Where is Magnolia Chart??

It’s 7:30 the engine is idling the only problem, okay that might be too strong, is there is a bit of fog. We usually have coffee and a bite to eat after we get underway but today we will sit tight for a bit. It has been a busy week this far and have we have really enjoyed the anchorage here across from St Mary’s College.

Magnolia has been sailing in the company of S/V Second Sally (Greg & Marie Rodgers) this week which has been great fun.  We all went ashore yesterday toured the grounds and enjoyed lunch in the Student Commons at St May’s College. We had a nice walk around the campus. I did not know it but St Mary’s was the first Capitol of Maryland. In 1934 the State reconstructed the original statehouse and some of the surrounding grounds as a historic attraction. It is quite nice and on being on this beautiful river only adds to it!

 

The one thing Annette and I are still getting our arms around is…when we go ashore and look out to the anchorage and see Magnolia out there, we simply have to shake our heads and ask how lucky can we be?

 Sadly Magnolia and Second Sally will part ways today as Annette and I start our trek back north and Greg & Mare head south eventually back to the Bahamas. We are going to charter a boat in the Bahamas this winter so hopefully we will at least catch up there.

Assuming we can safely get underway this morning we will make a 40 mile back up to Solomon’s and anchor there is a beautiful cove we found while taking the dinghy around there earlier this week. The weatherman is calling for winds out of the south and that anchorage will provide us good coverage for that as well.

Magnolia and crew had a very pleasant “motor” (no wind) in the company of S/V Second Sally down from Galesville. Departing Galesville in simply beautiful fall weather there nothing of note with the exception of two A-10 Warthog aircraft deciding we look interesting to over fly and the mouth of the Little Choptank where the the fishing boats were lined up close enough there was no need to build a bridge! Just hop one to another! We will be heading on to Solomon Islands on the Patuxent tomorrow.

Route Map                          Pictures

Starting Saturday Annette and I start our year end big sailing trip for the season and boy are we ready to go!

Our friends Greg & Marie Rodgers dropped anchor last night in the Weems Creek off the Severn River in Annapolis MD. They arrived in from a late summer trip to Maine to pick Blueberries followed by a stop in Connecticut to purchase anchor chain. I only partially jest!. Friday all 4 of us will be working at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in the Seven Sea Cruising Association booth. Saturday morning Annette & I will get Magnolia underway and rendezvous Second Sally (Greg & Marie) somewhere down the bay for dinner. We will continue south into next week where Second Sally will continue her journey south and Annette & I will return to Washington….hopefully only for a couple more years! We will be posting regularly through the weekend and into next week so follow along if you care too!

We had a planned a weekend sail with our friends the Tennar’s but unfortunately they had to cancel. In spite of the rain and cool temperature and Annette and I got underway on Saturday for a run across the bay ending up at an anchorage in the Rhode River near our homeport in Galesville, MD. In spite of overnight temperatures in the high 40’s Magnolia kept us perfectly warm. Granted we fired the gas stove oven to cook dinner, fired the 8.5Kw generator to run the hot water heater and the furnace for a few minutes before bed. We had a lovely dinner and comfy night.

Though the picture does not do it justice we were rewarded with a spectacular morning run back to our homeport in Galesville. It was a great weekend in spite of missing our friends Jack & Kathy.

When we talked about buying a sailboat, I thought of warm, clear, blue water and swimming after sailing easily to our next anchorage. Who knew that a boat had so much canvas on board or that the constant motion of the ocean (or Bay) would create chafe or that the sun is fabric’s worst enemy. I had no idea I’d be sewing again. Some of you know that I was a Virginia Tech home economics major who ended up in business operations for a telecom carrier. The five-hour garment construction course in college will now be put back to use (who sews their clothes anymore?) creating and re-creating boat canvas items. Enter my Sailrite sewing machine in August 2010. I think we have now paid for it in saved labor costs which of course translates to me at the sewing machine and Anthony engineering “critical design elements”.

So far my projects have ranged from a 10 ft dinghy cover, winch covers (that’s why I learned pi = 3.14 in high school), repairs to the binnacle cover, redesign of the swim platform cover, fender covers, chafe guards out of Shelter Rite for lines, wind scoop, LifeSling cover, life ring cover, a cockpit organizer, “A2” burgee, Galaxy tablet cover (it has boat apps on it so it counts), and pillow covers.

This winter’s boat projects have been prioritized by the Captain to include: outboard engine cover, second wind scoop of a newly engineered design (read: Anthony didn’t like the wind cooling power of the first design), beginning the 15 port light curtain replacements, and the swim platform cover needs an adjustment.  The future also holds for me dinghy chaps, handhold covers, hatch covers, duvets…the list goes on…

In between priority boat projects, I’ve taken up a fun sewing project. I’m making tote bags out of recycled sails. These are very functional, lightweight, fold-able, and water-resistant. The handles are made of soft line and are attached using a sailor’s bowline knot through a grommet — hence their name — Bowline Bags.

I’ve added some pictures of my projects. I’d love to hear from other sewing sailors.

Annette

Jack, Kathy, the girls joined Annette and I for a sail on Saturday. We had lets describe them as “spirited” conditions which allowed our girl (Magnolia) to really stretch her legs for a gallop across the Chesapeake Bay. We sailed along on a broad reach well into 7knt territory. We even touched 8knts once which is the fastest we have seen in the Bay. The Tennar girls were not enjoying the boat motion nearly as much as the adults so we made a quick beeline back to the dock. We managed to to get Magnolia back in here slip safely even with the aforementioned “spirited” wind conditions. I even found out why we have the big 52 winches on the back deck…to crank the boat up to the pier when the wind is blowing you off!

As indicated in the title, there is always a wound. I managed to slip in the companionway and face dive the hatch cover. As you can see there is a band-aid across my nose.

Once back at the slip we made a nice dinner and watched a a movie, “Captain Ron” of course! To add just one more thing, Verizon went on strike Saturday night so Annette and to be up off the boat at 5 to work. She will be working 12 on 12 off for the duration of the strike, well at least until day 10 when they give her a day off. I told her to quit whenever she wants, I am thinking we need a union! I better shut up and go to bed, be safe and fair winds and following seas to you all!

Holy Mollie! Is time getting past us! To catch up on the happenings around Magnolia, we have had a GREAT season so far and the best is yet to come! We had excellent wind right through early June right up to Magnolia’s christening which we performed on 25 June but I am getting ahead on myself.

Saturday June 4^th found us hosting Tony & Carol Haagar with Sr. Crewman Dan McAndrews aboard. As had been our luck Aelous the wind god sent a fine south wind which made for a nice sail across the bay. On our return back across the bay we did hold a small memorial service for Carols Father who had also been a Navy man. In honor of the occasion the Captain granted one serving of “Grog” for the crew.

The weekend of 11 June had been intended as an weekend anchorage for the crews of Capriccio and Magnolia. As it turned out the weatherman just did not cooperate but we were able to get a day sail and lunch in on each of the vessels. Not what we had planned but a good time none the less.

Saturday June 18^th was dedicated to getting Magnolia prepped for her big day the next weekend but we did hold a special meeting of the “Boys Night Out” (BNO) society aboard on the 19^th. In honor of auspicious occasion (and Annette would not give me the keys to Magnolia) spouses were invited to participate. It was again a great sailing day and the company better!

Saturday June 25^th began with a light breeze and partly cloudy, mostly sunny conditions, just perfect to christen Magnolia. With the Admiral & Magnolia’s Sponsors (Orpha – Annette’s Mother, Lavera – My Grandmother) there in spirit we successfully completed the official ceremony asking Aelous to send us kind winds and Neptune to look over us no matter the sea we sail. It was a great day to share with friends and for Annette and I to reflect on how far we have come and yet to learn.

(Annette’s niece drew the Magnolia for us as a gift. I scanned it and you see this very flower on our boat cards and shirts and all matter of Magnolia Swag)

(I told Annette, just make sure the bottle breaks, no worry there, she was SERIOUS)

The July 4th weekend was the first time that Annette and I actually took on crew.  Most people we have on board are friends along for the ride or experienced sailor that know their way around a cruising boat. This weekend was the first time Annette and I were expected to be the experienced ones. We sailed (actually motored – NO WIND) across to St Michaels and watched the fireworks on Saturday and then again motored down to Oxford, MD for the fireworks on Sunday. Everyone had a great time!

No more catching up posts, we will do better promise!

Magnolia and crew had a great sail over the Memorial Day weekend. Our friends Patricia and Brian joined us for the weekend. They previously sailed with us last Labor Day weekend and they STILL had the courage to come join us again! We departed the West River (Galesville, MD) Saturday morning with light south winds forecast. As it turned out we were much closer to a nice easy reach all the way up the bay arriving Little Queenstown Creek (Queenstown, MD). Magnolia sailed in the company of “Capriccio” with our friends Brenda & Wes onboard. As is often the case when two sailboats are near each other a friendly competition broke out as we headed into the Chester River above Kent Narrows. Did I mention that when we purchased Magnolia she had mounted in the saloon a Trophy Plaque indicating she won her class in the 1991 Biloxi, MS Regatta? Let us just say, she has lost nothing in the twenty years since! She averaged well above 5 knots and several times strutted her stuff above 7 knots. Our girl is not just good looking, she is fast too! The wonderful thing is we sailed out of the West River and right to the entrance at Queenstown (28 miles). I have to say, for a guy from Detroit, doing that is pretty darn cool.

Capriccio with her slightly shallower draft scouted the anchorage and found us a great spot to drop the hook (anchor) and then moored a long side. Another group of friends, Peter and Ann and family on Wind Song, sailed in aboard a charter catamaran and joined us in the anchorage. Everyone arrived well in time to enjoy a “sun downer” and a great pot luck aboard Magnolia. After a tour of the area in the dingy, firing of the cannon at sundown, and a cigar it was time to call it an evening.

Sunday morning greeted us with bright sun and a nice cool breeze. The breeze coming through the cabin made for a wonderful wake up call! After a filling breakfast (Did I mention that Patricia is French and learned to cook and bake the most wonderful food?) the “fleet” headed back south towards Annapolis and the Severn River. Sunday offered us a bit more wind (18-25 knots) affording us to really sail Magnolia. As we found coming from Florida, give her 23 knots, a double reefed main, a little jib and she gives you the easiest fast sail you could ask for! We did have a little challenge coming south in there was a fair 3-4 knot current to fight coming under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We were forced to make a couple tacks right before and under the bridge which the crew executed flawlessly. (There was no way we were going to start the engine to simply sail under a bridge and the crew did not disappoint!) Entering the Severn River, we set the sails to for a wing-on-wing configuration (using a “preventer” line to force the main sail off the port side and sailing the jib on the starboard). Again we had a wonderful anchorage in Chase Creek with a “sun downer” and a wonderful potluck again aboard Capriccio.  We took a swim and dinghy ride.

Monday we awoke to what we knew was going to be a really hot day so the boats wasted no time in getting underway. Again the “Lucky Duck” (that’s me) won again with a great sailing wind out of the south east. We had an easy sail back to the west river with just a couple of tacks to miss ship and barge traffic. It was a great weekend with fun people, what more could you ask for?