Days 64 - Too Much Excitement

Current Position: 39° 19' 46" N 76° 7' 22" W

We pulled up anchor on Friday morning at 7:30 and headed north.  Another fairly calm day on the Bay! Would you like a nice cottage on the beach? 

There are so many along here but I’m not sure if any were for sale.  I’m sure an easy 1 or 2 million would secure one for you!  St. Michael’s area is very sought after.

We had quite an exciting day.

1    1.  We had to go through a draw bridge that opens on the hour and half hour.  We arrived at 9:15 and checked in with the bridge tender and were assured that he would open at 9:30. The current was quite strong there so Bob got a lot of practice maneuvering the boat so it would hold steady.  Right at 9:30 we heard the alarm go off signaling the closing of the bridge to traffic. Bob lined up the boat ready to go through when we saw the bridge start to open and a white SUV cross the opening!  The SUV made it across but both he and bridge stopped after he crossed.  The bridge tender radioed us that the police had requested he not raise or lower the bridge until the police had arrived on scene.  45 minutes later we were finally through!  Cars can easily shut off their motors to wait or go another direction (as the cars on the bridge did).  Boats have a “road” that is constantly moving under them while they are in a “holding” pattern. We don’t know if the driver wasn’t paying attention or thought he could make it across, but he sure created a snafu for many people.

This is the jetty protecting the canal from shoaling because of the strong current in the area.

This is our chart plotter.  Our course is marked.  The numbers around us tell us the depth of the water (in feet) around us. We must follow the channel closely or risk running aground.  The current could easily push us out of the channel so Bob is getting very good at keeping the boat in a holding pattern while we wait for the bridge to open.

Here is the bridge after the SUV on the right drove over the opening.  

2    2:  Our port engine has been running a little warm lately and today it ran warmer still.  Bob shifted it into low gear so the coolant would still run through it but give it a rest.  I went downstairs to fix lunch and saw that the gauge at the lower helm is reading normal temp for that engine!  Must be a fault in the gauge.  Whew!!!

3    3.    We were motoring along and the water got a bit choppier but still comfortable when Bob suddenly swerved the boat and then I heard a “bump” and then another “bump”. We hit a floating log!  One bit was just visible above the water line, while most of it was totally submerged.  We monitored all the boat functions very carefully for an hour to be sure there was no damage done. (Like a bent propeller).  Another Whew!!!!

4    4.  We are anchored in a, we thought, quiet, protected anchorage.  It was another HOT day – close to 90 - so we had all the doors and windows open.  Suddenly the sun disappeared behind a cloud, the wind kicked up waves all around us and for the first time – our anchor dragged (slipped)!  Blessedly we have lots of swing room and Bob let out some more anchor chain (the weight of the chain itself helps keep the chain flat on the bottom which helps the anchor dig in) and it dug in again.  The wind gusts disappeared as fast as they came, only to be followed by thunder and then heavy rains.  This lasted less than 30 min. and now we have this:  the calm AFTER the storm J

We are looking forward to a quieter night although there are supposed to be a few more thunderstorms.  Hopefully WITHOUT the wind!

Update – comfortable night – 2 more thunderstorms came through with some wind but the anchor held nicely.

Anchored in Still Pond off the Chesapeake.