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Cat TalesApril 1997 |
Wayne Savage,Vice Commodore
Our March 21st meeting at the Fleet
Reserve Club was a great success. We had John Griffiths lead off with a slide
presentation and discussion of just some of his blue water sailing in the
Caribbean and Canada. He was followed by Gerry Helldorfer who is proposing a
1997 CCYC blue water event - sailing around the Delmarva.
John is
currently a yacht surveyor and consultant specializing in damage claims and
condition, valuation and purchase surveys. With his wife and son, John spent a
year cruising through the Bahamas and Caribbean Islands taking pictures and
visiting most of the islands. His slides showed us many of the sights on
out-of-the-way islands we haven't seen from the cruise ships or during our
charters from Tortola.
John then put his slide tray of a trip to Canada
into the projector. The differences between the Caribbean and the Bay of Fungi
were distinct: from bright sunny days to grey overcast skies and mist; from
lots of sailors to being in the huge Bay of Fungi and seeing only 1 or 2 boats
in a day; from sandy beaches to pine forests. But the common denominator -
sailing - made it fit together. One of the most interesting places John showed
us was the reversing waterfall on the St. Johns River at New Brunswick. Because
of the large and fast tidal change in that area, the St. Johns River carries
the flow of a very large volume of water in, and out, of the Bay of Fungi. This
creates a time during the incoming tide when the water is moving so fast that
the level of the water coming upstream raises to turn a waterfall into flat
water. This is the only time in which a boat can get through the channel. The
rest of the day this point is a roaring fall. It was amazing to see shots of
the same place, just hours apart. If the landmarks weren't there, no one would
guess they were of the same spot.
After John got us all excited about
ocean sailing, Gerry introduced a proposal to have a 1997 CCYC sailing event
that circumnavigates the Delmarva. This is a great idea to get some
other-than-Bay-sailing experience. Gerry explains below.
Gerry Helldorfer, Looking Glass
Dreaming of
sailing into the sunset? Thinking of a year in the Caribbean? Planning to do
the Caribbean 1500? Wondering what an offshore passage is like? Here is your
chance to take the next step. It's the CCYC Great Delmarva
Circumnavigation.
This cruise is your chance to experience the adventure
of going offshore on a short, safe cruise. Here are a few things that are
different from the Chesapeake Bay cruises we do every summer: sail all night;
navigate in unfamiliar water; use Marine SSB or Ham SSB; cook/eat/sleep
underway; use things common to offshore sailing - jacklines, harnesses, lee
cloths; stand 4-hour watches.
We will put together at least two boats
and crews - more boats are better. Crew size will be four people minimum and
six maximum. We will travel together all 355 miles, stopping only for fuel and
water, as necessary. Leaving from Annapolis on a Thursday in early September,
we would head north in the Bay, through the C&D Canal and south in the
Delaware Bay. We would wait at Cape May for acceptable ocean weather, if
necessary, and return to Annapolis if the weather doesn't cooperate. The ocean
leg is about 100 miles and will take a day. Then it's back up the Bay to
Annapolis. Typical fuel or water stops might be at Chesapeake City, Cape May,
Norfolk or the Great Wicomico River, or maybe no stops at all if the winds are
good. This is not a race and we would motor anytime our speed falls below three
knots. If we leave on a Thursday, we will be home on Sunday. (355mi @ 5kts is
71 hours - that's about 3 days. Add some upwind work and a few fuel stops and
it will be four days.)
What will it cost? Less than $100 per person.
This covers offshore boat insurance, fuel and food. For boats with crews, we
would pool the cost and split it among the participants. Interested? Please see
me at one of the club events or give me a call at (301) 424-2833. There are
still plenty of changes we could make. We could go on Labor Day weekend and
leave on Friday or Saturday. We need boats. I'm sure club members will help get
your boat ready and clean up after the cruise. We will take our Gulfstar 43 (if
we still own it) but we must have at least two boats. Want to crew? Got a
friend with a boat who might like to join us and take a few of our
members?
So far, I have received enough response to support two boats
and crews. This will be a new facet of sailing for some and a good time for
all. Hope you will come along.
The kickoff for our season with the annual flag raising brunch at the
Bay Ridge Inn in Annapolis on the 12th of April was a big success.
For
those who attended, the food was delicious and plentiful and Pat Vojtech's
presentation to our group was the perfect after-meal treat. Pat is a
contributing editor to the Chesapeake Bay Magazine, as well as the Cruising
Guide to the Chesapeake Bay. She shared many of her sailing experiences on the
Bay aboard her Hunter 34. She included many fantastic photos she had taken that
aptly showed the beauty of our Bay. Pat has written several books about the
Bay, including one about Skipjacks and another about the lighthouses of the
Chesapeake. The copies she brought with her were quickly snapped up.
Gerry Helldorfer, Looking Glass
We're
planning to ultimately take the big cruising step and so we're looking for a
newer offshore cruiser. The plan is to sell Looking Glass, our Gulfstar 43
ketch. If anyone might be interested in moving to a larger boat, please give me
a call and I will tell you about the boat and take you for a sail.
This
is a comfortable cruiser for the Bay and is capable of offshore passages. It is
a 1977 shoal draft model with only 5 ft. draft. It has a reliable 50 hp Perkins
4-108 diesel and has been upgraded recently with Autohelm ST50 instruments,
Navico autopilot, Apelco Loran, Stainless Steel water heater, and new interior
and cockpit cushions. It's in nice condition and includes Crosby refrigeration,
an electric anchor windlass and it carries plenty of fuel and water. There is
also lots of other gear as well, including a deck washdown system, CQR and
Danforth anchors, Force 10 propane grille, propane stove with oven, stereo,
bimini and cockpit enclosure, and small Achillies Inflatable tender. There are
four deck hatches and eight opening ports for great ventilation. The sails
include the main, mizzen, working jib, 150% genoa, and a mizzen
staysail.
If you like to cruise at 7 knots in a big stable boat you'll
love Looking Glass. And the best part - the asking price is only $65,000 - well
below the Buck Book suggested price. Interested? Give me a call at (301)
424-2833.
Joan and Wayne Savage, Second Wind
Joan and
Wayne Savage, with help from Sue and Walt Dennison, have volunteered as the
Raft Captains for 1997's first "sailing" event. Once again this annual event
will be held at Cindy's Marina off Whitehall Bay. Cindy's Marina (Sailor's
Wharf Marina) can be reached both by sea and land.
The event will begin
with cocktail hour at 3:00 pm. Beverages will again be provided by the club,
followed by a potluck dinner, with each boat bringing a covered dish and
utensils for its crew. Call Joan (301-530-0489) to coordinate food
planning.
BY SEA: The marina is about a mile above Cantler's Riverside
Inn on Mill Creek, off Whitehall Bay (just above the Severn River). The
prominent radio towers mark the south entrance to Whitehall Bay. It is 300
yards wide, but stay clear of Hackett Point, which has a wide shoal that
reaches out to the Red #2 buoy. Past Red # 2, proceed 200 yards to a red day
marker, giving it a wide berth to starboard. The entrance to Mill creek is
clearly marked, but pay attention to which marker is next! YOU DON'T WANT TO
CUT ACROSS THE SHOAL. Past the entrance, proceed up the Creek past Cantler's,
on your port. As you pass Cantler's, stay to the starboard side (about 75 feet
from the shore) and make a wide sweep to port. Once around the bend, move back
to the center and continue up the creek until you see the CCYC Raft.
BY
LAND: Cindy's is at the end of Orchard Drive. Turn off Route 50 at Old Mill
Bottom Road and Bay Dale Drive, which is where the Red, Hot and Blue Restaurant
is located. Follow the signs for Old Mill Bottom Road south, and then Route 648
to St. Margarets Road. Take a right and proceed until you see an old grocery
store at a "Y" intersection, where Browns Wood Road joins St. Margarets. Make a
sharp left turn onto Browns Wood Road. At the end of Browns Wood, turn right
onto Orchard Beach Road and take it to the end. Continue past the sign to a
steep driveway and parking.
Let's see how many boats we can have at this
event to get the 1997 sailing schedule off on the right note.