'Bash Bunks Aboard Kelly IV, May 27 – June 1, 2014

Colin is a Wabash College student who is spending the summer in Annapolis as an intern for the professional lacrosse club Chesapeake Bayhawks. Wabash began a program a few years ago that enabled students and recent grads who needed a place to stay for a few days to find alumni who had space available. Although I provided significant detail so prospective “bunkers” would understand what they are getting into, Colin chose to stay with me aboard Kelly IV for a few days while he made his living arrangements for the summer. As a result, I got to know a modern day Wabash student and Colin learned about living aboard a small sailboat.

Colin's sail aboard Kelly IV on May 31

It was a terrific experience for me and, apparently, was a good deal for Colin, as well. Colin is a terrific young man who is intelligent company, works hard, learns quickly and is open to new and different ways of getting things done. As Kelly IV was anchored in Whitehall Creek and Don and Donna Hekler's seawall was our dinghy dock, Colin met and impressed the Hekler's with his manners and intelligence, as well.

Colin at the helm

Tom Lynch joined us for a sail and some fishing on Saturday, May 31. It was race day for the Leukemia Cup, so Kelly IV had a terrific view of the bay filled with racing sailboats battling for prestige and working hard to raise funds for a good cause. The breeze was wonderful, blowing about 12-15 knots so the sailing was great as Tom and I literally showed Colin “the ropes.” OK, for you sailors, we showed Colin “how to work the lines.” (Sailors know that rope is merely a commodity. Once in use on a boat, it becomes a “line.”)

Tom and Colin

Sunday was my last day hosting Colin aboard Kelly IV so we made the most of it sailing in the light breeze out in the Chesapeake Bay, then visiting the Saga 48, Altair, that ocean cruiser, Joe Reed, just bought for his planned cruise around the world.

Colin's sail aboard Kelly IV on June 1

It was great fun to have Colin aboard. Assuming he is representative of the current crop of Wabash men, the college has nothing to worry about and can be proud of this generation of students.

Baseball at PNC Park - May 21-22, 2014

Road Trip!  We're headed to Pittsburgh!

Harry and I discovered that on back-to-back days, his Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates in PNC Park.  Obviously, a trip from Annapolis to Pittsburgh was immediately planned.

First up the Os played the Pirates on May 21

As good fortune would dictate, a friend of a friend of Harry's was working for the Pirates and when contacted, was happy to provide us a private tour of PNC Park, including a visit to the field of play and the home team locker room.

Our host grew up in Annapolis, now works for the Bucs in Pittsburgh

Murph and Harry on the field at PNC Park

Pittsburgh Pirates' Locker Room

Harry in the Pirates' locker room

Pirates' locker room

Ball collection includes Bill Mazeroski

Our walk before the Nats game included the Steelers' Heinz Field

Harry is ready for the big game!

It's a night game, Nats At Pirates

Old Friends and Blue Angels, May 19-20, 2014

Whitehall Creek feeds south into Whitehall Bay and is the home of good friends, Don and Donna Hekler. They have befriended many Pittsburgh sailors, thanks to an introduction by Bill Paviol many years ago. Donna fondly refers to us as “her boys.” I was looking forward to this day as I'd be sailing into their waters in Whitehall Creek. It is a well-protected anchorage with lots of room and a beautiful view that looks down the creek, across Whitehall Bay and into the Chesapeake Bay.

And best of all, I get to visit with Don and Donna!

Marshy Creek to Whitehall Bay

There was little wind as Kelly IV and I motored out of Marshy Creek which was fine with me as it made it easy to closely follow the track we made the night before. It was the only way I could be certain of keeping Kelly IV off the bottom in the shallow Marshy Creek. Given the light air, we motor-sailed out of Prospect Bay, but had enough breeze from the north to shut down the engine when Kelly IV turned southwest into Eastern Bay. Although much quieter than the boisterous sail of the previous day, we still enjoyed a magnificent morning sluicing through the flat waters towards Bloody Point.

Sailing on the north wind

As the minimal breeze remained north and tapered to almost nothing, the trusty Yanmar was called back on duty for the balance of the trip north into Whitehall Creek.

Blue Angels sail with Noel from Whitehall Creek to the Severn River and back

On the 20th, Noel Gasparin joined me for a terrific experience witnessing the Navy's Blue Angels as they practiced for the Naval Academy's Commencement Program the following day. As the chartlet shows, Kelly IV merely trekked back and forth across the Severn River as we ogled the roaring jets. The mainsail remained furled and the genoa was sheeted tightly, as if close-hauled. In the light 5-8 knot wafts, this permitted easy control as Kelly IV sailed a leisurely 2-3 knots, pinching up and falling off as needed to avoid the other boats that filled the river, rubbernecking the blue and gold aircraft roaring overhead.

Blue Angel overhead as Kelly IV sails the Severn River

It was a grand spectacle to enjoy as the fighters thundered only a couple hundred feet above us, appearing to be close enough for the pilots to reach out and touch Kelly IV's masthead. Noel captured a number of superb photographs, including this one.

Blue Angels by Noel Gasparin

This is a shot I collected from my phone.  A few videos are posted below.

Close-Hauled Thrill Day, May 18, 2014

Woke up to a golden, gorgeous day with a 15 knot breeze out of the north. I attempted to sail off the anchor, but the cove was so tiny, there just wasn't room to turn downwind without going aground, so Kelly IV's Yanmar backed her up enough to make room. Sailing out of the Wye River included a fun dogleg, and was a quiet, dreamy run, reach, run and reach into the Miles River. As we were sailing with the wind, there was no sound save the soft gurgle of water flowing past Kelly IV's hull. This was pristine sailing at its best, just beautiful!

As Kelly IV faced north into the breeze, she heeled sharply, then quickly found her feet and cut through the waves, flying along, throwing spray into the sparkling sunlight. Our destination was Marshy Creek just east of Kent Narrows, so the balance of the trip was a close-hauled sail, pinching into the perfect breeze. Kelly IV bounded along, crashing from one wave to the next, a rush of thrills with the wind singing in the rig and the surf slapping down the hull.

There was plenty of breeze and all day to sail so tacking out of the Miles River, across Eastern Bay and into Prospect Bay was not only no bother, it was a tremendous day of wonderful sailing.

Marshy Creek proved to be even more shallow than indicated on the charts. This meant Kelly IV and I just crept gingerly into the anchorage. The next morning we followed our track back out, fearful of drifting even a few feet off our track coming in. We never did touch the bottom, or the mud was so soft we didn't notice it. Regardless, at low tide the depth sounder kept blinking between 5 and 6 feet, so drawing 5 feet, we were only inches off the bottom.

Marshy Creek Anchorage, looking south

It proved to be an interesting anchorage with Route 50's buzzing traffic, larger boats traversing the Kent Narrows and nearby marinas to the north, while numerous small boats and kayakers explored the marshes to the south. Although I didn't venture ashore, it would have been a short dinghy ride into one of the marinas where a guidebook showed a launch ramp. Even so, given the shallow depths, I won't be bringing Kelly IV back here.

Marshy Creek Anchorage, looking north

Wye River from Duvall Creek, May 17, 2014

With a nice 10 knot breeze blowing gently across the deck, Kelly IV's motor rumbled quietly as I manually retrieved the last anchor. The breeze was enough to make me work, but not so pushy as to require the engine to forge forward for hauling the anchor.

But Murphy's Law being what it is, the breeze died once Kelly IV and I were in the South River and hoisting the dacron to enjoy a gentle sail across the Chesapeake Bay. We made the effort, gybing back and forth across the South River, but finally furled the jib and motorsailed across to Bloody Point, up the Eastern Bay, then through the dog leg entrance into the Wye River.

We passed several older sailboats who seemed to be in a race, as they were not motoring and merely seemed to be waiting for a breath of air to propel their yachts towards St. Michaels. One of the all-wood vessels was the Bull, one of a matching pair of boats, the other being the Bear, both berthed at the National Sailing Hall of Fame, City Dock, Annapolis.

The "Bull"

It was a pleasant day motoring into the Wye River, passing by the famous Shaw Bay, where the Eastport Oyster Boys play an annual floating concert for anyone willing to anchor in the bay on that special weekend in September. It was exciting for me as this was the first time this season that I took Kelly IV into a new-to-me anchorage. Although Duvall Creek was a first for Kelly IV, I had anchored there as a member of Captain Troy Cain's Persistent crew many years earlier.

Wye River anchorage

The anchorage was a very small creek or cove that might have held one or two other boats. As it was, I had the rural sunset to myself, sharing it only with birds and Kelly IV.

Wye River sunset

Capt Clark's Birthday Sail, May 6, 2014

Jim Clark has taken me and many of his friends for countless sails on his beloved Catalina 25, Magi's Mate, located on Lake Arthur, Moraine State Park, Butler, PA. Now he has embarked on a new adventure, living aboard his new-to-him GulfStar 36 motorsailer, Genie, based in Venice, FL. And Jim begins this adventure on his 80^th Birthday!

Jim's 80th Birthday Celebration at the February Sailing & Suds in Pittsburgh

A large group of sailors and friends celebrated Jim's 80^th in March at the annual Sailing and Suds dinner in Pittsburgh, but since his real birthday is in May, a couple of us decided to join Jim aboard his new yacht to celebrate by actually sailing, just like old times.Kelly IV is currently located. 

Jim aboard Genie in Venice, FL

I used Jim's birthday as an excuse for a train ride from Annapolis, MD where

 Troy Cain, Captain of Relentless, is currently based (after his cruise of over 2000nm from the Chesapeake Bay) in St. Petersburg, FL and picked me up at the train station in Tampa for the drive to Venice, FL.

We spent the first evening and next morning helping Jim move aboard his new yacht, then on the afternoon of his 80^th Birthday, we slipped the dock lines and departed the slip for the first time since Jim had acquired his new home on the water.

After a close encounter meeting some new neighbors in the marina, we topped off the fuel tanks and Jim took us into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway where his marina is located. The encounter was a bit dramatic involving an heroic effort by Captain Cain, but we were soon on our way with nothing but a blemish on our pride aboard Genie.

Sea creature alongside Genie

The trip down the Intracoastal was brief and took us beneath two bridges then into Venice Harbor. It is a picturesque motoring venue with lots of green palm trees, massive mangroves and all manner of interesting boats, sail and power, large and small. Then Jim took us out into the open Gulf of Mexico.

Captain James Clark

It was a beautiful, bright afternoon with the sun glistening across the waves, sparkling and reflecting onto Jim, Genie and crew. Even with a light breeze Genie moved gently across the water, first north on a port beam reach then south on the opposite reach. Jim handled Genie as if he'd owned her all his life and we all enjoyed several hours of relaxing sailing off the Gulf coast of Florida.

Captain Troy Cain takes the helm

As the sun threatened to sink into the western waters of the Gulf, Jim took us back through the Venice harbor, under the two bridges, then safely and snugly into her berth and Jim's new home.

Genie snug in her slip

CaptMurph enjoying Captain Clark's Genie sail

Duvall Creek from Back Creek, May 3, 2014

Having spoken with several locals and double checked various charts and guidebooks, I decided to move Kelly IV to Duvall Creek for a change of pace and to visit friends that live nearby. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but minimal breeze so the trip became a motorsail. Although Kelly IV's mainsail was unfurled, the sail merely served to add a bit of speed and stability. Due to the recent storm sporting 40 knot gales, flooding rainwater and numerous broken tree branches, the bay proved to be cluttered with sticks and logs floating through the murky, brown water. Never very clear, the Chesapeake Bay waters were as cloudy on this day, as the sun was brilliant.

Debris and muck washed into the bay by the previous gale

The day before departing, I did a little dinghy exploring of Back Creek and was joined by my new friend, Ed, who was anchored nearby. Ed has come to sailing recently, about three years ago, but has already sailed his Catalina 27 to Florida and back, from Annapolis. Ed paddled his kayak as I rowed the Pudgy dinghy. We found an old piling with hoops of wire and chain, heavily rusted and no longer in use.

Edwardo Martinez

Per the charts, the entrance into Duvall Creek is blocked with a 2 feet shoal, but local knowledge told me the entrance was marked by two green marks (keep to port on entering) and recently dredged. As Kelly IV motored into the entrance, the sounder declared depths of 8 to 10 feet about 1-2 feet above MLLW.

Due to the shallow creek and numerous private moorings, it was necessary to fit Kelly between two mooring balls that were more widely spaced than the others. Even so, I felt it important to put out two anchors, roughly 60 degrees from each other, so that Kelly IV's swing would miss both nearby moored sailboats.

It proved to be a fine anchorage, thanks to my friends who arranged permission for me to leave my dinghy and car at the community marina. It seems that since there really isn't room for visiting boats to anchor normally (without the 2^nd anchor) Kelly and I were a novelty in the creek. A thunderstorm proved no problem as the bottom held both anchors without an issue. It also was a fun creek to explore as the Pudgy and I rowed to the headwaters about half a mile up the creek.