Chesapeake Bay 2007 Trip!  Including 5^th Annual Watkins Raft-up at

Yankee Point Marina!

Day 1 –Thursday, May 24^th

• Left home approximately 8:30am.  By the time we arrived around Richmond Indiana, we stopped for gas and noticed that there was splash-up of oil? Transmission fluid? –on the trailor.  We stopped at a Chevy Dealership and the transmission fluid was brown and the oil filter needed tightening.  We backed the boat in the back of the dealership in the shade of a poplar tree.  Would you believe there was a gravel pit filled with water back there?  Hehehe!
• We stopped to sleep for the night in the back of a hotel parking lot around Charleston, W. Virginia.  We climbed up on our boat, then pulled the ladder up after us.

Day 2 – Friday, May 25^th

• We started out early, after breakfast at Cracker-Barrel.

• We arrived at Yankee Point Marina approximately 3pm.
• We launched with no problems [though the ramp was at a crazy position, and sand had washed over the pavement with no dock beside it.
•   We even got the mast up, with just the 2 of us with no problem!
• While we were raising the mast Marian arrived, single –handed with her 29 ft Watkins!
• It is very hot so we take a break and tour Marion’s boat.  Marion lends us a chart book and cruising guide to the Chesapeake which proved invaluable during our cruise.
• Unable to place our boat in it’s assigned slip because there is something already in it we stayed the night in the travel lift well!

Day 3 – Saturday May 26^th - Watkins 2007 Raft-up Photos Click here then continue at Day 9 when you return.

• We placed our boat in it’s slip and finished setting it up in the morning.
• People start showing up!  Jim Brewer and Al, Paul LaPoint single handing PFM.  Susan Brewer comes by car and stays in a rented a cottage that is very nice right next to the snack-bar.
• We spent the afternoon catching up on stories and touring the large boatyard.

Day 4 – Sunday May 27^th  Ice Breaker Party

• Marion sails home due to bad weather forecast for Monday early in the morning, but drives back for the Ice Breaker!

• Lou and Deb arrive and also rent another cottage.  John and Sharon Peterson and Kevin and Melissa arrive by car.  Terry and Leena arrived by their boat. Cindy and Rick come by their 36 ft Watkins “Misty Blue” and Roy and Irene on their 32 ft. Watkins
• The “Ice-Breaker” dinner begins at 5 PM with a large buffet by the pool!
• After supper Melissa passed out welcome gifts to everyone.
• Lou Spagna dolled out his stash of pirate loot to everyone.
• Everyone sat around and talked till dark, and then the party moved to the Brewer cottage where more stories were told!

Day 5 – Monday May 28^th Memorial Day

• Everyone met for breakfast at the snack bar and using pirate’s rules, the consensus was to sail to Urbana for lunch and return to Yankee Point for supper.  Everyone doubled up so only 3 boats were needed for the trip!
• Kevin and Melissa came with us!  As we are leaving the marina, we are on the wrong side of the RED markers and quickly go a-ground!  Red-Right-Returning but how about leaving?  Ouch on the pride!
• We have a nice sail over!  And then the wind dies!  Lou and Deb crew for Terry and Lena.  Cindy and Rick take Paul, and Roy and Irene take John and Sharon.  Roy and Irene have other plans for the evening so, and John and Sharon join Cindy and Rick for the return trip.
• Some folk ate supper on their boats but eight of us in two cars attempted to find a seafood restaurant called the Upper Deck.  After a couple attempts and bad directions we found the place only to have it closed for the Holliday observance.  We then drove to Irvington and ate at the only restaurant open apparently for many miles.  The service was unusually slow, after a long wait to be seated so we did not get home until after 11:PM.  It rained on the drive home.

Day 6 Tuesday May 29th

• Several of the boats and the folks who came by car leave in the morning.
• John really wants to see this Andy Wiley 3^rd-World- Marina/Rigging Shop/Hand Wheel factory and Marine Salvage Yard in Irvington!  Paul, Jim, and Al and Cindi go along!  Paul is looking for stainless steel bows to build a bimini.  We drive over in our suburban taking the ferry and have lunch at an old gas station converted over… 
• Irvington Marine was FABULOUS.  We spent a couple of hours poking around the grounds looking at all of his stuff.  There were Ferro-cement boats, antique wood cabin cruiser and sailboats being restored, hopeless derelicts both afloat and in the yard and buildings full of neat marine stuff to gape at.  The docks were in shambles and two hurricanes had hit since the main building had been cleaned!  There was a sea plane at the entrance to the yard that Andy said he had flown in.  It looked like it had not moved in 30 years.
• The hand wheel factory looked liked something from a Hollywood horror movie.  Andy said he is still making hand wheels for the Navy.  The story around town is that a few years ago an OSHA inspector came to inspect the factory.  He stepped one foot in the door and turned around and left.  He said he was retiring in 6 months and there was not enough time to fill out all the paperwork that would be needed to list the violations.
• Andy said he was 89 I think.  The placed looked like 30 years ago when Andy reached retirement age he kept working but stopped doing any repair.
• On arriving back at Yankee Point Marina, John and Paul leave with Paul’s boat to go back to Irvington Marine to get the stainless steel bows for his bimini he wants to build which were too large to fit in the Suburban truck…  [the actual trip by water, was much faster than going by car, due to the lack of bridges over all the water-ways…]
• In the evening Scott Murphy, [Murf-the-Surf, 36 ft Watkins owner from N.J.] arrives by car, and brings his tent.  After several years of attempting to come by water, he arrives by car!  We give him a tour of the remaining boats, ours, Jim Brewer’s, and Paul’s boat.

Day 7 Wednesday May 30^th

• We take awhile cleaning up, and we get 8 gal of diesel prior to leaving for Deltaville, on Jackson Creek in late morning. 
• On the trip we didn’t sail until after getting out from under the Rappahannock Bridge, at the mouth of the river, the wind was on our nose.
• Jim led the ‘pack’ motoring with his 3-cylinder Perkins.
• Upon arriving, it is a bit tricky as we are motoring up a snaky channel to get to the marina, and at one point, it appears as if we are going to be running up onto someone’s cottage-beach!
• John and I enjoyed Deltaville.  There is a park, very clean restrooms and showers, a pool, a lounge area for the guests with coffee maker and microwave!
• But most of all it had a big ship yard, sail repair, brokerage!  We saw some very unusual boats!
• That night we rode the bikes provided for free at the Deltaville marina, and ate with Paul and Scott at Toby’s.  Jim and Al consume some of their left over stores on board.  Scott had driven from Yankee point to join us of another day.  Paul took Scott out sailing in the late afternoon while the rest of us looked around the marina.

Day 8  Thursday May 31^st

• Paul, Jim and Al, and Scott head for their home ports but we decide to stayed at Deltaville an extra day to get our laundry done. 
• In the afternoon we rode the free bikes to get provisions at the grocery store, and of course, John had to check out West Marine!  After putting our groceries away, we rode the bikes to Cocomo’s Bar and Grill.  We liked the name since it sounds similar to our home town of Kokomo.

Day 9 Friday June 1^st – Onancock photos

• We head over to Onancock, Virginia on the East Coast of the Chesapeake Bay, about a 31 mile run.
• It was between Reaching and Close Hauled over, with 1-3 foot waves.  This was the day we went from 1 reef, to eventually 3 reefs in the main, and then shook them all out, and then ended up putting them back in again near the end of our trip.
• Onancock is approximately 3 to 4 miles up a river.  We sailed up the first couple of miles, with Marshes on one side, and sandy beach strip on the other side.  Lots of crab-pots as well!
• We docked our boat on the bulkhead at the city docks next to the office.
• Onancock is a fairly quaint old city, and we saw a church building named Cokesbury UMC.  The brochure said that Asbury himself preached there! 
• After walking around, we finally decided to eat at an “Irish Pub”.
• The next morning, we walk to The Corner Bakery, to have a fresh Pecan roll and coffee at 7:10am before we head out.

Day 10 Saturday June 2  -  Reedville photos

• After our roll and coffee, our original intent is to sail to Tangier’s Island, stop for lunch and a quick walking tour to stretch our legs then carry on to Reedville.
• We have 3 reefs in the main, and the waves are 2-4 feet, and after much discussion, we decide we better get over to the mainland, as there is supposed to be a tropical storm coming up from Florida and we do not want to be in Tangiers during a storm.  Also the wind had changed and it would have been impossible to make Reedville from Tangiers without tacking.  We now head directly for Reedville.
• It is pretty much Close-hauled all the way.
• At 2:PM we arrive at Reedville, at the Crazy Crab Shack and marina, we do not like the way the waves are coming in.  The boats are rocking violently at the docks.  With a storm coming, it just does not seem secure enough.
• We eat supper there and then go on up to Buzzard Point.  Much more secure, but we feel like we are in a “Third-World Marina”.  There is no Marine Electricity, no where to go.
• We meet new friends!  A 24-ft Artic Nimble shows up.  They are from Washington State and have trailered their boat to Annapolis and put in.  David and Vydia.
• It starts raining.  The storm has begun.

Day 11 Sunday June 3^rd

• The storm is bad enough, that the Tangier’s Cruise ship is only going over to pick up those they took over the day before.  They will not be staying over.
• It is Sunday, so John and I read all of Jonah, and Acts 26, 27 where Paul gets ship-wrecked at Malta…seems appropriate.  We pray and praise God!
• Between rains we go for a walk, and David and Vydia come over to our boat, and we later go over to their boat.  [I like our boat…]
• This is one of the days where all 3 meals are prepared and eaten on our boat.
• A Day OF REST.

Day 12 Monday June 4^th   - Chisman Creek photos

· We leave in the rain at 8:10am, and we have left the 3 reefs in the main.  The boat has yellowish-brown stains on the deck at every fitting.  Since we did not have it again, we decide it may have something to do with pollution from the fish processing factory.

· Our original idea is to go to Wind Mill Point but with good winds we arrive there fairly early, around 11:30am, and decide it is too early to quit.  So we call Paul LaPointe, and we decide to go visit Jim Brewer!

· We are having a wonderful sail, talking to Paul a lot on the phone.   He is going to sail up from Ft Monroe and meet up with us…but when he finally gets in our site at the outer markers that lead up to Chisman Creek, about 10 miles out, HE IS ANCHORED!  His motor has quit.  The time is 5pm!  After rafting together, and John going over and looking at his engine, we make a few attempts to try and start his motor…we originally attempt to tow him side-to-side, but that didn’t work at all!  We really grinded away…so, then John made a towing bridle and we towed him bow to our stern.

· Jim Brewer’s home and docks are up the creek, and as we continue to tow, it gets profoundly dark, and we have never been to Jim’s before.  Jim is at the end of his pier with a flashlight, waving for us, and we finally see him.  [At one point, Paul yells:  “Go starboard!  At your Port, there is only 2 ft of water!”  ahhhh, the joys of fancy GPS!]

· We arrive about 9:45 PM at Jim’s dock.  Jim’s Marina can actually accommodate us both since he has three slips!  With marine Electricity and water hookup on the docks!  WOW!  Once we get all tied up we go in and order a pizza!  I swear that is the best tasting pizza we have ever had!

· That day is a record for John and I!  It is the longest day that we have been on the water, and the most miles we have ever done!  Over 13 hours, and over 50 miles!  And we have never towed anyone with our sailboat before! 

· That night it storms very hard, with winds and rain, but we are secure in “Jim’s Marina”!

Day 13 - Tuesday June 5^th

• Jim’s home has a ‘sun-room’ overlooking the water with a million dollar view!  Jim’s pier and docks are marvelous!
• Paul and John work on the motor, and decide that they need filters.  They go over to the Marina that is just 2 houses over, but they do not have the right filters.  Paul orders it as it is to be there by 11am the next day.
• While ‘the guys’ drive around in Jim’s ‘gator’ I read magazines and use Jim’s stationary bike for 25 minutes.  I also go for a walk, and try out Jim’s 3-wheeler bike.
• As soon as Susan comes home we eat out at Olivia’s.  After supper we drive around the old part of Yorktown.  We have a nice tour.
• We do some provisioning and stop at a grocery store.
• It storms again that night!  We are safe once more.

Day 14 – Wednesday June 6^th Photos of sail to Hampton Roads

· Paul replaces the fuel filter and bleeds the line and the engine fires up and runs.  We head out around noon.

· Jim had cooked us a late breakfast.  YUM!

· We sail out for Fort Monroe which is where Paul docks his boat.

· Paul’s motor quits 3 more times but he is able to bleed the line and get it going.

· The winds were light, and we had all the sails shook out, and we also had to motor in the end.  We park in Paul’s slip, and he goes to an empty one.

· Then the long journey begins!  PAUL TAKES US WITH HIS CAR, TO YANKEE POINT MARINA TO PICK UP OUR VEHICLE AND TRAILOR.

· On the way we stop at Echard’s A German restaurant.  We get back to Fort Monroe 12:30 AM

Day 15 - Thursday June 7^th

· We got up early so we could tear down before it got hot.  Paul helped and we were able to strip the sails, lower the mast and get the boat back on the trailer in just over 2 hours.

· We then ate breakfast at Thumpers, a restaurant overlooking the marina.  It had already started to get hot and the AC was welcome.

· We showered and got cleaned up.  Paul checked and the Tall ship parade was not scheduled until Friday.

· We left around eleven to drive up and visit the Jamestown Settlement.  This year marks the 400^th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown by the Virginia Company.

· The exhibit consisted of an indoor museum chronicling the history and life of the time, an outdoor recreation of a small Indian village, a recreation of the stockade, and three full size ships that are modern replicas of the original ships that brought the settlers to Jamestown. 

· The park closed before we had time to visit the archeological site where they  are excavating the original Jamestown site.

· Paul drove back to Hampton and we ate in a Thai Restaurant near the docks.  We then walked over to the harbor to visit Rick Jerkins on his Watkins 36 and to pick up some stainless steel parts Rick had made for Paul’s bimini. From the dock we spied David and Vydia’s Artic Nimble at anchor in the Harbor.  We hollered over to them and they rowed over in their dingy and joined the party.  Rick’s Cindi came over later and we all sat on the dock or boat and swapped lies until about 11.  We slept on our boat in the parking lot of the marina at Fort Monroe.

Day 16 – Friday June 8^th, Norfolk Tall Ships Festival Photos

• We rose about 7 and started making preparations, packing food and getting cameras ready for the day.
• We set sail on Paul’s boat about 9:30 AM  and joined an armada in Hampton Roads of hundreds of vessels including an aircraft carrier waiting the arrival of the tall ships.  The tall ships had set sail about 9 from Little Creek,  the boats were to come in the roads, pass closely by the anchored aircraft carrier and then sail up the river to Portsmouth.  Grandstands and tents had been erected on the flight deck of the carrier for dignitaries to watch the parade from.  Our vantage point was just as good or better from Paul’s boat sailing along slowly parallel with the parade as it passed by.  There were also about 50 sailboats who paid for the privilege to be an honor escort to the tall ships and escorted them alongside as they sailed up the river.
• There were approximately 12 or more large three masted square riggers.  Some were navy training vessels from other countries including France, Brazil, Great Brittan and Uruguay.  Our favorite was the ship from Brazil.  The ships was three masted with 4 yard arms per mast and every yardarm had 3 to 6 men standing on top of them. There were also 6 or more smaller two masted schooners, gaff and some square rigged.
• The parade ended with a US Navy Frigate as the rear guard.   During the parade a submarine cruised by in the opposite direction.  The submarine  was escorted by two inflatable boats keeping other boats away.
• After the end of the parade, Paul followed the boats across Hampton Roads, by the aircraft carrier and up the river past the US Naval Docks.  Before we got to down town Portsmouth where the boats were tied up, the wind died and we got hot and tired so we turned around and headed back to Fort Monroe.
• We headed North toward Richmond in our truck pulling the Y KNOT.  As soon as we were on the road, we called Marion in Richmond and arranged to meet her to return the Chart book and  Chesapeake Bay Cruising guide.  We had a nice supper at O’Charlies with Marion and told her of all of our adventures since the Raft-Up.
• We then carried on another 2.5 hours to Lexington, WV.  There we parked in the back of the Wal Mart and after a walk and some shopping we slept on the boat.

Day 17 Saturday June 9^th

• We left by 7:30 after Cindi walked across the parking lot to a Burger King and brought back two cups of coffee while I dressed.  The drive through the mountains was uneventful and by 4:30 P.M we pulled into the St Mary’s Boat Club driveway.  We first pressure washed the boat to remove salt and grime then moved it to a shady spot in the back parking lot to step the mast.  By 9:30 we had the Y KNOT in her slip and we were heading for a much needed shower.

Day 18 Sunday June 10^th

• We arose early and went to our favorite breakfast place - , then off to early church.  Afterwards we bent on the sails and stripped the boat of all of the cruising gear and food we had not eaten.  Although there was a good wind and we could have sailed, we were anxious to get home so we left about 2:30 and arrive home safe and sound about 4:30 PM to start unpacking and laundry.

Summary

We met and swapped stories with lots of interesting folks, we sailed in some heavy weather and holed up during a tropical storm.  We visited several interesting towns and saw more boats: sail, power, commercial, and military than can be counted.  We also ate a lot of crab and learned a lot about the areas fishing industry.