Have you ever seriously thought about living your dream? We did and now we are full time cruisers onboard M/V Big Run. Everyday is a new page to be written in our ship's log as we travel to new places and revisit some ol' favorites. Come along and share our experiences and journeys.

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Welcome to our Adventure

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Coast Of Africa

     On Sunday morning, in what was to have been the trailing effects of Hurricane Irene as she moved up the coast towards New England, we were battered with some of the strongest gusts of the storm.  As the day progressed the winds began to calm down, and we ventured out of the boat to check for damage.  Although we never did feel the brunt of the storm, and slept through what was thought to be the time frame of peak sustained winds, the boat was free of damage.  [Insert big sigh of relief.]  By Sunday afternoon, Sharon and I began to reassemble the boat.  Sunday evening was very calm with no wind, and the water was dead flat calm.  You never would have thought that just 12 hours prior we were experiencing some very stout winds from the NW.  The only immediate tell tale sign of the storm for us was that the water was littered with leaves and small branches.  However, on Monday the waters turned chocolate brown with silt from the rain runoff.  Our little world was intact, but the outside world was dealing with massive power outages, 100 year floods, downed trees and other hurricane damage. From all reports, it appears New England suffered the most damage from Hurricane Irene, because of the extensive flooding, although when she arrived in New England, Hurricane Irene had been downgraded to a tropical depression.  Now, the National Weather Service is tracking yet another "storm", Katia,  just off the coast of Africa.  

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Goodnight Irene

     It was last Tuesday, the day of the earthquake on the east coast, that Sharon and I decided to continue our trek north.  We decided to head back to Rock Hall for a couple of reasons, but the most pressing reason was Hurricane Irene.  We arrived at Reed Creek on the Chester River late Wednesday afternoon because we were waiting for favorable tide conditions to transit through Kent Narrows Bridge.  That's one place you definitely want the current on your bow.  After anchoring on Reed Creek and getting a weather update on Hurricane Irene, we decided that our favorite gunkhole on the Langford Creek would make for a better hurricane hole.  When you live on a boat you have three options with respect to hurricanes:  1) go to a marina, 2) have the boat hauled out on to land, or 3) go find a hurricane hole and ride out the storm on the hook,   We chose the latter.  We moved up to Millstone Point on Thursday and spent the entire day on Friday preparing the boat for Category 1 hurricane conditions.  The bimini canvas and frame were removed from the flybridge,  the mast was lowered and the kayaks each recieved additional strapping.  Next we took care of everything on the foredeck and cockpit.  Basically, if we thought it was possible for the wind to pick something up, we stowed it inside the boat.  We even got out the duct tape and closed off some vents and hatches that we thought wind driven rain could use to enter the boat.  Our next task was to set up our 2-anchor design for winds clocking from the NE to the N and then to the NW as Hurricane Irene moved up the east coast.  Our main anchor, a 66 lb. Bruce anchor, was set with 175 feet of chain to a northeasterly direction from the boat's location.  The second anchor, which we will call a storm anchor, is a very large Danforth style anchor.  The Danforth was set to the northwest of the boat with 210 feet of 1" triple braid.  Along with about 100 other small tasks, our hurricane preparations were complete.
      Saturday, the day of Hurricane Irene's arrival, was a day of waiting.  The morning started overcast but very calm.  Gradually, as the morning wore on, the wind started as a very light breeze.  The rain started at 10:30 a.m. as a drizzle, and you could start to see the leaves turning on the trees from the increase in the wind.  By 1:00 p.m., the rain was a little heavier, and the boat was starting to react to the stronger wind.  That afternoon Sharon and I decided to prepare a "ditch bag" with the essentials, a laptop, portable VHF radio, GPS unit, flashlight and other keepsakes.  We also dressed for the occasion with our quick drying kayak clothing.  By 5:00 p.m. the wind was very strong and the rain was much heavier.  For dinner we had some of Sharon's delicious chilli and corn beard.  By 7:00 p.m. the winds were very strong, in the 40-50 mph range with gust to 60 mph.  We hunkered down and maintained a vigil on the anchor and the TV.  The local stations had gone to full time coverage of the hurricane with reports from Baltimore, Annapolis, Easton and Ocean City, MD.  At times we found the field reports very amusing, and we waited with anticipation of one young man's reports from Ocean City, MD.  After a short nap by yours truly at midnight, Sharon and I called it quits at 12:30 a.m. and said "Goodnight Irene"

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

What's Next?

     The above photo is one that was taken one week ago on Monday.  As we were heading north on the Chesapeake Bay to the Choptank River, we were watching weather radar as storms approached us from the west.  The photo is of a funnel cloud that we watched develop from infancy.  Of the 6 photos I took,  this is the best photo and shows it's early development. Although it never matured into a tornado or a water spout, it did command our attention.
     Today, as Sharon and I were working on the boat we experienced a series of vibrations go through the boat.  Each set of vibrations were stronger than the previous set.  Once again, as with the Great Dismal Swamp smoke, I found myself making a general inspection of the boat and found nothing to cause alarm.  Later in the day, Sharon discovered on the internet that we had experienced our first earthquake.  Apparently a 5.8 magnitude earthquake 100 miles away can create enough of a shock wave in the water to feel it rumble through the boat.
     This next weekend, on Sunday, just in case we get bored, we are expecting to up the excitement a little with the arrival of Hurricane Irene.  Funnel clouds, earthquakes and hurricanes, what's next?

Thursday, August 18, 2011

M/V Lowe Key


This is M/V Lowe Key of Cambridge, MD.  She is a 1986 Kadey Krogen, hull #93.  Shown here anchored on Dun Cove, Harris Creek on the Choptank River.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I Want One

       We left the Potomac River on Monday and were cruising north on the Chesapeake Bay, almost due east of Solomons, MD when I turned for unknown reasons in time to see these two boats approaching us from the stern.  I do not know what they are, they look like a government experimental craft.  They are very fast and I want one.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Rain, Damn It, Rain

     Here's the situation - you live on a boat.  You're anchored 1/4 mile from shore.  You're asleep in your stateroom.  Hey, it doesn't get any better than that, but wait, you're awakened by the smell of smoke.  It's not the typical smell of  smoke you would expect on a boat.  You might expect to smell smoke from an electrical fire, or,  in the case of Big Run, the raunchy smell of burning fiberglass, but that's not the case.  This smoke has the smell of a campfire or a fire burning in the fireplace.  Well, you live on boat.  You don't take a chance.  Everything has to be investigated, even if it's 3 a.m.  You make a general inspection and nothing, but you still smell smoke so you stick your head out the pilothouse door.  Low and behold, the boat is surrounded by a heavy haze that you can see because of the full moon that has the night lit up like day.  That heavy haze is smoke, and it has penetrated every nook and cranny of the boat. You retire back to bed but are awakened repeatedly through the night as the stench grows stronger.
      The next morning you learn the Dismal Swamp in North Carolina is burning after a lighting strike starts a bush fire, but Big Run is on the Potomac River, between Maryland and Virginia. The Dismal Swamp is 100 miles to the south.  Thanks to some strong southerly winds, the smoke has migrated north blanketing the entire region. Later that morning, the Coast Guard station at Norfolk makes an announcement that they have closed the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) to boating traffic due to the fire.  Additional reports on the internet quote the authorities saying the fire is 10% contained and, without help from mother nature, the fires could burn for weeks, or because of the area being so remote, months!  So a plea goes out to Mother Nature, rain, damn it, rain!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

For All To See

      After departing Washington, DC, our plans were to return to Mt. Vernon and take the tour of George Washington's estate.  Once again we anchored in front of Mt. Vernon, directly in front of the home.  We then lowered the dinghy from the top deck so that we could get an early start the next morning.  Our research on the internet reported the estate was open at 8 a.m. for tours.  The next morning we took the dinghy to the Mt. Vernon docks only to find that the estate did not open till 9 a.m.  We decided to go exploring on a nearby creek, Little Hunting Creek, which was a nice way to kill some time.  Finally, at 9 a.m. we returned to the docks to start our tour.  Mt. Vernon estate (grounds) has dramatically changed since my visit there many years ago.  We toured the home which has not changed in many years and for reasons unknown to me they do not allow you to take photos of the interior, I should have asked why.  We were very disappointed with the outbuildings as the ones we did visit were reconstructed buildings.  We were impressed with the new visitor's center that was built recently and includes a museum and an educational center, both are highly recommended.  The visitor's center is away from George's house and is very well hidden from the home and surroundings, separating the old from the new.  After returning to the boat we discovered that we did not take many pictures, due to all the photo restrictions, but we did get a photo of Big Run anchored in front of George's house for all to see
View of the Potomac River (and Big Run) from the porch of Mt Vernon.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Dust Pan and Brush


     We spotted these two vessels on the Potomac River as we were departing from Washington, DC.  From their markings, one can decipher that they are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  The vessel in the upper photo with a basket mounted on a forklift type hydraulic unit will scoop up large branches and logs floating in the water.  The vessel in the lower photo is of the same design, however for this operation has a small barge attached in the front.  The upper vessel scoops up the debris and deposits the material on the barge of the lower vessel.  Just think of it as a very expensive dust pan and brush.



Monday, August 8, 2011

Around Town

     Pictorial essay of our adventure in and around Washington, DC.

 




 Smithsonian Institute - "The Castle" tower.






Sharon playing the role of a tourist and checking the official tour map!







Washington Monument














The Capitol dome.






 



Statue at northwest corner of US Capitol.










World War II Memorial





Ceiling of Statutory Hall - US Capitol





Smithsonian American Art Museum (3rd floor)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Smithsonian Institute Art Collections

     Statues/Sculptures at the National Art Museum






Smithsonian American Art Museum









 

National Portrait Gallery









Friday, August 5, 2011

Nation's Capital








RIGHT - West (front) View of Capital





LEFT - North  View of Capitol





RIGHTEast (rear) View of Capitol 





LEFT - House of Representatives





RIGHT - Senate





LEFT & BELOW - Interior Views of Capital Dome




Thursday, August 4, 2011

USS Sequoia


     This is the former presidential yacht USS Sequoia.  The Sequoia is a 104' Trumpy design built in 1925/26 for a private individual who then resold the vessel to the president of the Sequoia Oil Company.  In 1931 the US Government purchased the vessel for prohibition sting operations and this was the start of her government service.  Today the vessel is in private ownership and is available for private charters.  In the photo below, the Sequoia is shown with Big Run after she was moved to our dock for a private reception.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

More George

     Photos of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, VA




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