Soon after Magnolia was bundled up for her visit to Osprey Composites it was time for the crew to get on the road.

First stop was Baltimore, MD for a brunch date with M/V Amici. We never miss an opportunity to visit with Ted & Sally. We always have a great visit and this one was no different. 

After rolling ourselves into the car have a huge brunch we rolled on up I-95 to Jack & Kathy’s place in New Jersey. Kathy invited their neighbors and our friends Neil & Merle for dinner and an evening of catch up. Always fun and thanks to Merle for coming direct from and long day and a miserable commute!

Early on Friday morning we off to work at the Cherry Hill Veterans Stand-down. We have never participated in one but it was a day well spent. Truly a reminder of how blessed we are. Below is Team Hoban (R-L Caitlen, Matt, Kevin, Kathy, Jack H, Jack T, Annette and I)

News Story:

http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2016/09/24/homeless-veterans-services-cherry-hill/90916028/

After knaps and showers it was time to roll!

First stop was Tonewood Brewery

The it was on to a Surprise Hoban Party. The surprisees…we never like to miss a Hoban Party and thankfully the family is use to us showing up!!

Annette, Kathy H and Kathy T

Mom Hoban has always welcomed us and she has been doing it for over 25 years now!

Caitlen, Andrew and Mathew at Lower Forge Brewery, not near as good as Tonewood

Sadly it was so quickly time to start heading out on Leg #2 but Kathy made a us a terrific dinner before heading out!

We will miss you Tennars, be well!

Long time readers have know Frank & MaryMarie of S/V Eleanor Q since the early days of this adventure beginning.

Frank & MaryMarie are currently living ashore but that does allow them to load us there very swell dock! Here Eleanor Q & Magnolia hanging out as they have done before so many times before. Like the boats, the crew are old friends and pickup right where they left off…thank include MM busting my chops at every turn!

In the late spring and early fall a large majority of the cruising boats pass through the Annapolis MD area so we were hardly the only boat around. Frank and MaryMarie had an open house having a number of the cruisers over for an evening of compadre. As you can see Mary Marie and Frank are quite and accomplished musicians.

While we were at the dock in Annapolis we able to get Magnolia ready to go into the yards in Deale MD for maintenance. We ohave never been to a yard where we do not put Magnolia in the travel lift. At this yard the workers do it for you. The picture below is the first time ever that Magnolia as been away from a dock without me aboard. It felt very odd seeing your boat drifting by with out you.

After saying goodbye to our friends in Groton and a very long passage we arrived Oyster Bay. We very much want to come back and spend some time here.  The Theodore Roosevelt family has a long history here.

Our overnight anchorage brought us on the next day to Port Washington, NY. This is where we will stage to go through NYC and down the coast of NJ.

We have been through this route once before but I frankly did not recall the shall we say “larger” home along the shore as we enter Port Washington

Not likely to make our residence in this area…..very lovely.

No port visit is complete without a visit to the local Ice Cream store…good score here.

We truthfully had not planned it but the best day because weather, tides etc was actually September 11th. A quick call to the Coast Guard confirmed there were no planned security limitations! 

Looking east after passing under the Frogs Neck Bridge just after dawn.

Across from Riker Island I discovered the Vernon C Bain Correctional Center Barge. I never imagined such a thing.

This area of the East River us known as Hells Gate.  There are very strong currents in this area so timing of your passage is essential.

As you exit Hells Gate into the East River Upper Manhattan is presented directly in front of you. Directly ahead is about 92nd Street East.

No description required

Passing under the Verrazano Bridge 

Passing inbound ship as we transit the Ambrose Channel  bound for sea.

We were well off Sandy Hook, NJ by mid morning and heading down the NJ Coast.

We approached Atlantic City right out sunset and shortly there after the city treated us to a lovely after dark.

We rounded Cape May and proceeded up the Delaware Bay before dawn.

Mid morning we arrived east end of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal and luckily coincided with another favorable current.

After about 33 hours Magnolia dropped her anchor in the Sassafras River before continuing on to Annapolis

Magnolia was all settled in Onset, MA as we watched hurricane Hermine traverse FL and then made her way offshore. We were back and forth whether to move further west. There is always the chance of putting ourselves in a worse place. When our weather router suggested we get further west we were underway within the hour. Our community, our cruising friends come out of the wood work to help us.  We departed Onset and made a very long passage to Stonington, CT before we ran out of light. We have been there several times and felt comfortable getting in after dark if that’s what it took.

We did get to see this very handsome old yacht, think it might be a Trumpy.

Arriving Stonington, CT right at sunset.

We got the anchor down right at sunset.

We made the short hop from Stonington to Shennecossett and our friends Al & Michele (Kindred Spirit) sponsored us at there club so that we could get a slip. Of course midway through our stay we had to move slips and as usual Dan & Marcia (Cutting Class) were there to help. We feel very blessed to be part of the community, you never ask for help, its just always there…thank you.

Al & Michele whisked us off to their home where we had a mini hurricane vacation with friends! Michele was kind enough to turn her kitchen over to us for an evening. I love to cook for friends.

The next morning Michele insisted on making pancakes, did I mention, we are NEVER leaving here….

In the middle of the “hurricane” we went to visit Gillette Castle. I will let the Wiki Page tell the details but it was a fun afternoon land trip.

We even took the car ferry a cross the Connecticut River because none of us can bare to be off the water for too long!!

We even slipped a little visit in with Ted & Sally from Amici…

The next day with the hurricane roaring around us…we had to take advantage of the West Marine Labor Day sale and pick up some bottom paint.

We twisted Dan and Marcia’s arms to take us to Mr G’s in New London. They have really good food but what I really like to watch is Dan & Marcia. See they were school teachers in New London for years and years. We cannot stop here without someone saying Hi Mr C, Hi Mrs C etc. That is the up side of being part of a community for a lifetime. For a lifetime vagabond, so enjoy jealously watching!!!  Thank you Dan and Marcia! Of course as soon as we sat down we started yacking and I did not get a picture!!! 🙁

Thank you again to all our Shennecossett for welcoming us into their homes, Dean & Maryjo sorry we missed you this trip!!!

Wiscasset was not on our radar before heading for Maine. We have time and time again been rewarded by taking the less traveled road. We were certainly not disappointed by making the trip up the Sheepscott River to Wiscasset.

We have never been here before so it took a while to figure out how and where to anchor/moor. We like to anchor with our own ground tackle and after getting looking for an appropriate spot. We ended up mooring to a FREE town mooring.

View of Wiscasset water front as we approached.

Magnolia moored off the city dock, Wiscasset ME.

The Customs House at Wiscasset is this beautiful building on the water front dates to 1870.

We met Sam & Kayda through mutual friend Kindred Spirit and Cutting Class while we were all in Hope Town, Abacos, Bahamas.

We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the streets of Wiscasset and even took a tour of the historic Nickels-Sortwell House.

We also toured the adjacent Wiscasset’s Sunken Garden. The garden has a very interesting start: “The story of Wiscasset’s Sunken Garden”

Sadly it was time to go already. It was a lovely weekend to spend with two truly special people. Thank you Sam & Kayda for sharing your town and your home…see you in the Abacos!

Early the next morning we cast off the mooring traveled the 20 miles down the Sheepscott to the open ocean basically travelled a straight line right into Cape Code Sound.

We need to transit the Cape Code Canal where the currents can be really strong with you or really strong against you. We like it right in the middle when there is very little current. Being a couple hours early we went down and anchored in front of a friends house on Sandwich Beach. Would ‘nt they be surprised to wake up and find us “parked” out front. Sadly they were not in town!!

The delay gave us the chance to make fresh water and fill our takes as well as wait for the current to shift.

Of course, the first thing we did was hit up Nana’s for a sundae…

Now as we sit in Onset, MA we wait for Hermine to figure out what she is going to do..we watch the scatter charts to see the models are all saying the Hurricane will stay out of New England. We are in Onset, right under the EE31 label.

and when she does get up here, how much weather. The line is our desired route and as you can see, we are not going anywhere till our traveler moves on her way!