"August 20, 2000 - North of Annapolis" Pasadena Travelogue by grandmaR

Bay Bridge in the distance

As we come out into the Bay, the wind is now 19 knots with a 1 to 2 foot chop. NOAA is still forecasting 10 knots and calm seas even as they are reporting 19 knots at Thomas Point.

Our boat lists to starboard about 2-4". Even after Bob put 300 lbs of extra batteries (which he hasn't had a chance to hook up yet) in the port locker to balance the starboard ones, it still lists. I figure it must be the food and ice in the frig (we have two deep refrigerator boxes and one freezer) that is responsible. Can't think of anything else it would be.

Sailboat and Barge

At home, we take old 2 litre soda bottles and heavy plastic juice bottles, fill them with water and freeze them in the deep freeze. Periodically we take some out of the freezer and allow them to melt a little in the frig. That gives us ice water, and helps keep the boxes cold in between times we run the engine compressor. Don't do this with milk jugs or those thin white plastic water bottles. They are not tough enough to take reuse and will spring leaks.

Bob shut down the wind vane so the (2) solar panels could work. In direct sun, they can put out 7 amps. Now, not in direct sun with the US flag on the stern shading them somewhat, they are still doing 3 amps.

Center span of the bridge

We approach the Bay bridge about 11:15. I am taking pictures because I want to do a triptych of the bridge on the screens of the back 3 opening ports

Bridge from inside the bimini

We went under the bridge at noon. Bob and I had an argument over the clearance just outside of the main span. He was afraid we would hit the top of the mast, and I said we'd have plenty of room. He was at the wheel, so we went under the main span.

Bob had more fried chicken for lunch and I had lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

The autopilot will sometimes work and sometimes not. It seems to work harder than it needs to in the chop.

Sandy Point Light

I called David's house from north of the bridge. Dave had told Bob that Kay was having a foot operation the previous week. It was at this point that I discovered that he had not even *mentioned* to Kay that we were coming. She was still on crutches and in considerable pain. Also she had volunteered (with her mother who is in her 80's) to babysit her two grandchildren - an active 5 year old and a 4 month old infant, and the parents had come to pick them up, plus her other daughter Karen and husband were visiting.

So she was frazzled, and I was upset. Didn't know anything else to do but go to their house anyway, but Kay would obviously be unable to come out on the boat tomorrow.

Even if she could get on, she couldn't get below to use the head..

Baltimore Light

We went by Baltimore Light at 1:00pm.

Reached their house at 3pm after 23 miles (7.5 hours of motoring). Kay was asleep and all the relatives had gone home.

This time we tied up on the side of the pier and were only sticking out into the creek a little bit.. (Last time we were T'd on the end because we tried to go in on the other side and it was too narrow.)

Bob lost his only pair of reading glasses overboard when he tied up. It is very skinny water here - we are aground at low tide. We cooked dinner on the boat (steaks on the grill) and brought it in for Kay and David. I brought my computer in and used their phone to download e-mail to the computer, and change my pocketmail mailbox.

We looked at their digital photos of Greece and Turkey, and I showed them how to delete photos they didn't want to keep.

Had intended to do a wash here, but they are having difficulty with their water, so decided not to impose any more.

Seven Foot Knoll Light in Baltimore

A nice sunny day but with little wind. We didn't leave very early today. Just lazed around in the morning. My computer seems to be working OK again. Dave didn't want to go sailing and leave Kay alone. I offered to stay back with her, but he declined. I had a nice visit with the lady next door.

Dave told us that her husband (the next door neighbor) works on marine electronics and Autohelm confirmed that he was an authorized repair person, but we need parts, so we'll have to send the unit back. Dave also drove Bob to get another pair of reading glasses.

We pushed off late - helped by Dave - and we started the engine driven refrigeration right away.

I managed to figure out the correct heading to take in order to have the least amount of crab pots coming out toward 7 Foot Knoll. Both Bob and David resent the fact that the lighthouse there has been moved into the Baltimore harbor.

Next: Baltimore