SHIP'S LOG:
It was raining this morning and I wasn't sure about going, but it stopped by 10 and I figured, "What the heck?" and took off. This part of the ICW is very rural. In deed the only signs of civilization are the houses by the ICW and the boats on it. Most are still of Canadian Registry as they have some different type of insurance coverage that lets them, go farther south before November 1st. When the Nov. 1st deadline is reached, Hospital Point is going to look like something out of the Oklahoma land rush. Boy, those bridges they will have to pass through in the first20 miles will be a congested mess. Glad I won't be there.
I really hadn't wanted to push today. There was a spot at the 28.1 mile marker, a little creek that seemed to off a perfect spot to drop the hook. Unfortunately, since the charts were last published, a bar had filled in the mouth at about 5ft. That's 1/2 shy of letting me in and so I " Kissed" the mud for the first time. I deny full responsibility and blames it on the chartmakers for not updating things! It wasn't a hard grounding. Moving at only a not, I simply stopped moving and when I realized it, I just backed out. So I am 1 for 2, one(1) grounding for Two(2) days on the ICW.
The not fun part of this was that I had to rush and push for about 30miles to get to the next good anchorage, south of Coinjack, VA, at mile 61.8. It wasn't the most fun of the trip. Several large sportfishmen powerboats past during this time. They throw up tremendous wakes when they are move fast, which they all like to do. These would, however, slow down as they approached and so minimized their wakes. Unfortunately, as soon as they were just past, they would slam the throttles forward and their sterns would drop and dig a hole in the water and it would bounce me all around. I had some very unkind thoughts about those boat operators, speculating whether or not their parents ever married. I passed the two marinas in Coinjack which flank the ICW. If I had had the bucks, I probably would have stopped for one is noted for its restaurant and the Prime Rib it serves. However, I didn't have the cash and so, with a sigh, I passed by.
I am anchor now with three other boats in Broad Creek and we are less than 20 miles from the North Carolina Border. It takes less than 80 miles to get through Virginia, North Carolina not so much. I am suddenly besieged by mosquitoes! I haven't had to battle them since September! It is the one part of the return to summer I can do with out. Who thought of bug spray?
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
This morning before departing, I was looking at the charts of the trip so far. I find it hard to believe that I have come all this way. I know I did, I can remember the stops and all that happened, but it seems somehow a bit unreal. Really everything is focused on the moment. I am living in the now. It is a little disconcerting as there is a sense of rootlessness to it all, yet enjoyable at the same time. It sure makes going to bed at night and getting up in the morning a real adventure!
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"In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the wind blows it back. Fix the time, the length of your meditation, and do not rise from your place until you have finished even at the cost of being crucified." -- Padre Pio
…and please pray for vocations.
Again with the anchor!! As I continue to contemplate our short time together on the way to Harve de Grace now I realize that 'PM' preventive maintenance must become your by-word. You must avoid the Cartesian philosophy of out of site, out of mind, and engage your hardware on a regular basis: How long has the anchor winch been non-functioning? OK so as you experience these things you must commit to tearing them down. That it doesn't work is a symptom. Is it the switch, wiring, gearbox, motor, spindle, manual handle missing, doesn't handle your rode etc. Any and all of these areas require regular and thorough inspection, reconnection,lubrication and so on. And that's just the winch! Plan your work and work your plan, Prioritize and produce results. Don't put off till tomorrow that which will scare the daylights out of you if you wait for it to fail. (Remember the mainsail? Was it too much wind for it, maybe thats all, or was something which had previously jammed and not bee corrected? 35 knots of wind when its darker than a well-diggers ***hole is the wrong time to make a promise to schedule it tomorrow. Don't be intimidated by lack of experience/expertise. Other than the dark arts of electricity just about anything you can take apart can be re-assembled including a motor; if not by you than by you with help from acquaintances, or paid labor.
Manage by looking around.
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