It was a whirl wind first half of the summer. As you already know we accomplished a lot of boat maintenance and I can say Magnolia is in better shape today that she has been for as long as we have had her! Out latest big accomplishment was getting the solar system put together and installed and I will cover that in the next post. For now here is a quick catch up of what we have been up to.

We met up with our former dock-mates Dudley & Cheryl from SV Blind Date. We had a lovely evening in Annapolis catching up. 

Magnolia added a new crewmen, “Bunny.” Bunny does not have a lot of boating experience but has traveled extensively with Dan & Lori so he comes experienced!

Bunny prepares to get underway for the first time….

We are very safety conscious aboard Magnolia so the Admiral manufactured a life vest for Bubby JUST IN CASE something unfortunate were to occur.

Magnolia did not depart as hoped so the Admiral and I celebrated the 4th watching the fireworks from the Spa Creek Bridge in Annapolis, we might have had and ice cream too!

Departing on the 5th of July from Annapolis we decided the ride was not as pleasant as we would like so puled into the Magothy River just above the Bay Bridge. We enjoyed an quiet evening on the hook and tried again on Sunday. We were rewarded with a wonderful sail up the bay in calm conditions under a lovely sky. Days like this are epic! Of course upon our arrival to Chesapeake City I took the Admiral out for some dinner and “reconnoiter” the town for our Tennar visit the next day.

Sadly Jack and Caitlen both had to work so Kathy and Christina came down from NJ for a little visit and some lunch

Making the trip from Chesapeake City to Cape May NJ is a really long way so with advice of our friend Rodger’s and Quigly’s we split the trip up, one part short, one part long.  

I kind of cracked up because that is a DNR boat and it looked like he was setting a speed trap for some un-weary boater. I know, too much time on the water.

The short part of the trip got us as far as Reedy Point across from the Salem Point Nuclear Power . I have spent a lot of time in NJ and really like and there are some really places areas. When you call yourself the Garden State and I am looking across at car freighter and a nuke plant, well I have to chuckle.

There was a forecast of possible thunderstorms so we enjoyed a nice afternoon catching up on some reading and I even fired the barbeque and made some bread. Our radios alarm when NOAA puts out a weather warning. As we finished dinner sure enough alarms started going off! Below is about 35 knots, always a good time…

We peaked out at just over 45knts but as quickly as the storm arrived it dissipated to an easy rain storm. No real fuss.

Magnolia and crew are well anchored in Cape May, NJ for a couple days waiting on a weather window to make the run to Long Island. If all goes according to plan we will depart on Sunday morning arriving Long Island on Monday or Tuesday.

Vessel and crew are in the best shape we have ever been in, be safe SV Magnolia