Final days and winter storage

Our final days in Solomons were spent getting the boat ready for winter storage on land. The engine and generator had to be serviced and all filters changed. General boat clean up and then deciding what to leave and what to take home to Florida with us. By now most of the crab boats have either left or been converted to oyster boats.

To convert, they add the mast and the giant hydraulically operated claws to gather the oysters from the bottom.

Here is the haul from the same boat on 2 different days.

Today the 11th of Oct. we just had to go across the creek to be hauled at Washburns Boat Yard. That morning the wind was blowing pretty good and we had a long fairway to get down to the lift with boats on either side but we made it.

In the slip with the lift.

And we are out!

Off we go after a good pressure wash.









Back in the yard to the the spot she has occupied for the last several years.

The frame for the shrink wrap.

On it goes!

Sealing it with a blow torch.

The final product. It took 1 guy about 4.5 hours to complete. He will keep an eye on it over the winter and fix it as necessary.


Our original plan was to depart the 16th but we finished up early and will leave the 15th. Our plan is to drive northwest to meet the Skyline drive in the Shenandoah Valley and head south on it and the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chattanooga and on to Joe Wheeler park in north western Alabama for the fall rendezvous of the Great Loop Cruisers Association. We will be back at the boat the middle of April 2013.

Oxford

We decided to leave Saturday morning and head back out near the mouth of the Choptank River and up the Trent Avon River to Oxford. 

This is the entrance into the creek that Oxford sits on.







There is only room enough for 2 boats to anchor just outside the channel downtown but the first boat in anchored right in the middle so we had no room. Instead we went back out into the river and anchored on the other side.

After a peaceful night we headed into town the next morning. Again lots of old houses. One place caught our eye was the Cutts & Chase Boat company. Lots of old wooden boats and other things.

Norton

Battery

Indian

We also saw the oldest family owned and operated 2 car ferry in the nation. Lots of bikers and hikers use it to cross the river and you are just 4 miles from St. Michaels.

The weather was supposed to turn bad Monday so we decided to head back to Solomons on Sunday. It was a beautiful trip with 10 kt. winds and almost calm water. This was our last trip for this year. We haul the boat out for winter storage on the 11th. and depart the 16th down the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chattanooga and then to Joe Wheeler Park in northwest Alabama for the Great Loop Associations Fall Rendezvous.  

Cambridge

We left last Thursday the 27th and headed north across the bay to the Choptank River and then up river to Cambridge.

The city dock was full so we went to the Cambridge Yacht Club.

We strolled around town and saw many old but restored homes as well as this old church. The lighthouse sits at the entrance to the harbor

Happy hour was at Snappers and then dinner at Leaky Pete's wine & Oyster Bar. Excellent food!

Pete's is decorated with oars that people paint and bring in.








The next day we went over to JM Clayton Co. which is the oldest working crab processing plant in the world. We wound up with 2 pounds and a few photos.

Sunrise the next morning was incredible!!

September Fun

The past 2 weeks have been filled and a lot of fun. Sunday the 16th we went down to the riverfront boardwalk in Solomons to watch the Offshore Powerboat races. There were several different classes of boats with the fastest going about 150 mph.

Fast one, up to 150 mph!

Slow one, only 80 mph!
















Monday the 17th we drove down to Portsmouth, Va. to attend the MTOA (Marine Trawler Owners Association) rendezvous. Portsmouth is the home of several navy shipyards and is just across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. Monday evening we had dinner with a friend that I flew with in Afghanistan.

Tuesday through Thursday were spent with a wonderful group of trawler owners, about 180 of them. The association's logo is a turtle because our boats for the most part are slow. We attended many seminars, happy hours, wine tasting and the final night the awards banquet. Ann especially enjoyed knot tying and the womens only hands on in the water training where she got to practice maneuvering and docking a trawler. We made many friends and felt very much at home. Collected a bunch of boat cards and received several invitations to visit.

We also did a walking tour escorted by Col. Crawford through the old town section of Portsmouth. He was the original land owner and laid out the city. He was dressed in period attire of the 1600's and spoke with a British accent.

 Wine tasting from a shot glass!

Norfolk side.

Sunday the 23rd we watched the annual water-mans festival in Solomons. These are actual working boats that compete for trophy's and a cash prize. The start point is at the dock and the objective is to pull out of the slip as fast as you can, move 4 slips down and back in while placing 4 lines on 4 poles in the slip. I think the winner was 20.87 seconds. There is individual heat where the boat driver also places the lines and a team heat where a second person places them. It was a fun afternoon watching the great boat handling.

The trophies.

He is on his way down 4 slips.

 Turning to back in.

 Full speed to the rear!

The crowds!