Day 132: May 29, 2023

When people talk about issues with the Great Loop one of the items that comes up is open ocean crossings. A lot of it comes down to picking the optimal weather window. For us we had a great window on the morning of May 29. I will repeat morning as the issue was we knew that the winds would pick up after noon.

The day started beautifully. We got out of the marina around 5 am and saw the first peak of daylight hitting the Atlantic City Coast Guard Station. We also saw dolphins and a nice lighthouse just before 9 am. A seemingly good start to the day.

The trouble started around noon, as predicted. We spent the last two hours of the trip with 25+ knot winds out of the east, which created very large waves off our starboard beam.

I had planned to speed up if the weather started getting bad, except it was too late. The faster we went, the more water over the bow and thus more uncomfortable.

Tonia was pretty much in we’re going to die mode so, yeah, not fun. When we got close to Sandy Hook (the jog to the left on the map above Long Branch) she just wanted to stop and tuck in around the peninsula and anchor. Luckily, the waves “calmed” as we rounded the area, and I was able to convince her to complete the trip as planned to Great Kills Harbor. Thankfully Boris had Saga already hunkered down on a mooring ball and was at the ready in his dinghy to help us secure our mooring ball.

So why did we go? Because we had a perfectly good weather forecast and after that day the weather window would have pushed out over a week. Why didn’t you go faster? We didn’t have enough fuel to run up the coast ahead of the storm. Yes, I could have resolved that by taking on more fuel prior to departure. And in hindsight I probably would have chosen that option. A total cost versus comfort decision and this would have been worth the cost.

Unfortunately, we have no other pictures for the day since we were trying not to die as Tonia puts it.

Day 132 Trip Details (May 29):
Frank S. Farley State Marina, Atlantic City, US to Moonbeam Great Kills Marina, City of New York, US
Time 9 h 33 m (05:00 to 14:33)
Distance: 88.86 nm

Days 127-131: May 24-28, 2023

It was a long day through the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic: 11 hours in total. Phew! The weather window to get up the coast was not promising later in the week so we all decided to do a marathon day, skipping Cape May. We also had heard mixed reports about going inland between Cape May and Atlantic City so another reason we went for the outside run.

Most of the day was comfortable with the waves picking up later in the afternoon when we were approaching Atlantic City and quite ready to be done. The short video below gives a brief idea of the waves when we were approaching Atlantic City and turning in.

The marina was a bit pricey and since we were staying multiple nights, we opted to anchor on the other side of the Absecon Inlet in Brigantine Bay. It’s a huge anchorage though it has one problem. The channel to get to there is shallow and very, very narrow. Luckily a local was going home when we arrived so we had the direct line to follow. A little bit of a pucker-up moment though and Steve wasn’t entirely happy on arrival. Boris and I were walking the dog and watching from the beach when he arrived. He made it through unscathed.

The next day the girls decided to get massages, so we all headed into town to check out the boardwalk. While Tonia and Mayli were getting pampered, us guys had a nice bite to eat and found the local beer hall. Imagine that. HB took me back to Oktoberfest!

After the girls finished up, it was time for happy hour. We were just in time to get in line before Dock’s Oyster House opened and snag some bar stools. It was highly recommended by multiple loopers for their Pommes Soufflé, which is a fancy potato chip. I thought the rest of the food was more delicious, though the Pommes were definitely worth trying.

The next morning Tonia and I kayaked over to the nearby beach for a little stroll. The beac is definitely a happy place for Tonia.

That afternoon it was back to town to check out more of the sites. We walked until we couldn’t walk anymore. Then hopped on the Jitney (Atlantic City’s shuttles) and headed out to the Golden Nugget for an obligatory buffet dinner. The kids loved it of course.

We had to check out Hell’s Kitchen in the Caesar’s Palace Casino. Boris, Mayli, Tonia and I weren’t able to get a table. However, like at Dock’s we were able to get seats at the bar, which turned out to be an amazing experience as the bartender was great to chat with, had excellent drink suggestions, and accommodated our dining requests.

We opted to share the tasting menu and it was a great meal!

For our last day and night in Atlantic City, Tonia and I decided to stay at the marina and take full advantage of the pool access offered at the adjoining hotel. Boris and Mayli joined for a bit (kids opted not to since pools were not heated and they weren’t allowed in hot tubs) and later Steve and Toni, who was joining our trip through NYC, came to hang out with us and have some poolside munchies.

So long Atlantic City!

Day 127 Trip Details (May 24):
Delaware City, US to Brigantine, US
Time 11 h 19 m (05:08 to 16:28)
Distance: 94.17 nm

Day 131 Trip Details (May 28):
Brigantine, US to Frank S. Farley State Marina, Atlantic City, US
Time 0 h 24 m (09:01 to 09:26)
Distance: 1.30 nm

Days 125-126: May 22-23, 2023

The next stop on the trip was Delaware City. The morning voyage took us the remainder of the Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal and brought us to the beginning of Delaware Bay.

The bonus for us is that the freight company that had our inverter called to arrange delivery in Annapolis and we were able to get them to keep it at their warehouse in Baltimore, which would make for a shorter hour and a half drive. Boris and I took an Uber to the airport, grabbed a rental car, and presto – we were back with a brand spanking new inverter.

Delaware City was a cute town. However, we had bad timing. Our visit was on Sunday and Monday. And Delaware City is pretty much a ghost town with nothing open on those days.

Tonia and Mayli walked around the town and found one shop, the Cake Sisters Bakery, that was open with a super friendly baker. They grabbed an assortment of pastries, though it was hard to pick as it all looked quick good, and indeed it was all really tasty! The Barbie cake in the order display case was pretty intricate. A definite recommend if there.

On the morning before the car had to be returned, Tonia and Steve did some provisioning at the local grocery store, which happened to be a Safeway under remodel. Steve thought the “do not stack” packing material made a good hat.

Random town pics…

This super-viny tree caught our attention. Upon closer inspection, the vines were wrapped around a light pole!

On the final night, Tonia and I walked around town to see it lit up. We walked by the old canal and lock that once upon a time had lots of traffic. Love seeing the old ways of commerce.

Day 125 Trip Details (May 22):
Chesapeake Inn Marina, North Chesapeake City, US to Delaware City, US
Time 2 h 11 m (09:04 to 11:15)
Distance: 15.01 nm

Days 123-124: May 20-21, 2023

When we arrived at Chesapeake City, we found the public dock was free, so we jumped at the opportunity versus anchoring for the first night. The water by the dock was a bit shallow yet we were able to squeeze in with Coda rafted up to Saga. We had some helpful assistance from Hyde on the sailboat at the end of the dock; him and his wife June, on their boat Beluga, were heading south towards the Bahamas. Quite the nice couple.

One item on the agenda was to resupply. Boris and I got the bikes out and headed to Walmart. It was a bit of a ride being about 7.5 miles one way with a bunch of hills. Boris was not a fan of the big Chesapeake City Bridge. It was pretty high.

Before heading back, we had a beverage at Mick’s Crab House and that gave us the energy for the return trek. When we arrived back a hot air balloon was flying about and did a touch and go on the water in the cove.

Goofing off around town

We spent some time going around the town area and spent a couple hours at the Chesapeake Inn‘s Tiki Bar for safe arrival beverages.

While the guys were out getting supplies Tonia and Mayli checked out the quaint little downtown area and also headed to the Tap Room Crab House so Mayli could get all you can eat crab (they even let her take some home) and then some delish fruity drinks at the outdoor Rum Bar.

On the final day it was time to go out for a jog down the canal. It was a good time and nice to get moving. We capped off the run with a nice breakfast sandwich at Cafe on the Bay. Next stop is Delaware City so we can drive to get our inverter (fingers crossed).

Day 123 Trip Details (May 20):
Kinnairds Point, US to North Chesapeake City, US
Time 2 h 39 m (08:55 to 11:35)
Distance: 20.57 nm

Day 124 Trip Details (May 21):
North Chesapeake City, US to Chesapeake Inn Marina, North Chesapeake City, US
Time 0 h 12 m (14:28 to 14:41)
Distance: 0.30 nm

Days 121-122: May 18-19, 2023

We continued our back and forth across the Chesapeake with a three-hour trip to Rock Hall for Boris’ birthday. The plan was to stay at Waterman’s Crab House. They have guest moorage that was cheaper if you had dinner at the restaurant. They were in the process of redoing their offerings, and it appears it’s now $2.50 a foot but we got a good deal. The entrance was pretty narrow and the buoys were not exactly correct, though AquaMaps got us in safely.

Boris’ birthday

May 18 marks another year for Captain Boris. Mayli had enough pirate hats for the crew, so we took to the restaurant for a festive evening in our pirate garb.

Rock Hall

The next morning, we had a bit of time before departing so we decided to stretch our legs and wander around. It’s a nice little town. The old guy in the street didn’t appreciate all the touristy stuff going on and said the town was going to the birds. One of his complaints was nothing was open. However, it was only 7:50 in the morning so not sure what he expected. We got a laugh out of it, especially since the grocery store right there was pumping out strong cinnamon bun aromas and the coffee shop a block down was open for business. After a quick coffee and lemon bar at Java Rock Coffee, it was time to head back to the boats and move on north.

Overnight anchorage in Chesapeake Bay

The day’s trip took us to Still Pond Bay, a pretty nice anchorage. The sunset would cap off our adventure in the Chesapeake Bay as the next day’s voyage would start the transition to Delaware Bay via the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal (C&D Canal).

Day 121 Trip Details (May 18):
Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis, US to Sharp Street Pier, Rock Hall, US
Time 3 h 3 m (14:18 to 17:21)
Distance: 17.85 nm

Day 122 Trip Details (May 19):
Sharp Street Pier, Rock Hall, US to Kinnairds Point, US
Time 3 h 6 m (10:25 to 13:32)
Distance: 19.29 nm

Day 120: May 17, 2023

May 17 took us to Annapolis. We weren’t sure if we’d make this stop. However, Victron was ready to ship us a replacement inverter and would be sending it to us in Annapolis. So that made it a definite stop.

On the way to Annapolis there is another screw-pile lighthouse. For only being a few remaining, we’ve nearly seen them all. And we saw this one out in the wild. The others we’ve seen were at museums.

After a quick relax on the boat we decided it was time to check out the town so we walked over. For some reason we only got a few pics for the day though there was a ton of things to see. It was close to commission week for the academy, so we saw many cadets in uniform with family members in tow.

The next day we were sad to find out the inverter shipment was delayed. It was going to be a day or two more and we decided we could rent a car to drive back to Annapolis in a few days to retrieve it once it finally arrives.

Day 120 Trip Details (May 17):
Tricfield, US to Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis, US
Time 4 h 48 m (07:53 to 12:42)
Distance: 33.88 nm

Days 118-119: May 15-16, 2023

The halfway point of our May voyages took us to St. Michaels, Maryland. It was a bit windy and rocky. We opted to go to the San Domingo Creek side of town as it was a much closer. As we got near, the area was more protected and the wind calmed, and it turned into a wonderful day.

Once settled into the anchorage, it was time to check out the town. A short dinghy ride and a quarter mile walk took us to the edge of town. Tonia had scoped out some options and there just so happens to be a distillery and winery (or two) there. Hmmm. Ok, we have to check them out. We started in The Old Mill District with the Lyon Rum & Windon Distilling Company. It’s two distilleries in one. Their labels are Lyon Rums and Gray Wolf Spirits. After their free sampling and picking up a few bottles, the winery was next up. Lo and behold, St. Michaels Winery was right next door. Must stop!

The St. Michaels Winery has a Gollywobbler wine that’s pretty tasty, plus shirts that say “get wobbly” so Tonia splurged. Fun fact: A gollywobbler is a sail used by the old ships. We were the only people in the tasting room and I’m sure the lady thought we were nuts, but it was a great time for us.

What’s next? There was a brewery literally next door, but the group was still in the mood for wine. We walked a few blocks down to the Bordeleau Winery tasting room. Now we’re talking! While the St. Michaels Winery had some nice fruit wines, the Bordeleau had some really nice reds. I liked their Cab Sauv.

After our fill of wine and spirits, it was time to get some dinner. At every stop we asked for recommendations and the two responses were Foxy’s Harbor Grille and Ava’s Pizzeria. We decided Foxy’s and headed that way. And while the random house with a “Happy Hour Starts Now” placard wasn’t hopping, we finally found Foxy’s.

We had eaten so early that we now had time to walk around town a bit. We strolled thru the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and checked out sites. Hey, I see another screw-pile lighthouse. The town was quite pleasant to check out with lots of character.

We made our way back to the dinghy and, go figure, found an ice cream shop on the way.

The next morning Tonia and I got out the kayaks and went up an inlet near the boats.

After that, we popped back into town to meet up with some fellow Loopers at Ava’s.

And, you’ll never guess… more ice cream!

Day 118 Trip Details (May 15):
Harbor Island Marina, Solomons, US to St. Michaels, US
Time 4 h 31 m (09:25 to 13:56)
Distance: 34.52 nm

Day 115-117: May 12-14, 2023

We cruised over to Solomons Island, Maryland, to spend a couple days. The first order of business was to celebrate Steve’s birthday.

The day started with coffee, then a Hawaiin-themed meal at an Italian restaurant, and finally some cocktails at the Tiki Bar.

On the way out to the restaurant we ran into a boat that just dropped anchor. They were getting in their dinghy and quickly exclaimed they just finished their loop! They had just crossed their wake that morning. Pretty cool.

The Italian restaurant we chose was La Vela. And it lived up to the day with great tasting food. They had a crab bisque that I would definitely recommend.

After dinner we were back in the dingy and headed to the Tiki Bar. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and it started getting windy and raining. We did find a nice, sheltered area at a back bar though the management decided it wasn’t busy enough to keep open. The front bar was so windy that we decided to call it a day after a couple drinks.

Walking About

After multiple discussions with the Tiki Bar staff, they said it’s possible to stay on their dock and that nobody cared. Therefore, we decided to spend the last night on the Tiki Bar dock. It gave us the opportunity to get out and walk around the area without the dinghy ride.

Mother’s Day

Mayli wanted to celebrate Mother’s Day at the Sculpture Garden & Arts Center. Her, the kids, and Tonia dinghied to just below it and found they could not get ashore. However, the trip was not a bust as they saw a fever of rays (meaning a large group of them). While the photos cannot really do justice, the sight was pretty amazing.

They decided to pivot and check out the Calvert Marine Museum, which had everything from boat exhibits to fossils to live animals in aquariums and otter rehab. Plus there was the Drum Point Lighthouse, one of four surviving screw-pile lighthouses left in Chesapeake Bay.

While not exactly what Mayli had planned for, it turned out to be a pretty fun stop. Check out the googly-eyed fish!

Tiki Bar

After the outing, Tonia and Mayli went up for a Mother’s Day libation at the Tiki Bar. There they struck up conversation with what turned out to be fellow loopers Darlene & Rusty from Bama Breeze, who we’d all get to know further along our upcoming travels.

Day 115 Trip Details (May 12):
Somers Cove Marina, Crisfield, US to Solomons, US
Time 5 h 47 m (11:14 to 17:01)
Distance: 41.20 nm

Day 117 Trip Details (May 14):
Solomons, US to Harbor Island Marina, Solomons, US
Time 0 h 23 m (09:12 to 09:35)
Distance: 0.77 nm

Day 114: May 11, 2023

We arrived in Crisfield early, right as the Somers Cove Marina staff got in at 8am. We were thankful to get on a nice, sturdy dock and be out of the Tangier wind and waves from the night before.

After everyone was settled in, we went to find some breakfast grub. There were limited options though we did find a greasy-spoon diner called Gordon’s. It reminded us a bit of the hole-in-the-wall diners in Iowa as there were a few tables of older gentlemen patrons having their black coffees and catching up on the day’s gossip, of which we likely became being outsiders. The food was pretty basic though good enough and cheap.

Crisfield was definitely a crab-based town as evidenced by the industry and restaurants we saw. Seemingly the Crab Capital per the signs.

We were able to get a couple walks in to check out the area and found a nice park and pier at the public library.

The last little treat was a slice of Smith Island Baking Co cake. It was famed and though we couldn’t make it to Smith Island itself, the marina offered courtesy slices! Yum!

Day 114 Trip Details (May 11):
Accomack County, US to Somers Cove Marina, Crisfield, US
Time 2 h 37 m (05:41 to 08:19)
Distance: 13.25 nm

Days 111-113: May 8-10, 2023

Deltaville

I’m sure there is lots to do around Deltaville. However, we cruised up, had dinner at the Deltaville Tap, and rode out a thunderstorm. The next morning we rode to the grocery store and West Marine. So a few things and all I have to show for it is one sunset picture.

Tangier Island

The next port of call was Tangier Island. In hindsight we should have got a slip at the marina though being who we are we set out for the anchorage behind the sandspit.

The day was perfect: calm wind and seas. We took the opportunity to dinghy over to the sandspit and walk into town along the beach. It was a nice walk. Tangier Island is touted by many as a place locked in time. They get around the island via golf carts and there are only a few places to eat. We stopped by the local grocery store that looked more like a market at a summer resort. It had the basics yet not a lot of anything.

The Hodak family dinghied around so we were spared the 3-mile walk back to the spit. Steve was trying to have his dinghy steering unfrozen by a local mechanic so was left behind. That was ok. Boris and I had a great time getting him and exploring the island creeks on the way back. We had one low bridge that had just enough clearance to pass under with all of us ducking down.

Then there was the night. As the sun set and we were ready for bed the wind changed and the waves started coming in. We were rocked around throughout the night and most of us were up and about adjusting lines and fenders in the wee hours. As soon as it was light enough to move and avoid the hundreds of crab traps, we were off to Crisfield. We pulled into the marina at 8 am just as the staff arrived.

Up and moving before the sun, so got some sunrise pics for once…

Day 111 Trip Details (May 08):
York County, US to Middlesex County, US
Time 4 h 29 m (13:59 to 18:29)
Distance: 32.97 nm

Day 113 Trip Details (May 10):
Middlesex County, US to Accomack County, US
Time 3 h 40 m (08:22 to 12:03)
Distance: 25.64 nm