Baltimore, MD - Master "Plan B"

Greetings family and friends - I type this from Baltimore, MD - we arrived here on Thursday and we have moved to "Plan B." 

I'll start from Wednesday night.  In looking at the weather forecast, Paul figured out pretty quickly that there was no way we would make it to Rhode Island by the middle of next week.  The trip from here requires clear weather, as a majority of if is along the Jersey coast - and if the weather isn't cooperating - it's a really tough trip.

So - we made the call Thursday morning to trek to Baltimore (about 70 miles) from Solomon's Island and keep the boat here for a month.  We rented a slip at this great marina right in the Inner Harbor in the heart of Baltimore - walking distance to grocery stores, great restaurants, great neighborhoods, etc.  Our trip on Thursday was beautiful - not a cloud in the sky and we had a easy and beautiful cruise up the Chesapeake - a far cry from earlier this week! 

The AIS info on our chart plotter.  You can click on any boat on the radar and find out the details - pretty cool.

There were at least 12 huge tanker ships waiting just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge for their call into Baltimore Harbor to either unload or load their cargo.

A tug pulling a barge goes by . . .

A typical site in the Chesapeake

The tug and barge head for going under the Chesapeake Bay bridge

We passed this old fort heading into Baltimore Harbor

Downtown Baltimore

Baltimore is a very active port - lots of commercial activity.

Another perspective of this active commercial hub.

I will fly to Providence tomorrow (Sunday) and work all week from our apartment and then I fly to Seattle, WA next Saturday.  I plan to visit my 92-year-old Aunt Charlotte and my cousins who live in Salem, OR (about 3 hours south of Seattle) and spend Easter with them.  Then I have a one-day Clinic in Tacoma on Saturday April 30th, so will drive back to Tacoma on Monday (after Easter) and work all week there leading up to the clinic.

Paul will fly to West Palm Beach on Monday and pick up the van and drive it back.  Our dear friend "Florida" Jack was able to get us parking at his apartment complex - so Paul will fly down on Monday, stay with Jack Monday night, and head north first thing Tuesday.  He will drive to Baltimore, stop here for a few days and do some work on the boat, then head back to Rhode Island and spend Easter with his Mom and brothers on the Cape.  He will fly to Tacoma on Wednesday (April 27) - then we both fly back together late Sunday (May 1st) after the clinic.

Are you keeping up with all of this?  :-) 

Once we get back after the clinic, Paul will head back to Baltimore with someone (still figuring this out) and will bring the boat back to Rhode Island.  I can't join him because I have a big event on May 10th, so our hope is to have Master Plan back to East Greenwich by mid-May.  Obviously, the weather forecast will impact this plan - so we'll see.

Meanwhile, we love Baltimore and we love this marina.  We met up with some wonderful friends last night and will see a few others today.  Below are some photos taken from Master Plan's bow on Thursday evening.

So - we're "busy living" and life is good.  We'll definitely keep you posted as we forge ahead with our Plan B.  Thanks so much for following along!

Lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.  - John Lennon

Solomon's Island, MD

Greetings from Master Plan - it has been a few days since our last post so we'll fill you in on our adventure . . .

We left Great Bridge, VA on Monday morning - the forecast was a little gloomy, so our goal was to get to Norfolk (12 miles) and hunker down.  The 12 miles we cruised included 3 bridges and a lock - so it took almost 2 1/2 hours as everything had to be timed.  We caught the 10am opening at Great Bridge and then tied up in Portsmouth, VA (right across the river from Norfolk) at about 12:30 p.m. 

The "Great Bridge" - we docked Sunday night in view of this bridge.

Right after Great Bridge, we went into the Great Bridge lock - we lowered about 3 feet before we continued on our way.

So Monday was basically me working away at the dock - and Paul and I did have a nice walk around historic Portsmouth, VA - an interesting place!  

On Tuesday morning, we untied at 6:50 AM and headed toward the Chesapeake Bay . . .

Sunrise over Norfolk from Master Plan's stern

Big ship coming into Norfolk

From the Captain's perch - the large ship passing by.

We headed up the Chesapeake without incident until about 2:30 p.m. - we were making good time and all was smooth . . .  then a storm blew across and after that, the seas kicked up and it became a bit "snotty" as they say.

We could see the storm North of us blowing across.

The purple on the radar is the pouring rain north of us - in the middle of the picture is a black dot - which represents Master Plan - we did get some rain, but we missed most of the hard stuff.  What really affected us were the rougher seas caused after the storm blew through . . .

In the distance is a large ship heading into the weather . . .

So - our tiny ship was a little tossed around, but fortunately, we were heading into it, so it was rough, but not too crazy.  Our plan had been to stop at Solomon's Island - but in order to do that, we would have had to turn the boat and then be in a beam sea (which basically means rocking side to side - not good) - so we looked at the charts and started heading Northeast into the wind and made a plan to get into a protected place.  We found the Hunga River - near Hoopersville, MD (near Salisbury - quite remote) - and found a place pretty much surrounded by land where we could anchor and be protected.  By 6:30pm, we were anchored in much calmer seas and were pretty wiped out.  It felt good to not be rocked around and be relatively stable.  All good - we cooked dinner, watched TV, and went to bed.

This morning, we saw a weather window and picked up the anchor (which was quite settled into some thick clay) and headed across the Chesapeake to our original destination - Solomon's Island.  What a different day - the seas were quite calm - but we knew we had to use our time wisely, as a small craft advisory was in affect as of 1pm.  So - off we went and we pulled into the marina at about 10:30 AM and settled in here.  The marina is fantastic - great facilities, great wifi (good for RLC Events) and the people here were super friendly.  Just what we needed!  I spent most of the day at the computer and on the phone, and Paul hit West Marine and the grocery store.  He also enjoyed a much deserved nap after yesterday  . . .

Tonight - we enjoyed a beautiful sunset and had a wonderful dinner at the marina restaurant.  We would definitely come back here - a great spot.

Sunset on Solomon's Island from Master Plan's Bow

A mallard duck works his way across the channel - beautiful.

Another shot of sunset - so pretty . . .

The weather looks good for tomorrow, so we'll head out in the morning and take it from there - as always, we promise to keep you posted!

Cheers from Master Plan - with love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

What the heart gives away is never gone.  It is kept in the hearts of others.  -Robin St. John

Great Bridge, VA - Mile 12.2

Ahoy from Master Plan!  We made it to Virginia today - one more state closer to the great state of Rhode Island!  It was beautiful today and we chartered new territory on the ICW as we took the Virginia Cut, which we had not taken on the way down . . .  and we really enjoyed it.  We pulled up the anchor just south of the Alligator River at about 7:40 a.m. this morning and started working our way North.  The sun was shining and it was a lovely day.  We saw another tug and barge today in Coinjock, NC - but it was a really LONG barge - it was actually two barges tied together . . . 

Captain Paul at the helm - you can see the barge coming by us.

If you look in the middle, you can see it is two barges tied together.

And there it goes by - pretty cool.

We also saw a lot of wildlife today -

An Osprey watches over its nest on a channel marker.  There were Osprey nests on almost every marker.  As Paul says, "don't let anyone tell you that Osprey are endangered . . ."  We saw several today!

A turtle suns itself on a log along the river.

We also saw something on the ICW that I had never seen before along the ICW - a water skier!  He had a wet suit on and was really good - jumping waves and cranking along . . .

I was at the helm and snapped this shot quickly . . . 

We also went "by" several bridges today.  Using the word "by" means that we had to ask for several to be opened.  Some bridges open on demand, but many open on the hour and the half hour only; some only open on the hour - so you need to be strategic when you're timing out the bridges.

North Landing Bridge - we caught the 4pm Opening - it was actually two pieces of bridge that swing open.

Looking back at the open bridge - two sailboats were behind us.  We actually approached the bridge last and the two sailboats were waiting, but since we move faster than they do, there was a very cordial radio exchange among all of us and they let us get up in front, as to pass them would have been inevitable once we went through the bridge. 

Centerville Turnpike Bridge - this bridge opens on the hour and half hour during the week, but since it was a Sunday, it opened on demand.  This was another swing bridge.

Looking back - and always a nice radio exchange - "Thanks for the opening!"

We arrived to the marina - Atlantic Yacht Basin - at about 5pm after traveling 90 miles.  It was LOVELY - nice warm sun and a light breeze.  We "fed the bitch," we pumped her out, and settled into our slip.  Paul changed the oil for the generator, I did some laundry, and we both took showers - very productive!  We're now going to walk to the grocery store and get a few things, then it's back to the boat to cook some dinner and relax.  

Another beautiful sunset over the Great Bridge taken from Master Plan's stern.  I just love the lighting at this time of day - especially on the water - it never gets old.

The weather tomorrow is looking rather crappy.  Because of that, our plan is to have a very short day - we have three bridges and a lock we have to get to in the next 6 miles - then we'll head to Mile 0 - Norfolk, VA - grab a slip there, and wait out the weather.  Then we will "mad dog" it up the Chesapeake and go as far as we can as fast as we can.  We'll keep you posted!!

Thanks for following along and for your support and friendship - lots of love from MP - Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

Love is the river of life in the world. - Henry Ward Beecher

Alligator River - Mile 102

Good evening from the Alligator River!  We are about 102 miles south of Norfolk, VA and are settled into a nice anchorage area with a few other sailboats.  The generator is running - we just had a nice dinner - and have settled down to watch some TV and relax.

It has been a good day on Master Plan - we left Oriental at about 8:30 AM and traveled about 80 miles and arrived here at about 5:00 PM.  We saw lots of tugs/barges today - very interesting looking  ones too.  When we were cruising through the Pungo Alligator River Canal (20 straight miles), one was off to the side - we're not sure if they were resting or broken down - hard to tell.

This was an interesting looking barge - there was a sign on it - PHC Phosphate Company

This is the tug/barge was pulled over and not moving. . .

We're  back in the coffee-colored water - check out these two pictures I took off of our stern:

I took this at about 1PM - you can start to see the brownish color . . .

This one taken a few hours later - amazing the difference . . .

Cruising along the Pungo Alligator Canal - a straight shot for 20 miles . . . 

Mile Marker 105, combined with an ICW Channel Marker - our anchorage is about 3 miles north of this point.

One thing we noticed is that the ICW Mile Markers are more prevalent - there really aren't many (or any) to speak of in the southern part of the ICW.

So - tomorrow - our plan is to be in Virginia.  As many of our loyal readers know, we went through the Dismal Swamp on the way down - for this trek, we will take the other option going through Coinjock called the Virginia Cut.  It will be nice to see a different part of the ICW.  It's funny how much of each part of the ICW we recall as we head North.  There are so many wonderful parts and areas of this great waterway and how blessed we are to enjoy it - an incredible experience.

So - we'll keep you posted - sending lots of love from Master Plan - Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

"We all have the power to give away love, to love other people. And if we do so, we change the kind of person we are, and we change the kind of world we live in."

 --Rabbi Harold Kushner

Oriental, NC - Mile 181

Greetings from Master Plan - we are in Oriental, NC after travelling 103 miles today.  It was a smooth and easy day for the most part, and we are two days away from the end of the ICW.  We waited for a few bridges, and saw a lot of interesting sites along the way . . .


This beautiful wooden boat went by us this morning prior to our leaving the dock - what a cool boat!



A surfer also paddles by as the sun rises - I love the way the sun is hitting his surfboard . . .



A large barge passes by being pushed by a tug.

Now you can see the tug!

 

We passed Camp Lejeune - some helicopters in the distance doing exercises. 



Luckily, the lights were NOT flashing!



Some "props" for training.   Camp Lejeune probably is along at least 15 miles of the ICW - it's huge.

 So - we'll head out tomorrow with our goal for another 100 miles to the Alligator River - so, as always, we'll keep you posted!

Love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.

-Benjamin E. Mays

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Greetings from Master Plan - it's a lovely evening here in Wrightsville Beach - today we crossed into North Carolina - one state closer to our Rhode Island destination! 

We left Charleston yesterday morning - it was a beautiful sunny day (a significant change to the morning before!) and we traveled 96 miles to just south of Myrtle Beach to one of our favorite little marinas - Osprey Marina.  It's in a remote area, but close to Myrtle Beach - it's a sweet little place and the people are very friendly.  Paul cleaned the boat, I did some laundry, and we made some dinner.  The reason for not posting to the blog last night is we had a great wifi connection at the marina until it got dark - so my theory is that their wifi is afraid of the dark, because sure enough, this morning the wifi was fine again!  Go figure!

From Master Plan's Bow at Charleston Maritime Center - Sunset and the lighting was lovely.

Same vantage point, but sunrise yesterday morning just before we pulled up the lines.  We really just love Charleston!

Leaving Osprey Marina this morning - it's off a very bucolic part of the ICW.  When we arrived yesterday, we noticed this alley was much wider than when we were here in November - the dock hand told us that all they did was trim the shrubs along the side and it added about 10' to each side!  What a difference!

Coming out of Osprey Marina and taking a right turn North on the ICW - beautiful!

So we are now at Mile 284 - we traveled 89 miles today.  To give you perspective, Stuart is at Mile 985 - so we've gone just over 700 miles since last Wednesday morning - stopping two days due to weather.  We're averaging about 100 miles each travel day.  The hold days have been good for Paul so he can get some rest - it's tiring driving the boat all day.  He's up top on the fly bridge, and I'm down below at my post pumping out the work for RLC Events - I am really blessed - I am really busy with great clients - looks like another great year thankfully.

Today we passed a huge military area (sorry the name currently escapes me) - about 20 miles south of here - this is where all of the US military's artillery and equipment gets shipped out to all over the world, and in particular the Middle East.  Obviously, you can't get too close, but you can see this ship is being loaded up with lots of stuff. 

My sweet captain on the Cape Fear River today - as you can see it's a very wide open area of the ICW - a big change from the narrow channels . . .

Tug and barge coming down the Cape Fear River - pretty cool.

Our slip for tonight - this is a really nice marina - everything is very clean and they even gave us a courtesy car to use! 

So - we're heading out to grab a bite to eat - a nice Mexican restaurant is close by and was recommended.  We use a web-site frequently - Active Captain - it details a lot of marinas and anchorages with lots of great reviews that you can tap into along the way.  One the reviews mentioned the restaurant, so we're going to check it out.  We just actually met the owners/creators of Active Captain - they were a few slips down from us in Charleston - GREAT people and their web-site is fantastic; it has been an invaluable resource for us!

Well - the sun is setting - so it's time to bid you all farewell for the moment - we promise to keep you posted!  Our plan is to be at the beginning (or end) of the ICW - Norfolk, VA - by end of day Sunday.  Then, it's up to the weather forecast what our next steps will be.  

I took this picture 4 minutes ago - it was so beautiful, I had to share . . . from MP's bow.

Take care - thanks for following along - sending lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

You are here for a purpose. There is not a duplicate of you in the whole wide world; there never has been, there never will be. You were brought here now to fill a certain need. Take time to consider what it might be.

-Lou Austin