Hurricane Irma - September 6-14, 2017

After some RV maintenance, I headed south to Florida to renew-reuse-recycle.  In other words, I was going to take everything I had stored in Florida and sell it, give it to charity or recycle it.  This plan would enable me to reduce all my tangible worldly belongings to fitting in either the RV or aboard Irish Rover.  If an item couldn't fit or be stored aboard one of my two cruising platforms (sea or land cruising) then I didn't want to own it any longer.

I was able to fit my bicycle, skis & boots, backpack, camping gear and day-to-day items aboard the RV.  Previously, I had stored Irish Rover in Pennsylvania for the winter with all my sailing gear, except for some odds & ends and the Portland Pudgy.  The Pudgy was the only item in storage that had more than a few hundred dollars value, so I sold it.  The balance of my gear (sewing machine, old computer, books, clothing, galley ware, etc.) I took to a local charity in Titusville, FL and they accepted all but some pictures and old paperwork that only had value to me as items to spark memories of my life.  I took photos of the items important to me, then tossed them into recycling.  It was a wrenching experience to eliminate so many tangible memory-sparkers but it has also lightened my load and granted me a feeling of freedom that I haven't felt since singlehanding Kelly IV around the Canadian Maritimes.

As my plans also included meeting my college roomate at the Orlando Airport for our week of camping in North Carolina, I had firm commitments to drive to Florida come hell or hurricane.  Of course, Murphy's Law dictates that since I didn't drive to hell, I would certainly drive into a hurricane.  Irma, by name.

As I drive south, everyone else seems to be evacuating northbound!

Not one to change plans unless something truly dire happens, I decided to stick with previous arrangements.  Thankfully, a friend had a hurricane-proof, cement garage that would easily accommodate the RV.  That made weathering the storm in Florida a reasonable activity.  Thanks to the actual track followed by Irma and the fact that the garage was several miles inland, for me, Irma was a non-event.  Not true for so many others across Irma's path, but I was highly blessed and fortunate to enjoy a passover for this terrible weather event.

These photos are examples of the damage around the neighborhood where I rode out Irma.  Ugly but minimal, compared to the devastation in other areas like the Florida coast and Caribbean.

I stopped in a rest area off I-95 and felt
lucky to capture this racoon on camera!

Eclipse, Russell's 60th, Wildwood Park, NY - August 21-28, 2017

After hauling Irish Rover and storing her in a mine in Pennsylvania, I drove to southern Illinois to meet a college buddy, Kim Koch, who travelled to Europe with me in 1980.  Our plan was to meet long enough to see the Solar Eclipse, in TOTALITY!

Map is courtesy of NASA, Crab Orchard location added by CaptMurph

Kim was driving from St. Louis, returning from a trip of his own, so we met in Mt. Vernon, IL, a few miles north of the area expecting to experience the Total Eclipse.  As we drove south, the traffic increased to a virtual parking lot on Interstate 57, north of Marion, IL.  Since we only needed a clear view of the sky, we left the highway and fled southeast along the minor tracks and byways of rural Illinois.  We found our spot just north of Crab Orchard, IL at a small turnoff into a corn field.  A hand full of other people were also there to experience the Solar Eclipse.

Kim Koch

CaptMurph in "Eclipse Mode"

Our setup for watching the Eclipse

While I tried to take photos with my mobile phone, the phone's camera only showed a white spot of the sun, never showing what we saw through our eclipse glasses or (only very briefly during totality) with our naked eyes.  It was an amazing experience as the  light dimmed slightly similar to dusk in summertime, yet rather eerie as the light came from overhead, not the horizon.  Then just as the moon slipped entirely between us and the sun, the landscape went dark.  Not so dark that the stars came out, but we could clearly see Venus and Jupiter.  We also saw in the seconds immediately before and after totality the "snakes" (shadow bands) wiggling across the ground.

For some NASA images of the eclipse, click the image below.

Image is courtesy of NASA

There's a great eclipse photo shot by a photographer from his airplane seat.  Check this website for the story.

Photo (C) by Jon Carmichael

Once the eclipse was over, I took Kim back to his car and I hightailed it across the country in time to join my brother, Russell, as he celebrated his 60th birthday.  Russ rented a place at the beach in Rockaway, so I set up camp in Wildwood State Park.  The trip across Long Island proved to be rather long, so I stayed overnight at Russ's beach place to enjoy two birthday dinners with him and family, then I returned to camp while he was joined by friends and family for another two days on the beach.

Russell's Birthday dessert

CaptMurph, Russell, Fusheng, Tony, Margaret - Family Dinner

Russell in his natural habitat - The Beach!

It was easy to find Russ's beach party!

Margaret and Katy set up early for the big party

Russell and cousin Katy from Nevada

Wildwood State Park campsite

Cross Country by RV: PA, OH, IL, NY, FL, NC, MD, CO, AZ, July 16-December 9, 2017

Sailing and Camping in Ohio and Pennsylvania - July 16 - August 15, 2017 (Click thru the "Newer Posts" at Bottom)

Now that I'm confirmed as a bachelor on my own again, I split my time.  First with camping and visiting family & friends in western Pennsylvania, then sailing with friends out of Sandusky, Ohio.

Pool at Hart's Content Campground, Beaver Falls, PA

Playground at Hart's Content Campground, Beaver Falls, PA

It was great seeing my son, Paul, his wife, Kelsey and their daughter.  Yep, I love being a grandpa!  I found a nice campground near Beaver Falls where Paul and his family live.

Paul and his family as we leave after a summer evening playing in the park.  Avery Mae and I had such a good time, I was too busy for pictures.  :-)

Keith and I met with our old sailing buddy, Capt. Jim Clark and enjoyed a fine lunch at a local Mexican restaurant in New Kensington, PA.

July 22-27, 2017
After several days in western PA, I returned to Sandusky, Ohio to stay aboard Irish Rover at the Sandusky Sailing Club (SSC).  She was in great shape and ready to go sailing.  Unfortunately, there was actually too much wind for both me or my little cruiser to feel comfortable sailing so we played pickleball at a nearby park.

Irish Rover in her slip, buttoned up for the coming high winds.

A most beautiful disc golf course at Osborne MetroPark, Huron, Ohio.

After playing pickleball with some new friends, I'd play a few rounds of disc golf at the park's flower-bordered course.

July 28-30, 2017
Jack VanArsdale joined me for some sailing, but with the blustery breeze, we waited until Saturday afternoon when the windy air calmed to about 15 knots. 

Sandusky Bay Sail

As the open lake still had waves over 5 feet high, we sailed the calm waters of Sandusky Bay, a real treat as Jack and I had not sailed together for about 3 years.  As one of Kelly IV's regular crew, Jack and I have sailed together for several days each summer over the past decade or more. 

Sail to Kelleys Island with Jack

On Sunday, we sailed to Kelly's Island for a nice lunch and returned to the SSC.

July 30 - August 1, 2017
Shortly after Jack departed, Bob Zimmerman arrived for a few days of sailing.  As the winds had calmed, we were able to enjoy a terrific sail to Middle Bass Island on Monday.  It was particularly enjoyable as all the weekenders (especially the large wake-producing powerboaters) were gone.  Just Irish Rover, some ferries, a few distant fisherman and small boat cruisers slicing through Lake Erie's clear, freshwater waves.

Bob and Irish Rover before we depart SSC.

Irish Rover reaching under Drifter and Mainsail by Bob Zimmerman

Bob Z. sail to Middle Bass Island

Bob and I did a "walkabout" the small island as we explored the new state park, campgrounds, rocky beach and a couple small resorts.  The new marina is very nice, especially as our few weekday neighbors were quiet and considerate.  We met a gent from Indiana who owns a fleet of old wooden powerboats including a few Lyman's.  Very impressive runabouts from the 50s and 60s.  The next day we sailed back to SSC and Bob returned to the working world, while I continued my single man's lifestyle of retired living.

August 1-10, 2017
The lure of my new-to-me RV was calling, so I returned to western PA visiting Paul and family briefly, then setting up camp in Rose Point, PA.  It was close to Moraine State Park where I spent most mornings doing my exercises and run.  OK, what I do is so slow that most folks would have trouble deciding whether I was walking fast or jogging.  The term "run" would not enter most minds.  :-)

Over the weekend, I visited my brother, John, and his son, Patrick, in Columbus, Ohio, including Sunday morning church service with them.  A bit of a change from my church in Annapolis, but uplifting just the same.

Hopes of sailing a few days with good friend, Nino, and his son, Nick, were rudely dashed by car trouble that pinned them in Pittsburgh.  Thankfully, Bill and Sarah Paviol had no issues with their car and they arrived at the SSC raring to go sailing aboard Irish Rover.  We awoke and departed for South Bass Island with a terrific breeze out of the northwest.  With full jib and mainsail, we tacked out of Sandusky Bay, and pointed as close upwind as Irish Rover would let us.  In fact, we are able to sail significantly higher into the wind on Irish Rover than on Kelly IV.

Irish Rover underway by Sarah Paviol

Bill Paviol at the helm by Sarah Paviol

Sail track of the Paviol Sail

GLCC Rendezvous, Sturgeon Bay, WI - July 5-15, 2017

The RV took us from Sandusky to Kewaunee, Wisconsin by way of Toledo, Elkhart, Chicago and Milwaukee.  Although traffic was occasionally heavy it was never unbearable.  As I drove more miles per day than originally planned, we decided to spend a couple nights relaxing in a quiet campground in Kewaunee.

Our track from Sandusky to Sturgeon Bay

In Kewaunee we just wandered around the campground, enjoyed playing horseshoes, and found a game that was both fun and new-to-us: ladderball.

Karen scored a ringer

Murph's high score in ladderball

We even set up the grill for a nice cookout.

The weather for the GLCC Rendezvous was nice for the first couple days, then turned a bit wet and cold, but we enjoyed the activities including a firstimers gathering, welcome reception, opening ceremony, commercial tug and museum tour, maritime seminars, a play at the Penninsula Players, and the Commodore's Dinner and Finale.

We decided to avoid Chicago and enjoy a boat trip for part of our trip to Pittsburgh, our next planned destination.  We booked passage for ourselves and the RV aboard the ferry, S.S. Badger, to cross Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI.

Karen had an airline ticket from Pittsburgh to Florida to fly home to supervise installation of hurricane shutters so we drove her to Pittsburgh and parted ways on July 15.

The RV track to Pittsburgh includes the crossing of Lake Michigan

It is WARMER in Sandusky, Ohio! June 25 - July 5, 2017

Wow, what a difference a few degrees in latitude makes!

We took a couple days to make our way south including a nice stop in Goderich, Ontario.  We were impressed with the Caribbean hue of the Lake Huron waters at Goderich.  I should have taken photos to show how clear and blue the lake was that day.

Karen served as photographer for a family enjoying the sun and view

The campground at Huron River Valley Resort, Huron, Ohio hosted us for a couple nights.

Our site overlooked the campground marina

Karen peeks out of the coach with Irish Rover still behind us in the campsite.

We found new friends at the Sandusky Sailing Club (SSC) in Sandusky, Ohio.  As a Great Lakes Cruising Club member and fellow ILYA member, the SSC welcomed Irish Rover and helped us launch and raise her mast.  We were able to return the favor by retrieving their lost block and tackle tail from the top of their mast hoist.  The climb to my masthead enable the photos below. 

The Flying Scott fleet returns from their North American championship races.

Irish Rover aft of the mast

  

Irish Rover foredeck

The next day we had a wonderful sail from Sandusky to Kelleys Island, Karen's first visit to the fresh water isles in western Lake Erie.

Irish Rover in her slip at Portside Marina, Kelleys Island while Karen & I enjoyed a lakeside lunch

The next few days were forecasted to be cool and rainy, so we set up camp at East Harbor State Park on Catawba Island, Ohio and visited South Bass Island via Miller's Ferry.

The ship Benson Ford, formerly a laker on the freshwater shipping lanes,
now fitted as a home on South Bass Island,
overlooking Lake Erie from the west side of the island.

At our Catawba Island campground, we met a couple who shipped their RV from Austria to the USA via freighter!  They've spent the past year touring all over our grand country.

Very unique RV sight for US campers

The European Union license plate and Austrian flag caught our eye, as well

We enjoyed a game of disc golf on the wooded course at the state park.  My son, Allen IV, introduced us to this game, so we had to try it for ourselves.

We finally did a short cruise with Irish Rover, sailing to Middle Bass Island from the Sandusky Sailing Club.

Irish Rover's track to Kelleys and Middle Bass Islands.

The marina was very nice and the walk around the newly refurbished Lonz Winery and state park was wonderful as was breakfast at the new cafe north of Hazard's Resort.  Sadly, the dock neighbors were less than ideal so we sailed to the anchorage on the west of Kelleys Island, just south of the old quarry pier for some quiet time.

Once anchored we noticed Irish Rover was rolling more than usual as the waves were coming from offshore at a widely different angle than the wind, we rigged a "bridle" to pull the bow around as Irish Rover rides the small waves more calmly with the bow into the waves.

Irish Rover riding her "bridle," bow into the waves

The sunset view from our anchorage looking over South Bass Island was gorgeous.

We returned to the Sandusky Sailing Club with a brisk breeze on our beam and enjoyed a terrifc sail, never using the motor until we dropped our sails just off the club marina.  Staying in the channel was a bit challenging but mastering that was a good feeling!  We cleaned up Irish Rover as we'd be leaving her in Sandusky while we drove the RV to the Great Lakes Cruising Club Rendezvous in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.