Graham & Joy leaving Hampton VA
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Thought you may be wondering where we are. You’ll be pleased to hear we are both well, though loosing our suntan fast in the cooler temperatures of autumn. This morning the temperature in the boat was 7c, it will probably get to 19c by mid-day. Sunny, dry but cold. The weather radio talks about the wind chill factor. (I remember something on those lines from home) Graham has decided to grow a beard he says it is to keep warm, but I think he has a secret ambition to get a job in Debenhams for Christmas. (Santa Clause Hughes)

We have now had a taste of three seasons in the states. Arriving in the Spring, which we really enjoyed after the changeless seasons of the Caribbean. Followed by the hot Summer when we experienced temperatures of 38c in New York and now the falling leaves of Autumn, very pretty. COLD!

Here in Hampton Virginia at the entrance of the Chesapeake, we are waiting with other boats to go south. Mainly Canadians all waiting for that weather window. This weekend it was gales out at sea, we are not in a hurry. We plan to get down to Puerto Rico, leave the boat and fly home for Christmas mid December.

We have done some miles this season in Chesapeake Bay, anchoring and dragging in the soft mud, up and down the numerous rivers and creeks. We went through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, on to the Delaware River to the Atlantic coast, from where we went north to New York and then retraced our steps back. A total distance of   1219 miles

We have stopped in cities and small picturesque towns. One of my favourites was Chesapeake City on the C&D canal. A historical town half way along the canal dating back to the 1800s. It became a hub of activity and a thriving port when the canal project joining the Chesapeake to the Delaware River began in 1824. Now a small tourist town full of history its houses restored to Craft shops and Cafes.

We have been quite pleased as to the cost of sailing and berthing in the US. As a rule you pay round $80 - £45 per night, $120 - £67 per night at the weekend. Generally we use anchorage which are free and just pay for the facilities of the marina. Showers, Laundry etc. But when we got to Atlantic City the weather wasn’t good and we decided to go into a marina berth. The cost here was $120 per night and $160 - £89 per night over the weekend. We were there over the weekend. The Donald Trump Casino Marina, a swish marina with a huge casino behind it, entertainment, bars and restaurants. But I still think too expensive. We called in on our way back, used the anchorage this time and had no scruples about using the facilities, as we had the codes. Free!

We had a bereavement our Duo-Gen died, however it has worked very well charging our batteries on anchor and was a god send when the alternator broke down on our return passage through the Delaware River. We managed to get to a marina and go on shore power whilst we got it repaired. We shall bring the generator home with us this Christmas for a major heart surgery.

We returned to Annapolis for the US Boat Show at the beginning of October. As the exchange rate is good we decided to have a spending spree. Graham splashed out on a few items including a new anchor and lots of rope (we haven’t dragged since) plus new batteries. I got a heavy duty sewing machine. Heavy being the operative word, its enough to give a person a hernia lifting it up on to the saloon table to allow me sew. Graham has ideas of replacing the canvas on the boat and re-building sails. I’ve told him I shall teach him to sew. Projects I had in mind were bags and gift items. So far to date I have made a bicycle bag for my bike and a tote bag.

We have had our moments as usual. I got quite good at Crabbing with my crab pot. I would get a couple of crabs every time I put it down. However I was quite shown up when a couple of liveaboards anchored by us caught 15 in an afternoon with only a piece of string with a chicken neck attached to it. The old man gave us a lesson on crabbing. A main problem we found we had was as the crabs grew bigger through the season; my pan was just not big enough. Graham found himself fighting to get the crab into the pot whilst it clung to any available site. The pan handle, side of the pan and the tongs. They even managed to avoid the pot and land on the cabin floor, can they move. By the time they had been cooked and the meat picked out of the shell, I found I wasn’t hungry.

Graham had his moment with a supermarket trolley that refused to leave the supermarket perimeter. This was in Baltimore at a Safeway’s supermarket. We got our groceries and as it was raining wheeled the trolley over to the entrance of the carpark intending to take it across the road to our dinghy on the dockside. As we reached the the perimeter of the car park the trolley stopped and the wheels locked. Think! Bad trolley, get another, transfer food, try again. The second trolley wasn’t for going either. We noticed a yellow line across the road so not to be beaten Graham went for trolley number three. We again transferred the food and this time Graham decided he would go over the grass bye-passing the entrance. Guess what. The wheels locked, the trolley was going nowhere. We gave up and carried the groceries across the road. On a later visit we saw they were new signs informing customers of their new anti-theft system. Unknown to us the trolley had been fitted with some type of electronic devise which disabled a wheel so it couldn’t be removed from the car park Do you have this type of trolley at home now?

Well I think that is all for now. Just to say the American people we have met on our travels this year have been very friendly and helpful. We have made many friends among the boating comunity. They are very honest, trusting and open. Graham and I have been surprised to see dinghies at a dinghy dock not locked and life jackets left loose in the boat. Motor bikes parked in town with a helmet sat on the seat. Maybe we chose a nice part of the states.

See you all at Christmas

Joy

At present waiting for a weather window to take us down to Puerto Rico and the warmer temperatures of the Caribbean.

Graham & Joy

We have now sailed 260 miles. Sailing 237 degrees south south west. Peter has stated this will keep us in good steady winds. Average 20knots.