August heat

Finally leaving Urbanna and on our way to Reedville. Very hot and humid. Guess this is the weather everyone down here was warning us about. As long as there is a bit of a breeze, we can take it. Reedville was interesting as it once was a thriving community based on several fish factories, but now only one remains in operation. Definatly smells like a fish factory! Happened upon a fund raiser at the Fisherman's museum and enjoyed a pig roast with a dj and dancing on Saturday night. We were a bit rusty o n the dancing ,but soon got into the "swing" of it. After a few days in Reedville we went out for a great sail--one way to keep cool-- and then into Mill Creek. One of the prettier creeks we have been in. Hardly any one there and no jelly fish so was great to go swimming. Two other boats came over that we had met in Reedville so we also beat the heat by just having a great get-to-gether on our boat with conversation, sharing of food, music with guitar (Arnold knew every Bob Dylan, Beatles, and Paul Simon song as well as all of his British off color ditties) and we hada great time. Turns out that David had almsot bought our boat when it was for sale in Florida! What a small world.
Now we are in Indian Creek near a marina and the town of Kilmonock. This is really a town with stores etc. People here are very hospitable and we got a ride the mile and half to town, did laundry and ate lunch out. Hamberger was $2.19! Then since the manager of the grocery store offered to give us a ride back to the marina, we stoked up on all sorts of provisions for the boat. It is nice to be able to have canned goods on hand when needed, but gee those grilled burgers with fresh lettuce and tomato sure tasted good tonight

Urbanna

Alas--we are stranded in Urbanna. The motor for the dingy is acting up and must be clogged with something as it is not getting fuel through. So we have ben in Urbanna for ----this is the 6th day!!!!! Entertainment???? Of course! The Buy Boat festival was here Friday and Saturday. If you don't know what a Buy Boat is just go look it up. these are all restored and the folks love to gather to show them off. saturday night a rousing bluegrass/gosple concert to support the rescue squad. The music was fun, but I felt like I had gone back in time and place to the mid-west about 50 years ago. We must have been the youngest people there, but we REALLY enjoyed the array of desserts that erveryone had brought! Sunday morning there was the Lutheran Worship meeting in the 1740 court house that is now the home of the women's club. Seemed a lot like Saturday night only people were dressed a bit more fancy and there were fewer of them. Iced tea at the coffee shop! Monday lunch at the only diner in town that was open--evening walks when the air cools down a bit and it is not raining. The people have been very friendly and helpful--picking us up to go and use their land phone--picking us up to get the motor--taking Darrell and the motor to another town to get it fixed--offering use of their home laundry if we need it (but I have just been handwasing on the boat) I have appreciated the Southern Hospitality but am ready to leave Urbana!

last two weeks

These last two weeks have been mostly hanging out. We pulled into Jackson Creek near Deltaville so that we can make connections with Darrell's brother and family. We had all of them down here and took all of the nephews and their partners out for a sail and then we had barbeque picnic. The weekend of the 26-27 we left the boat at the Deltaville Marina and went to Richmond where we did some shopping and relaxed at Bernie and Ginger's house and this time their son Paul came and did his famous barbequed ribs. Good thing we put boat on slip as Sunday afternoon there was quite a storm with 50 knot winds and two boats on anchor let go. When we got back on Monday, it was also thunderstorms and we had to help an older gentleman reanchor two times. Off we went to Carter Creek to a lovely Hopps cove. More protected area and again sat out thunderstorms with winds up to 40 knots. Anchor holds well once we get it set in good! The town of Irvington here is like most we have seen---once a busy port or center, but now struggling to find an economy to survive. Steamboats came here and there is a good museum. We walked around and had a very good lunch at the Local. thursday JUly 30 we set out across the Rappohonock River to Urbanna as we thought we could get phone service there. No ATT service!!!, but an interesting town and we could use the WIFI at the library so busy e-mailing rather than phoning.

Ospreys

As I have mentioned before, everywhere we go there are osprey nests with one or two chicks in them. We have enjoyedwatching the parents scoop down and get a fish and either bring it to the nest forthe chicks or go off to another place and eat the fish themselves. Last night there was such a ruckus at the osprey nest near our boat. We could not figure out what was going on. We have been watchingthis nest all week as we are anchored in Jackson Creek and this time the sounds and agitation of the birds was much stronger. This morning we woke up and guess what? No nest! No chicks! They were getting big and we were wondering when they left the nest on their own. I think this was the way to force them out into the world. Just off you go and there is no home to come back to! I recall some humans resorting to a similar pattern when they could not get the young adults out of the house, they just sold the house and rented a small apartment with no room for the kids.

Deltaville

Came into Jackson Creek a week ago. The Deltaville Marina and Boat Yard is very accommodating, with lots of services. We are staying here for the week to visit with Darrell's brother and his family as well as get our davit cable repaired. This is a good opportunity to use our bikes and Darrell's brother left a car for us as well. Had a good weekend with all the nephews and their partners/kids. Had a very gentle sail on Saturday and a more invigorating one on Sunday, but on Sunday, dolphins came and played around our boat for a ways. Of course as soon as I got out the camera and tried to get a picture, they were off behind us. I like to reflect on the line from an Indigo Girls song, "don't take a picture, remember it in your head" and I think they have the right idea. Our plan this week is to explore the area, restock the boat, decide if we are going to do the InterCoastal Waterway( at this point it is 565 miles to savanah Georgia and not too much along the way but motoring down a canal, so we may decide to make that a car trip instead.) and visit Darrell's brother at their home near Richmond VA.

wild life

found out that the animal we had been wseeing that someone told us was a skate is really a sting ray or cowshead ray. also the osprey abound in these waters as well as the blue heron. We also saw some white egrets at St Leonards creek and often deer grazing on people;s lawns. As we got to the Patuxent River, pelicans have been out in the bay and also at the mouths of the rivers. Even as we were crossing the bay with good wind and spray coming over the bow of the boat, the pelicans just keep on sitting around on the water, diving for fish and gliding through the air. They say there are dolphins in this area but we have yet to see any.

Solomons island

THere is much history here especially around the war of 1812. St Leonards Creek is one place where the British were beat back by a flotilla of Americans in all their small boats, but alas, it did not last long as the British continuedup the Patuxent River and crossed land to burn Washington DC and the Americans destroyed the flotilla rather than let it get into British hands. One does get a different slant on history here in the south compared to the midwest or new england point of view!!! Solomons Island is a tourist place, marinas, restaurants, the Calvert museum etc. It is also an old place that had boat building and shipping of crabs, oysters and fish. We were here for the weekend so it was quite busy and now a bridge connects it to the mainland so easy for people to get to it. Attended the old little Episcople church and everyone was very friendly. also went to the calvert museum where there were good displays of the fossils from the digging right here at the Calvert Cliffs as well as other maritine exhibits. Now that wehave an agenda to be at Deltaville by Wed July 15 we cannot just go with the wind so it has been sail, motor sail and just old motor as we head south, stopping at Jutland Creek near the mouth of the Potomic and at Sandy Point on the Great Wicomic. I do prefer to go with the wind and to also stay at a place if we are enjoying it. May double back after visiting with Darrell's brother and his family .