November 5, 2013 After Baltimore…what???

Baltimore - Maryland Yacht Club - Severna Park - Annapolis - Rappahannock Yachts, Irvington, VA

Lots has happened since our last blog over a month ago but nothing too scenic nor exciting but definitely expensive!

While we were in Baltimore, we found out we had a potential issue with our port transmission.  This really didn't come as a surprise because we had the starboard one replaced 3 years ago.  We ordered a new one and made arrangements with a nearby boatyard, Rappahannock Yachts, to do the work.

Enroute, we stopped in Severna Park/Annapolis to visit with Tom and Elinor again and also got together with sailors David and Linda and Walter and Mary.  Weather kept us there for a while but we were able to leave before Tom and Elinor had to claim us as dependents.

We spent a night at Maryland Yacht Club and had dinner with trawler full-time cruising friends, Jim and Peg.  As we were leaving we chatted with a couple we met in Baltimore who are also full-time and call Maryland Yacht Club "home".

We arrived in Irvington 3 weeks ago today--and expected a 2-3 day lay-over at the most.  Long story short, one thing led to another and we'll probably be leaving our children's inheritance right here!!!  Too many engine room "improvements" to enumerate but our teak transom was stripped to bare and is in the process of racking up 10 coats of varnish (temp, humidity, wind have to be just right!); the sign man came last week to take our name boards back to his shop to re-do the gold leaf.  Help me understand why gold leaf stays on castle and cathedral domes in Europe for centuries but began to deteriorate after 7 years on a boat!!!  Today the gel-coat guy is coming to fill in dings.  Our "custom made" shafts (and I thought you'd just pull them off of a supply house shelf) were supposed to arrive here yesterday--now they MAY arrive tomorrow.  This is day 12 on the hard and counting.  Surely hoping to leave here before we have to buy a snow shovel.

This is what "being on the hard" looks like.  We climb a 10' ladder off the stern where swim platform used to be to get on and off.  I've been up and down that ladder so many times I'm feeling like a gerbil in a cage.

Bill has a strange sense of humor.  He calls this
Living High!!!

To me it's more like living in a tree house in a junk yard.

In a few days we commanded an attitude adjustment after finding out we'd be here for an indeterminent amount of time but we concluded that the best route would be to make lemonade out of what we saw as an entire lemon orchard.  It was actually more about the numerous annual medical/dental appointments I made a year ago in Greenville and Mt. Pleasant/Charleston.  I was absolutely insane!    It took me a while to get over it and be thankful we're in excellent health and those appointments were just to confirm that. Of course when I had to cancel them, with a tear in my eye, I learn that they're scheduling out into mid to late 2014.

This boat yard is excellent--the best we've ever used and we're very fortunate to be here.  Bob Smith of American Diesel fame and one of the marinizers of our Ford of England Ford Lehman engines, recommended these guys. The owner is on-site, knowledgeable, and the staff/crew have been here for years.  They work together wonderfully and are the most cohesive "team" I've ever seen.  They have opened their arms embracing us into their family.  

A few days after we got here, friends Bill and Rosemary who have a sister-ship to ours, came for a visit and lunch at the Car Wash Cafe. That was a wonderful diversion.  We don't get to see them as often as we'd like but when we do, the interval between our last visit vanishes and we pick up where we left off. They live in Richmond and have a delightful Rivah House on Glebe Creek nearby and they offered it to us while we are here.

Irvington is another "historic" town.  One restaurant and one coffee shop here. The people are very friendly--I've walked miles since we've been here covering every street in this little hamlet and every single soul I pass either speaks or waves.  I found this sign on one of my walks--probably named for our oldest son.

This is the pool at The Tides Inn, a stone's throw from here.  I've never seen anyone in it so asked if I could purchase a temporary membership and swim while we're here.  Not on your life!!!  So guess it's just for visual enjoyment.

 Day is done as the setting sun sinks below the horizon and the Rappahannock River--as seen from our "treehouse".

 Since the pool is off-limits for me, I've enjoyed the fall colors against the cerulean sky as I walk these winding and deserted country roads.

 If we're here much longer we'll probably have to abandon our Florida "citizenship" and apply for a Green Card for Virginia.  Today I'm cooking a cafeteria-size pot of taco soup for lunch for our new "family".  Each one of them has been stupendous in their expertise and warmth and hospitality to us.

Bill and Laura
Aboard Kindred Spirit III on the hard
Rappahannock Yachts
Irvington, VA