Friday, September 30, 2011

Back on board.

Dena and I are back on board Hold Fast in Solomons. It feels good to be back after such a difficult trip. We will remain in Solomons to get some choirs done then head to St Marys around Oct 8.

Thank You for your thoughts and prayers.
Peace to all
Myron

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{GMST}38|19.555|N|076|27.168|W|Calvert Marina|Solomons{GEND}

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Celebrating the life of my father

We thank you for your prayers and we appreciate your support during this time of grief. We are working through the grief and into the celebration of the life of my father who passed away September 9th. Working with the family to sift through years of photographs was surprisingly helpful in dealing with my loss. There are many great memories and only a portion where caught on film. Please keep my family and especially my mother in your prayers. Soon the visitors will dwindle down and she will be left to start a new life without her husband of 58 years.

Peace to all,
Myron

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

La Trappe to Solomons

We had quite a romp down to Solomons yesterday. The forecast called for 15 to 20 knots with gusts to 25, seas at 3 feet. In the northern portion of the sail, we could have added 5 knots to all those numbers in the forecast. We encountered small squalls throughout the trip. As to the wind and seas, the bulk of the heavy work was exiting the Choptank River with wind against tide. We started with a single reef and then had to triple reef the main and sheet out only a tee shirt of jib to keep her under six knots. Our purpose for slowing down was to gain better control in the close seas. The wind and swell eased up the further we came south. We sailed through the bridge and motored up to Mill Creek. Our anchor is dug in at a protected anchorage to wait out the blow and some thunderstorms. We are expecting favorable winds tomorrow for making more miles south. The weather for this time period is the result of a cold front encountering the remnants of TS Lee.
From Choptank River

We enjoy this anchorage on Mill Creek because we have room to put out more scope for holding and when the wind is right, we are on the final approach for the military aircraft at the research facility. It is hard to get anything done when we run out every 10 minutes to look at another plane!

I think I have mentioned we have been told we are heading south too soon, that everyone waits until October when it is cold to head south. As Arizonans and former Floridians, in our opinion 65 degrees is cold. Hey, we saw the geese working south already! While it pulled at our heart strings to leave the pleasant cruising grounds around the Choptank River area, we feel drawn south. For now, we will try to take advantage of the cold fronts coming from the north.

Again, we thank you for your prayers and thank God that Katia is making a turn north and forecast to go eastward. Now we shall watch tropical storm Maria as she is making her way west.

We have received news that Myron's dad is in the hospital and we are trying to get further information. We ask for your prayers for Myron's dad, mother and all the family. We do not know at this point what impact this may have on our cruising plans.

Love to all,
Dena


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{GMST}38|20.138|N|076|30.210|W|Mill Creek|Solomons{GEND}

Sunday, September 4, 2011

La Trappe to Cambridge

We pulled into Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin Saturday morning. Myron planned to do engine work here and had parts delivered before our arrival. Although this marina is lumpy and we jerk hard against our piling lines, we still feel more secure doing engine work here than on the hook. I just finished working through a mountain of laundry. Yesterday we provisioned with as much as we could carry in backpacks on bikes.

We enjoy the town of Cambridge, and even more the Baptist Church. We attended church there again today and received the same fellowship in the Spirit that we did a month ago. What a blessing.

We appreciate your continued prayers about Katia. The forecast models, by people a lot smarter than me, show her heading eastward after Bermuda. That would be good, at least for us. We will probably see some rain from TS Lee, but do not expect the winds. Praise be to God.

Not sure where we are headed tomorrow, the winds are not favorable for heading south. If we can communicate, we will let you know after we drop the hook.

Love to all,
Dena

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{GMST}38|34.568|N|076|04.423|W|Cambridge Marina|Cambridge{GEND}

Friday, September 2, 2011

San Domingo Creek to La Trappe

San Domingo Creek allows a round about way to reach St. Michaels. We took our dink in, tied up and explored. Mostly we explored with new found friends on a 65' Choy Lee. It is a quaint town and a pleasure to wander for a couple of days. We highly recommend a stop to that town from the south side. We also ran into friends we made back at Elizabeth City. It would have been a really quiet anchorage except for the chain saws and mulchers busy removing evidence of hurricane Irene.

Labor Day weekend is upon us. We were not sure where we should go to avoid crowds, and not entirely sure that is at all possible. Our plan is to be in Cambridge and attend the church we so appreciated. After that, we are not sure. It all depends upon the weather.

We still appreciate prayers that TS Katia turn easterward and leave the coast alone.

Love to all,
Dena

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{GMST}38|37.954|N|076|07.186|W|Anchored La Trappe|La Trappe{GEND}