A great day at last!
Trip Start
Jun 22, 2007
1
3
43
Trip End
Sep 25, 2007
Annapolis,
Maryland,
United States
Monday, July 2, 2007
Normally in rough conditions, we would have the auto helm set and we would sit back on the settee and use the remote, but with a dead auto helm we have to hand steer. First Forty has hydrolic steering but it still takes a bit of work and you have only the choice of standing or sitting on the wooden stool we have near the wheel. First Forty is not big enough to have the captain's chair we enjoyed on New Frontier...remember this is boating not yachting. So Sue and I took hourly watches to break up the fatigue. Still we did fine. The boat was running well and it felt good to get out into the action. By late morning, seas and winds had slackened and we came into view of the Memorial Bridge just south of Baltimore and could see the city of Annapolis to port.
Sue and I normally do not go to marinas if we can help it. Not only is anchoring much more in turn with our idea of boating, but marina's normally charge between $60-120 a night to dock and we still have to make the bed. In Annapolis there is very little anchorage, but there are a number of opportunities to pick up a city mainained mooring ball. This is a way to attach the boat to a fixed anchor point in the water which has a concrete weight or auger that keeps the boat in place. It allows for more boats to be in a given place as they do not need the swing room that an anchor does.
We had left at 0630 from Solomons MD holding a faint hope of getting a mooring ball in prime Annapolis territory in prep for the 4th of July. My hope was that by coming at 1400 on Monday some folks might have left and others might not have arrived. As we turned the corner, we pulled out the binoculars to spy the mooring field in Spa Creek right in front of the Naval Academy. We thought we saw one so I made my way into the creek. What I had not payed attention to was about 50 small kids on 12' sailboats holding a race all over the place. They were moving like bees and darting back and forth. This presents a problem for a 50,000# boat as we cant move as fast as them, but the rules say they have the right of way. So after some carefully moves, I made my way into the mooring field only to find it full. Darn. No chance. There are perhaps enough room for 40 boats in there and we were a day late/dollar short. So we took a position in the available anchorage outside the Naval Academy. This is not a great spot as its exposed to wind and waves. But after two tries to get the right spacing, we ogt the 130# anchor down solid. I knew it was going to get crazy the closer it got to the 4th. So this spot is better than the next best choice.
I was tired. Just as I sat down and cracked a beer over comes the harbor patrol. He explains that we were okay now but would have to move before the 4th. We we were in the landing zone for all the fireworks to be set off for the Annapolis celebration. He went on to explain that he knew of two moorings left back up Spa creek above the bridge.
Okay, give up. We lit the big diesel again and pulled the hooking hoping against hope we could get back in the creek before one of the other contenders beat us. While cruises are almost unanimously nice folks, this would now be competitive. First Forty snorted to life.....ready to meet the completion.
I made may way back...made sure I was first to go under the bridge and yes...we see two mooring balls. I carefully position for one....yes...yes...we have it. I turn off the engine and get ready to take another gulp of my now warming beer. I had work to do and I knew if I settled down for a rest I would never do it. So I crawled into my "work clothers" and crawled into lazerette aft to contemplate testing the autopilot with the volt meter. Then, the harbor patrol comes over to collect their $25/day fee (a good deal) and as Im up to my elbows in grease he explains to Sue that our boat is too big for this mooring field. The bigger field is farther up the field. I cuss...I cuss....I cuss.
I crawl out and head for the wheelhouse again. We release the pendant and head father up this creek. Its getting really beautiful with fantastic private homes lining the bank. We are finally rewarded with a great mooring in a place with a idyllic view. The guy collects the money, says we are legal and I finish my beer.
This was the day. It was all worth it.
