages” that line the edges of the water.  Most are less than 800 square feet with verandas facing the water and have been given Victorian facades.  They are usually owned by the same families for generations.

After a brief respite, we walked to the seafood market at The Lobster House, a large restaurant that is a favorite destination for many diners in this area.  David agreed he would be the chef for the evening and he was delighted to find fresh soft shell crabs.  Smoked blue fish and crab salad were bought for quick lunches.  We returned to the boat and enjoyed a fantastic dinner of sautéed soft shell crabs.  We are looking forward to visiting Cape May.  If the weather warms sufficiently, we plan to go to the beach several times during our stay.

On Wednesday, we learned the marina had a courtesy car and they agreed to take us into town (only 2 miles ) and come back for us.  This gave us a good opportunity to visit the grocery store and buy heavy items we couldn’t carry on our bikes.

The lovely pedestrian mall in Cape May is lined with shops and restaurants.  Victorian facades carry out the prevalent theme of the town.  With more than 200 Victorian era homes, many of them quite grand, Cape May is a showcase for nineteenth century architecture.  We enjoyed a light lunch at A Ca Mia watching the many tourists, most in their senior years, stroll in front of us.  I praised my Italian vegetable soup and quiche with artichokes.  David had a delicious grilled prosciutto sandwich.  With a large Italian population in this area, Italian food is invariably an excellent choice!

After a night of sleeplessness caused by incessant itching from the stinging gnats, I awakened early, unloaded my bike, and rode to the local CVS for medication.  The pharmacist told me that the itching would probably last several more days but prescribed some ointment that might bring relief.  My lower legs and arms are covered in welts and my scalp bears the bites of many gnats.  The anti-itch medication helped immensely.

The weather steadily became cooler with increasing winds.  It was a good day to stay aboard.  David was on the phone most of the day with the office and clients.  I had carpet to shampoo and ironing to finish.  To make those tasks more tolerable, I bought a movie from Direct TV.  Silver Linings Playbook, a highly acclaimed movie, was about a man struggling with bipolarism.  The language was very coarse and some of the scenes were difficult to watch but the acting was exceptional and the story was enthralling. 

Dinner was chicken in wine and mushroom sauce over rice with candied carrots.  As we finished our meal, we heard a loud noise to our left and realized it was the grinding of bow thrusters.  A large white yacht had entered the marina and was preparing to dock.  With a visible crew of nine, they required no extra dockhands.  Cape May is a popular place on holidays and the Memorial Day Weekend is upon us.  If the weather improves, we will likely see many more huge yachts.

 

 

 

 

 

May 20                                    Greenwich, New Jersey

We planned to leave early from Havre de Grace but fog enveloped the area.  It finally cleared at nine and we quickly untied the lines.  As we were docked in a narrow space, David had to carefully maneuver the boat backward between a protruding deck and a tall post before he could begin his turn into the channel leading out of the marina into the river.  As always, he managed to do this flawlessly.  It is surely my imagination, but it always seems that the boat doubles in size whenever we encounter such situations!

The fog disappeared completely as we entered the C & D canal leading from the Chesapeake into Delaware Bay.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and there was little wind.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed looking at the lovely homes dotting the landscape.

The journey to Cape May, our final destination for this part of our journey, would take nine hours.  We decided to stop at Greenwich, New Jersey, a small town up the Cohansey River off Delaware Bay.  Our Waterways Guide had described it as quaint with several good restaurants and voted one of the ten loveliest towns in New Jersey.  The Cohansey ran a circuitous course through the marshes to the two marinas at Greenwich.  Both seemed to be almost deserted.

David easily docked at Greenwich Boat Works and as I was talking to the dockhand, I was surrounded by biting gnats.  We quickly secured the boat and shut the doors to avoid them inhabiting the interior. My conversation had provided some disappointing news.  The town was a mile away, all the shops were closed for the season, and the local grocery had not re-opened since the owner had left last year.  The once lovely restaurant on the premises was also closed. 

We would make the best of a not so great situation.  First, a long nap on the sofa in the salon and then a delicious dinner of baked chicken, corn on the cob, and arugula salad on the aft deck (with the curtains closed and the A/C on).  Watching the horrible news on TV about the tornadoes in Oklahoma and the resulting devastation and deaths, we once again realized how fortunate we were.

 

 

 

 

May 17-19                              Havre de Grace, Maryland

With a flexible time schedule, we decided to engage someone to polish the upper part of the boat.  The hull had been polished last year but we were concerned about the rest of the boat.  It was clear that oxidation had occurred and most of the shine had disappeared.  This was a problem that could not be ignored.  As oxidation increases, repair becomes more intensive and expensive.  A contact with the marina produced positive results.  Linda and Joe were recommended, inspected the boat, and gave us a reasonable estimate.  We would have to stay in Havre de Grace for two additional days but that was not a problem.

Linda and Joe arrived early on Friday and went to work.  A 58’ boat with a fly bridge and aft deck has many surfaces to clean and polish.  It would be a big job. David and I decided this would be a good time to leave and explore the town on our bicycles.  Riding south from the marina, we came to a lovely park with a promenade on the river.  The evening was cool and pleasant and many families were picnicking and cooking out. We rode through some of the adjacent neighborhoods and admired the lovely homes surrounded by blooming azaleas, rhododendrons, and iris.  Havre de Grace has been fortunate to retain many of its historic homes.

Saturday was overcast and cool.  It was a great day for Linda and Joe to polish the boat.  Again we left them to walk into town.  Lunch was at Laurrapin, a local restaurant that looked as if it had recently been decorated by the TV show Restaurants Impossible.  It had new wooden floors, terracotta walls, and many lovely details that made it special.  David ordered fried eggplant that came with a light marinara sauce, olive tapenade, goat cheese, and spinach garnish.  He loved it.  My mussels in a wine and butter sauce were delicious.

We explored several antique shops but found nothing special until we went into one that was totally disorganized and dirty.  With stacks of vintage Playboy magazines on tables and in boxes and a multitude of books scattered on shelves and the floor, it was difficult to find the few treasures almost hidden by the clutter.  To my amazement, I saw a beautiful white marble fireplace mantle that must have come from a mansion, a magnificent brass bed in perfect condition, and an elaborate antique wrought iron bed.  The owner must be independently wealthy because he obviously cared nothing about displaying to advantage anything in his shop and paid almost no attention to customers.

The local library was having a book sale.  David returned to the boat and I spent time perusing the stacks of books at the sale.  For five dollars, I bought five great books in excellent condition, an interesting cookbook with recipes from the 1950’s by Craig Claiborne, food critic of the New York Times, a novel by Eudora Welty, whose stories of the South are always filled with regional nuances, a history of the six ruling queens of England, and Bill Bryson’s history of the English language. Bryson’s books always combine personal observation and humor with history. The final book was on Beretta guns and I bought it as a gift for Blake, who proudly owns a shotgun made by that renowned Italian manufacturer.

 Dinner was light fare on the boat.  I cooked the polish sausage bought at the Baltimore deli, added sauerkraut, apples, and a little cinnamon for a delicious meal.  Chocolate pudding with shortbread cookies was dessert.

Due to predictions, we had showers on Saturday night that lasted sporadically until after eleven on Sunday morning.  As soon as they stopped, Laura and Joe were at the boat ready to begin the polishing.  David and I stayed inside and watched the Sunday news programs, read The Washington Post, and completed small projects.  We were eager to resume our journey and were hopeful the polishing project would be completed today.  Laura and Joe did not disappoint us.  When they finished at three o’clock, the exterior of the boat once again was shiny.  We were pleased with their work.

Using the marina courtesy van, we went to the small grocery store to replenish our supplies.  With the van, we could buy heavy items we could not carry on our bikes.  After unloading our bags and viewing the large assortment of food in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer, we opted to go out for dinner!  David was eager to experience Price’s Seafood, the small crab house, a favorite of locals, about a mile walk from the marina.  It was clean, attractive, and offered a limited menu with crabs, clams, and fish.  I had wonderful sautéed soft shell crabs and David ordered steamed crabs.  He received eight Blue crabs covered in Old Bay Seasoning and he attacked them with the accompanying mallet.  He ate all of them.  Shells and crab covered the table and his shirt.  His chin was orange from the seasoning.  It was a lot of work but he loved it!

On our leisurely walk back to the boat, we again admired the charming downtown and the lovely homes.  One brightly painted turquoise and pink house displayed a sidewalk in front covered with “truisms” written in colored chalk.  It reminded me of the new installation of truisms in LED lights by Jenny Holzer at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The bikes were loaded onto the boat and we performed preliminary tasks to help us leave early on Monday morning.

May 15 and 16                                    Havre de Grace, Maryland

It was finally time to leave Baltimore and we were ready!  The dinghy was uploaded and secured, fenders were retrieved, and lines were stowed.  We waved goodbye to our friends on the dock and headed down the Patapsco River to the Bay.  We were bound for Havre de Grace, about thirty-eight nautical miles northward on the Chesapeake and four miles west on the Susquehanna River.  It would be an easy day of cruising in pleasant weather.

Havre de Grace is on the western side of Maryland (the same as Baltimore).  We had not stopped there before but after learning it was a charming, quaint town with several good marinas, we chose it for our first dockage.  The name, suggested by the Marquis de Lafayette, is French but is pronounced by the locals as “have-er dee grayce.”  Proposed to be the nation’s capital, it lost the decision by only one vote.  The town was burned by the British in the War of 1812 and was almost destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in 2003.  Beautifully restored, the streets are lined with lovely shops, restaurants, and Victorian era homes.

We were pleased to secure dockage at Tidewater Marina, only a short walk from the downtown area.  Assigned a slip down a long, narrow channel, David negotiated it with skill and confidence.  Our absence had not diminished his ability to handle the boat. The marina had good internet connections and I was finally able to go online and purchase tickets to the new Barnes Museum in Philadelphia.  We will go there early on May 31, the day we return to Texas.  Many dates and times were unavailable and we were fortunate to get our choice.

A quick lunch onboard and we were ready for a walk.  Freshly painted stores and homes lined the streets to the Historic Downtown District.  As a duck-hunting mecca, Havre de Grace was the home of noted decoy carver, R. Madison Mitchell, whose works are exhibited at the local Decoy Museum.  Other stores also display decoys and beautiful wooden bird sculptures.  Antique malls and shops are prevalent.  David loves browsing their aisles for items that recall memories from the past.  As we have no space at home or on the boat for more, we seldom buy anything other than books.

Dinner was a non-cooking event with smoked mackerel from the Polish Deli in Baltimore, cheese, flatbread, and cherries for dessert.  The mackerel was delicious, very subtle in flavor and not overly smoked.  We regretted we had bought only one.

Thursday was sunny and very warm.  The afternoon temperature was in the upper eighties.  The streets of Havre de Grace were paved, not cobblestone as in Baltimore, and were perfect for biking.  Unfortunately, the tires on David’s bike were ruined.  We located a shop about a mile away, checked to see if they had the correct size in stock, and were delighted they could change the tires for us. 

Biller’s Bikes was a locally owned business that seemed to take great pride in their service.  We left the bike and, following the owner’s suggestions, walked to McGregor’s Restaurant for a late lunch.  We were given directions, and failing to consult our map, walked twice as far as necessary. Once again, we were amazed by people who cannot give good directions.  I was exhausted and couldn’t believe David had been able to make it.  He seems to be recuperating well! 

Retrieving the repaired bike, we returned to the boat via a much shorter route.  After a brief nap we climbed to the bridge of the boat and watched sailboats racing on the river.  It was a lovely, cool evening with just enough wind to fill the sails as the boats tacked back and forth on their course. It was a beautiful scene.  Dinner was a delicious kale salad (from our Costco supply) and nachos.  It was not gourmet fare but we enjoyed it.

 

 

 

 

May 13-14                         Baltimore, Maryland

We reluctantly bade farewell to Joe and Stephanie.  They are always wonderful guests who adapt well to the boating lifestyle.  Although our only trip on the water was in the dinghy, they loved the marina, the Fells Point neighborhood, and our long evenings on the aft deck observing the activity around us.  They are always fun and ready to go and do anything we choose. Never content to be idle, they stay busy helping us.  Since the weather was cold, very windy, and damp, we postponed going ashore.  It was a good day to stay on the boat and work or read. 

The workmen came on Tuesday to finalize needed repairs and adjustments.  A diver installed new zincs on the engine shafts and cleaned the bottom of the boat.  As lake boaters, we were not aware of the importance of zincs until we bought the Hatteras.  Zincs “neutralize” the electrolysis that occurs when metals are exposed to salty waters and protects the boat’s electronic equipment.  It is a necessary procedure and can cause expensive problems if neglected.

By noon, the wind had lessened, the sun was shining, and David was ready to take the dinghy for a trip to the Inner Harbor.  Harkening to the admonitions of our children, we wore life jackets.  The harbor was active with people and boats but lacked the usual crowds that are there in the summer months.  The dinghy motor, damaged by residual fuel when stored in Mystic last year, still had some issues but it ran well enough we can use it without problems.

After docking the dinghy, we were ready for a walk and a late lunch.  Stopping at Broadway Market, we perused the counters of the Polish Deli and discussed the varieties of pierogi with the staff.  We finally decided on potato and cheese pierogi and were told to cook them with sliced onions and chopped bacon for a real Polish treat.  We would store them for a special dinner later in the week.

 

The outside tables at Adela’s viewed Fells Point Square and were perfect for a late lunch-early dinner.  Adela’s serves tapas and Spanish wines.  We selected Nora, a great white wine similar to a Sauvignon Blanc.  My first tapa was a skewer of broiled shrimp, artichokes, and onions in a caper and red pepper coulis with a sofrito cream sauce. David had a red and yellow tomato gazpacho with a lump crab garnish. This was followed by delicious fried artichokes drizzled in sweet aged balsamic vinegar.  The next course was a six-cheese ravioli dish topped with lump crab. Ignoring my protestations, David ordered a rice pudding with candied orange garnish.  It was heavenly. Everything was wonderful and we regretted we had not tried Adela’s when Joe and Stephanie were with us.

Returning to the boat, we were ready to relax.  Since we seldom go to the movies, we can usually find one on Direct TV that we want to see.  The Guilt Trip with Barbara Streisand, as a bossy, overbearing mother, was not great, but fun and entertaining.  However, I kept having a feeling that Dave might say her character was modeled in some ways after me! 

 

 

 

 

 

MAY 8-12                        Baltimore, Maryland

 

Our arrival in Baltimore coincided with the cessation of the thunderstorms that had steadily moved through the area since early morning.  The air was fresh, clean, and cool, forecasting a lovely day.  Joe Usher, our son-in-law, accompanied us and immediately assumed responsibility for any lifting and moving of luggage as we moved from the airport to the rental car.  Always very solicitous of David and me, Joe had insisted he would come with us and help provision and get ready the boat for our journey northward.

The Bottom Line was located in the same place we left it last October.  We were on an outside dock with a good view of the incoming traffic from the Patapsco River into Baltimore Harbor.  The boat’s exterior was clean, and to my delight, the interior was orderly and only slightly dusty.  With a little dusting, vacuuming, etc., and everything would be as I liked it.  This was very different from the filthy condition of the interior of the boat when we returned to it last year.

We quickly surveyed the pantry, made a list of needed items and left for Costco.  Our new GPS, a TomTom, proved to be very unreliable.  It took us on a long, circuitous route through residential neighborhoods and seedy looking areas.  Costco was only about four miles from the marina but we traveled for almost thirty minutes before locating it. 

 Bonefish Grill, located near Costco, was our dinner choice.  A chain family restaurant noted for seafood, it was perfect for a quick meal before we shopped. After an appetizer of coconut shrimp, we feasted on mussels, sautéed trout, and a seafood medley. The food was fresh, delicious, and well-presented. 

We returned via a direct route, ignoring the initial directions of the TomTom GPS, to the boat. Joe helped us unload and store two large dock carts of provisions.  We were well-stocked once again.  Tired from a long, busy day, we retired early and slept well to the gentle rolling of the boat.

Thursday was spent talking to the guys who re-commissioned The Bottom Line after the winter hiatus.  The railings, bow pulpit, and all wood on the aft deck had been stripped, sanded, and re-varnished.  The work was done well and we were pleased.  Weather and lack of help had prevented polishing the upper part of the boat’s exterior.  I may tackle this job myself!

Joe wanted to complete the projects that David could no longer easily do and was assigned the cleaning of both engine rooms.  He unloaded the myriad of tools, buckets, boxes, etc. from the floors, removed the oily pads from the wells below the engines, and replaced them with clean ones, and cleaned dirt from all surfaces.  Some of the work required him to lie prone on the floor in order to reach below the engines.  It was hard, dirty work and he volunteered for it!

After thoroughly cleaning the floors, Joe covered them with navy gray paint.  Lying on his stomach to reach a distant corner, he accidentally kicked over the paint bucket and spilled a large amount. This went undetected for a few minutes and necessitated some quick recovery work.  The project went well after that and the floors looked great.

David admits that organization is not one of his strengths and he appreciated Joe’s suggestions as they went through the tools, parts, and equipment stored in various parts of the boat.  David identified parts that cost a great deal of money and may be useful in the future.  Numerous tools were hung in places where they could be easily found or placed in tool kits.  Paint supplies were brought from above and stored together in a more accessible location.  We were now clean and organized!

After a day of hard work, Joe showered and went to the airport for Stephanie.  We toasted her arrival on the aft deck and dined on a delicious trio salad dinner.  Joe insisted she should be assigned a project and I graciously consented to allow her to dust the teak blinds on the windows in the salon.

Friday was a gorgeous day, and with rain forecast for Saturday, we decided to leave the boat.  We walked six blocks to the Blue Moon Café for one of their legendary breakfasts.  A long wait outside gave us good people-watching time before we finally were seated in the small, funky interior that is always filled with customers.  Serving only breakfast, the Blue Moon Café offers gourmet choices that are fabulous.  My favorite is the Captain Crunch coated French toast with fruit and cinnamon-flavored whipped cream.  Decadent!!!

Stephanie needed some shopping time to replenish her wardrobe for a June trip to Portugal.  We separated from the men (they were delighted) to peruse the shops along Fell’s Point.  Every small boutique seemed to have something she could use.  She bought two lovely dresses, a pair of shoes, and a sweater—all at good prices.  We had a wonderful afternoon.  Dinner was at Riptide on the Bay, a casual restaurant located in an historic building on the waterfront. Our leisurely walk back to the dock was interrupted by raindrops, which true to predictions, came with thunder, lightning, and wind.  We made it to the boat with only minutes to spare before the storm. 

The rain continued sporadically on Saturday but cleared enough in the afternoon for Stephanie and me to attend the local outdoor market.  David took us there in the dinghy.  Finding little we needed, we decided to walk a mile to Safeway.  After finishing our shopping, we called for David and the dinghy to bring us home.  It was fun to cruise in the harbor past the enormous naval vessels docked across from our marina.  Feeling pressure to comply with her responsibilities, Stephanie immediately tackled the teak blinds (an onerous task) and had them shining before wine time.  Dinner was prime steaks grilled by David with a delicious coconut pudding dessert. 

Sunday was horribly windy.  No dinghy rides today!  We aborted our plans to take the boat down the Patapsco River for a trial run before we start our journey later in the week.  We watched a smaller Hatteras vainly try to dock near us but thwarted by the force of the wind.  Unfortunately, the captain made one last effort, came in too quickly, and was pushed by the wind into an adjacent boat, causing damage to the bow. 

As a Mother’s Day gift, Stephanie had bought tickets for she and I to attend an Historical Homes Tour in Fells Point. We braved the strong wind to walk to that area (just outside the gates of the marina).  The first one, a townhouse, had been built in an old brick warehouse and was new throughout with wooden floors, marble bathrooms, a modern kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the water.  Only the exterior walls were old.  It was filled with beautiful art and lovely furniture, with walls painted in gorgeous pastel colors. It had elevator access to its fourth floor location. It was our favorite.

The four others we visited included the oldest house in Baltimore (1765), once owned by a sea captain and showing heavy use, another sea captain’s home, exquisitely restored, and several renovated commercial properties made into gorgeous homes.  All were small, well-planned, and required agile owners who could climb several flights of stairs.  We were reminded that colonial women had to be sturdy to manage so many stairs!

Needing a break, we called David and Joe to join us at Shuckers for a late lunch. The wind had lessened, the sun was brightly shining, and the Mother’s Day crowd was evident with many family groups, most accompanied by strollers and dogs.  We enjoyed sitting outside, watching people, and experiencing the ambiance of a wonderful city.  The evening ended with a movie and a delicious light dinner of pasta pomodoro on the boat.