Once again, we were planning to leave our little haven at Gloucester Point. We were hauling out next Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. So we needed a little time on the water before going out on the hard for several weeks.
We made ready by gathering the provisions we needed and preparing a few meals in case the first day out took longer than anticipated. I made spaghetti sauce and pie for dinner and hard boiled some eggs to make egg salad for lunch. Ben completed an engine check and we filled up with water. We also had to repack the forward crew berths where we store tools and recreational items. In addition, Ben had to put away the clothes he used last week when he went to Biloxi, MS to assist with an audio-visual project. It was an unforeseen trip, but it gave us a little spending money for which we were grateful as the haul out project would probably cost more than expected. This always seemed to be the case when dealing with boats.
After stowing things in the forward berths, in the cockpit, saloon and down below, we believed we were ready for departure in the morning. Ben would grab some ice before take off. Then we would cast off the many lines we had used in our slip for the non-floating dock.
We went on a “data night” with our good friends Don and Shelley Clements. We drove into Williamsburg and had some scrumptious seafood at the Whaling Company. Of course, there was a lot of laughter, and everyone enjoyed what might be our last get together for a while. Who knew where we would meet up again? While I will miss them terribly, I secretly hoped we wouldn’t see them again at YRYH for repairs any time soon! I definitely would rather see them out on the water somewhere.
Our new friend Robert who owns SV Journey, another Catana, was planning to buddy boat with us for part of our adventure this weekend. We made plans with him to shove off about 10:00 in the morning after he came in for fuel and water.
Friday, Aug. 6, 2021
We awoke early as we were a little excited about casting off again. While we loved Gloucester Point and Yorktown, there was so much bay to explore. It was time to bite off a little of it while we could.
When Robert finished fueling, we set out into York River and left this wonderful area behind.
As we entered York River, we were greeted by a pod of dolphins dancing around the boat.
The wind was very light and blowing almost straight in front of us. We raised the main just in case it cycled some and we could get a boost from the wind. This would help once we got into the bay if the ebb was against us as we anticipated.
About the time we negotiated our way into the bay, Robert hailed us and indicated he was having some difficulty motoring. Using two engines, he only was making 4 knots. He believed that maybe he had snagged something on his prop. Thus, he decided to head to Mobjack Bay instead of going the distance with us. There he would swim on the boat to determine if there was a problem. We were sorry to see him go but believed we would see him early next week when we returned to Mobjack for the haul out.
We set course for just east of Wolf Trap Light to keep us out of the shallows and the fish traps. The wind was now coming out of the north which was not what was forecasted, and the ebb current was against us as we suspected. So we puttered along at about 4.5-5 knots until we finally passed Wolf Trap where we could alter course.
Once we left Wolf Trap behind, we picked up enough breeze to pull the screecher. We were glad that we were now making about 6.5 knots as this would allow us to reach Deltaville in good light and before dinner time.
The motor sail was quite pleasant and we both relaxed and enjoyed the scenery.
The bay was lined with trees and beaches. It was hard to believe that it was extremely shallow for about 10 miles offshore. Chesapeake Bay reminds me a little of Galveston Bay in that the water was muddy, brown, and very shallow.
As we arrived at the Piankatank River about 4:30, we furled the screecher and dropped the main.
Finally, the current was with us which assisted our travel into the mouth of the river where we veered into Jackson Creek, Deltaville, VA. It was a U-shaped channel into the creek as there was a very large shoal on the port side. However, if you followed the markers, the water remained around 10 feet deep. We took the left fork of the creek and found a beautiful, protected anchorage right in front of a majestic colonial house.
Of course, our generator wouldn’t stay running which made us very grateful for our solar panels. Luckily, the weather temperature was mild, so we didn’t need AC tonight. I cooked spaghetti in the microwave using one of my favorite galley gadgets: Fasta Pasta which I ordered from Amazon. In fact I wished I had had this gadget at my land home–no more watching for the water to boil or steam in the kitchen. It makes perfect pasta every time.
Then I heated the pasta sauce on the stove and bread in the propane oven. It was nice to have propane options when electrical power was in short supply.
After dinner, we sat outside enjoying the cool breezes and watching the birds. The ospreys’ chirps were quite loud across the water from their treetop perches.
The sunset over the nearby marina was spectacular and the houses looked like something from Thomas Kincade paintings.
Evening fades to Night….
Sat., Aug.7, 2021
Today was a cloudy, dreary day as expected, but we are still super happy to be off the dock and at anchor in this lovely spot. We took care of some paperwork and I spent time working on the blog while we listened to the gentle rain and hoped the worst of the storms would miss us. It was a nice day for relaxing and making plans for where we would go next. We had planned to stay here another day, but tomorrow the wind would be from the north again. So it might be prudent to head back to Mobjack Bay with favorable winds and enjoy some of the tributaries there. Onward!
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