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Contessa going Home- going South
Dear friends and dear family,
It has been a very long winter and our Contessa remained on the dry all winterized and wrapped to endure the harsh winter at Haven Harbor Marina in Rock Hall, MD under the watchful eyes of our newly acquired friends and great craftsmen of the boating industry.
It is May and the weather seems to be stabilizing and it is getting warmer. We are anxious to bring her back south into the warmer waters to which she is much more accustomed to and we are more than happy to accommodate that.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Rock Hall, MD – Chesapeake
It has been three weeks since we arrived at Rock Hall to prepare our Contessa for her journey back south going home. The long and cold winter prolonged Haven Harbor Marina in their preparatory work in launching all the winterized boats they housed for the winter. Our Contessa was one of them. Much work has been done by some amazingly capable talents, very capable hands of a couple of Mikes, Rickie and others, as well as under great leadership and dedicated hard work our Contessa is ready and eager to start her journey home.
There is no one more pleased to stand at the helm and take his ship home, then our own Admiral Joe. Fair skies and calm seas to the admiral and his crew!
The morning is mellow, yet the sky is laden with moisture and a very intense sun behind it all pushing its rays through in the attempt of warming the cold waters of the north.
Its 4:15 pm and we are at our first dockage for the night, Dozier’s Regatta Point Marina, Deltaville, VA. Our journey started just about 10AM and mostly was a smooth ride despite a brief intercept of inclement weather which brought in wind and choppy seas. I have never seen so many small boats out there fishing and trolling as today. I suppose everyone got cabin fever and just needed to get out doing their favorite outdoor thing.
Thank God we made it to our dock just in time for this huge storm to pass by. It brought strong gusty winds ranging up to 40 KN and plenty of rain to follow. Maybe a half hour later everything calmed down and we were able to go check in and go have an early dinner at the Railway Restaurant across the creek. As the craw would fly it would be a short run but we needed to drive around the creek and a couple of coves to get to the only restaurant in the neighborhood. The food was decent yet more on the deep-fried side but there was a choice of salads too. The restaurant was filled with people and as the evening progressed more were emerging from the convoluted forested flat areas embracing the coves and creeks of the local area. Early retirement with a dramatic sunset in the distance was very much welcomed as we adjust to our boat living with ease and grace.
C&D Canal – Rock Hall, MD
We have safely and soundly reached the Chesapeake and this time around it is a totally different scenario then when we were going north. The skies are hazy and the relatively calm water displays the same gray look, yet on the radio we hear warnings of severe thunderstorms, lightening and gusty winds reaching over 35 KN accompanied by gulf ball sized hail. The further we go the darker the sky is turning with a clear but eerie opening filled with iridescent light towards the east. That is the direction we are heading. Are we going to make it to our destination before this storm hits or even better, are we going o miss it for it does seem to be moving NE and our direction is SE? May the good Spirits be on our side and watch over us!
Sure enough we did skim the frontal edge of this large storm heading north NE. There is lightning and thunder at display in the not so far distance and the wind has definitely picked up. As we entered the Chesapeake there was barely 5 KN of wind present and the temperature was reading 82 F but now it is all changing very rapidly. The wind is gusting up to 24 KN and the waves are making up some 3-4 ft pushing us of course which constantly needs to be corrected to keep us in line to our destination. Finally we have reached our inlet of Swan Creek after a long detour going further south in order to avoid the shawl that is preventing us to change our direction of travel and head inland. The wind is lying of a bit and we are slowly moving up the creek towards our marina, Heaven Harbour Marina where the Contessa is going to rest for the next several weeks while we go visit some family in Croatia and in Italy too. This will be much fun and I am so looking forward to that new adventure abroad. Joe has mixed feelings for Contessa has become his home and he does not like to leave her behind even for such a joyous occasion as going to Italy and Croatia visiting family and friends and being accompanied by family and friends all along.
My blog shall rest during this time and I will resume as the journey continues going back home, going south to where our journey originated from. There might even be a surprise side trip report, but for now I shall conclude with a farewell till we meet again!
Being here at this safe haven for our Contessa and us is opening up great new possibilities and acquaintances. Wonderful and caring people are surrounding us again and it feels good to be here. Contessa will be well cared for here during our absence. As we stay with her for a while awaiting friends and some family to come and join us we explore the neighborhood, enjoy the marina pool and take advantage of their bike rentals. After the storms have passed a coolness set in but the wind did not subside much. The days are crisp and clear while the rocking continues. In a way I must say, I am glad we are here and not out there. May all of this settle down once we resume our journey going south!
As the days go by and we are not on the move constantly we are on a mission to detail the boat and check every nook and cranny, lift every cover or hatch and remove every item that is not necessarily needed or wanted anymore. It is a tedious job but keeps us very busy and in shape I must say. The more we do now the less work there will be to do once we get back home.
A boat is constant work and needs constant attention that is for sure! You either love it or commit to it or never get into it is my strongest suggestion!
Boating has so much to offer but it does come with a price tag and an abundance of hard work and dedication. Happy boating to all the boaters out there!
The days and weeks go by quickly here in this peaceful setting with all the activities around us and that is good so. A long overdue visit by our dear friends John and Tammy brought a refreshing respite into our daily routine. We went out to dinner and visited the nearby town of Chestertown which has so much history to offer from times of the patriots and tea parties, tax laws imposed by the British and so much more. The good old hotel Imperial right in the old center of town next to the Theater and some quaint art galleries offered us a five star lunch in the court yard that we had all to ourselves. Thanks John and Tammy for stopping by and bon voyage to you while driving south!
Tomorrow is the Crab Festival of the Haven Harbour Marina and we are invited. Music, plenty of blue crab and all the patrons as well as employees will be there.
We are expecting Jessica with Chace at hand to come for the day which should be fun as well. Few more days before we venture of to Europe and visit family and friends long not seen.
contessagoesnorth 