Well before the weekend began our friend Kurt was in town on business and came by to raid my Scotch Cabinet! Since this is a blog about our sailing adventures on Magnolia you may be scratching your head as to what Kurtsvisit and the below picture has to do with anything! This might come as a surprise but I am least mechanical person you are likely to meet in your lifetime. This particular attribute can best be described by the coffee cups awarded to our team (Jack, Kurt & I) after working on Jack Tennar’s 1970s Checker Cab several years ago. Mine was labeled “Beer B!$&h” Yes I managed to avoid picking up a single wrench. Fast forward to current time and I and am now Chief Mechanic aboard Magnolia responsible for multiple diesel engines along with another Four-Stroke outboard! Well as luck would have it, my latest Diesel Service Manual arrived the day of Kurts visit and he had the honor of bestowing said manual. How the world changes. I did notice all my wrenches were missing after Kurt departed. I suspect he is trying to save me from myself!

Friday afternoon and Saturday Annette and I attended the Seven Sea’s Cruising Associations yearly Annapolis GAM. It is basically two days of sailors sharing sailing information with other sailors. It also provides a convenient stop for the boats that have spent the summer in Maine and Nova Scotia before heading onto Florida, Bahamas and beyond. For us its a real motivator to get those “shekels” in the bank, our skill level up and the systems aboard Magnolia where they need to be!

All in all, a great weekend! Next weekend is Cleckner (Annette’s) Family out on Magnolia. It will be a busy weekend!

“Magnolia is underway and bound for sea”, ok the Bay but that sea thing sounds so nautical.

Greg & Marie arrived in Galesville last week after departing Colonial Beach, VA the week before. You might recall that Greg & Marie helped us (probably more accurately we helped them) get Magnolia home from Florida. They have spent the summer getting Second Sally ready to head back to sea and are making a break for waters south to stay ahead of the frost! After working on their boat all summer they still had the energy and willingness to help us with our endless questions on everything sailing. They have sailed the coast of California through the Panama Canal, The Caribbean and a couple Atlantic crossings over and into the Mediterranean.

I know these pictures are nearly identical but I can never get  a decent picture of Get so thought as I finally got a couple, better use them!

The multiple weekends we spent in Florida together getting Magnolia ready and our 2 week sail north was the absolutely, best classroom that Annette and I could have had. As I have said before, Greg & Marie have left us in good stead so if we screw it up, its not cause we were trained RIGHT! We will miss having you near but we sure look forward to coming to see you in the Bahamas this winter!!

Until we sail together again, fair winds and following seas……

The Peter Family joined us for the Labor Day weekend for a sail to the Corsica River. The event was to meet the Pentagon Sailing Club who were conducting their raft up there. Though were not planning to join the actual raft up we did plan to anchor near by and dinghy over for a visit. The sail plan, approximately 45 miles each way took us north under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, up the Chester River where it met the Corsica and then a couple miles beyond. During outbound leg of 45.2 miles we were under sail nearly 43 miles of it!

The passing of Hurricane Earl off the east coast allowed for a wonderfully cool breeze to come in from the north west providing us with the best sailing conditions of the year. We configured the main with a “double reef” (making the sail physically small, there by catching less wind, there by less power) with just a bit of  jib out (see the above picture with small amount of sail). Also take note of the sail boat shown above with a heavy heal and nearly out of control (he was sailing under full sail).

After a few pictures around the boat from our Dinghy, also known as “Blossom” (get it? Magnolia, Blossom). Note: Greg Rodgers brought us the dinghy name. We sat down to a wonderful dinner in the cool crisp air of the Eastern Bay followed by a visit to the Pentagon Sailing Club Raft up.

After a good night sleep and a breakfast made in heaven and delivered by and Angel it was time to get underway and make our way back down the Bay. Unfortunately Aeolus did not provide us with as much wind needed so we did need to motor some of the way home.

Upon arrival back to Galesville the crew conducted an appropriate passage celebration consisting of Maryland Crabs and various other gifts from the sea as well as those always hard working Hop Farmers!!!

Jack and I previously sailed together, initially aboard Naval Vessel Ticonderoga (CG-47) in 1983 and a little later (1990) onboard my bass boat on the Rappahannock River. After 20 years it was time and a treat to share the water with he and his family!

* Children and young adults should not view the previous images!

He, Kathy and the girls boarded and we were quickly underway.  Aeolus (god of wind in Greek mythology) thankfully offered us sufficient wind to raise the sail and provide a respite from the Mid-Atlantic heat.

“Yes girls, this is just the way your dad and I did it, back when ships were wood & men were steel!” (They were not believing)

This “Captain Thing” is hard work, have to slip in a break when you can!

After a nice sail out to Smith Point Lighthouse we anchored Magnolia in the quiet waters of the Rhode River and share a marvelous dinner aboard.  Truth be told it was so hot I fired the generator and turned on the air conditioning, something we rarely do when away from our slip at Galesville.

After a full day of sailing the entire crew (6 people) got a comfortable nights sleep aboard (of course with the air conditioners going)!

My cousin Sheridan and her husband John were able to make a somewhat unexpected visit to Magnolia while visiting the east coast from there home in Scottsdale, AZ. Both were in town to attend a friends wedding in Herring Bay. At the onset of the trip they had no idea they would be in such proximately to Magnolia at Galesville. With our Cousin and Crewman Dan Mc Andrews on hand we celebrated an impromptu reunion onboard.

Annette makes sure Magnolia is appropriately attired!

Able Crewman Dan makes sure John boards safely!