August 19                                Salem, Massachusetts

We left Maine behind and returned to Massachusetts.  Another long day of cruising but the sea was calm and Joe did a great job at the helm.  David and I are being spoiled.  Perhaps having a crew member would be an excellent idea!

Hawthorne Cove Marina was our choice because it would be easily accessible.  We previously had stayed at Pickering Wharf Marina, located in the downtown area but it was difficult to maneuver in a boat as large as The Bottom Line.  The dockmaster at Hawthorne Cove reserved a place for us on the end dock because it would be shallow with low tide at the time of our arrival.  That information should have warned me to go elsewhere.

We had difficulty reaching the dockmaster on the radio when we arrived and we did not want to venture through the mooring field without instructions.  Markers were not helpful.  We finally were given instructions to follow the channel to the dock.  When David tried to make a starboard approach, the wind pushed him back toward a hazard marker for a submerged rock (Salem Harbor is a notorious rock field).  In pulling back from the rock, he backed over a buoy, which was drawn beneath the boat and the chain holding it wrapped around our prop shaft.  We immediately lost our port engine

Docking against the wind with only one engine was a formidable task.  The dockhand was young and not very strong.  Others came to his aid but it was more than thirty minutes before the boat was securely docked.  David, Joe, and I were terrified that significant damage had been done to the prop.  Repairs could be lengthy and expensive. 

Determined to make lemonade from lemons, we left the boat and walked a few blocks into the historic waterfront area of Salem.  Dinner was at Finz, a lovely seafood restaurant with a terrace overlooking the marina at Pickering Wharf.  Wonderful fried clam strips, clam chowder, and paella made us feel better!  A diver had been called and would be at the boat by noon.  We did not want to make a Plan B though it was conceivable our Plan A might no longer be possible!  We were hopeful we could continue to New York as scheduled and Joe could depart for home as Dave would arrive to join us for the remainder of the trip to Baltimore