DAY 3 -- September 19, 2009
7:18 am -- As we leave the Canyon Club the sun is shining and there is a chill in the air. Looks like a beautiful day except for the small craft warnings. Captain Ed and Navigator MaryAnn are convinced that by the end of today I will know the true meaning of “rough seas”.
I call Phil who is on his way to his golf game -- he’s playing so much golf while I’m away, he might be ready for the circuit by the time I return.
8:36 am -- we have a problem -- all of a sudden the auto pilot doesn’t work -- the message reads: “Rudder Response Fault”. Ed starts steering the boat manually and is having difficulty --- there is a large red freighter dead ahead of us --- Needless to say Navigator Mary Ann and First Mate Pat are very nervous and find it necessary to vocally show their concern by screaming “EDDIE -- WHERE ARE YOU GOING -- WATCH OUT! Captain Ed, always in control, slows down the boat and we relax.
We discuss whether or not to turn back to Cape May or forge ahead. We continue -- with Captain Ed manually steering the Navigator for 125 miles. We have very rough seas -- I am beginning to get a better definition of just what that means. The waves are 4 to 6 feet. This was a tough day --
As we pull into the Chesapeake Bay -- the good news is that the auto pilot starts to work again -- the bad news is that this means we probably have a steering problem --- Going through the Chesapeake was much better the seas calmed down a bit.
3:30 pm -- we pull into Tidewater Marina outside Norfolk, VA. What a day we have had.
After washing down the boat, showering and tidying up a bit we take a long walk through historic Portsmouth, VA --- we have a nice dinner at the restaurant near the marina and decide to retire early.
Tomorrow begins our voyage down the Inland Waterway -- we are currently at Mile Marker One. The plan is to stay at Pirates Cove Marina in North Carolina. I am told there will be a shopping stop at Coinjock, NC -- we’ll see what we find.
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Coinjock -- what a blast from the past! Any chance of stopping here? You'll probably want to get a little further south than Carolina Beach before stopping, I suppose? (it's pam)
ReplyDeleteWow, what an adventure so far, I was exhausted after reading this blog! Wishing you good luck & calm seas the rest of the trip! kerry
ReplyDeleteMy goodness. Sounds like a fun day! A little anxiety along the way. Chesapeake Bay, our favorite. Enjoy! Sun here. Watching Redskins/Rams at FEDEX field. Jaguars blacked out as you know. Had early lunch at Kingfish Grill, St Augustine and rushed back. Humid, rain off/on, and big clouds. Hope you are having a good day on the water.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeletePaul and I are thinking about you; wish you were closer to Alexandria. Paul said to "keep your life vest on" :-). Paul will give Phil a call soon to check on that golf game. We are thinking of you guys and wish you a safe trip. I love reading the daily blogs.
Take care and we love you.
Josephine and Paul.
I'm getting seasick just thinking about the waves. You have a great captain though, so we won't worry. Glad you're still blogging!
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