Saturday, September 19, 2015

YEAHHHHHH - "DOWN THE BAY" Cruise

In the blink of an eye, here it was near the end of another sailing season.  We opened it in April with the Burning of the Socks. Now we begin the close of the season with Fall Cruising, Pig Roasts, Commodore's Ball, Thanksgiving and the Christmas Gathering.

I had contacted my very good friend Dave (aka "ELWOOD") back in July about crewing with me during the September cruise.  Yes, "I am JAKE" and together in the business world we kicked butt!
Figure 134 - Elwood and Jake

For some of us, we have been blessed with a friend who will stick with you through thick and thin, whose loyalty is beyond doubt and who knows how to get things done whether you are there or not.  Dave is my friend. Dave came and visited the club this spring to help me paint the inside of the Constance Marie and fell in love with Brigadoon.  That is my nickname for the Club because it is a throwback to the 50's and 60's when we lived in an America that was thankful and proud of its heritage.  Well, Dave became a member of the Club although he lives over 2 1/2 hours away in Virginia. While putting the meal plan together, I got a call from Dave and he told me that he could not make it due to needs that arose out of nowhere (hey we all get older, we all develop stuff we don't plan on).  Dave and I will do the deed in 2016!

So there I was.  No auto-helm and staring at probably 200 miles if I single handled the Constance Marie. Not good.  I began asking around the Club and was sitting at the bar when I overhead that one of our boats was cancelling the cruise.  I immediately called John see if he would like to crew with me.  To my joy, John said he would be happy to! People you don't understand.  Of course you don't because I have not told you yet.  John is considered today to be the most experienced and knowledgeable Captain in our Club.  To think that I would spend a week with him on the Bay was surreal.  I will let the pictures tell the story.  The Constance Marie was continuously trimmed out during those seven days.  Thank you John for all the sailing wisdom and thank you GOD for reminding me to use my two ears and keep my mouth shut.


Figure 135 - Day 1 - Worten Creek - 12 boats and Ice Cream! (Yes, I shot this with my I5S phone)
Figure 136 - Day 2 - My first use of a whisker pole.  Head sail is a 135% brand new.  Main is original H27. Needs replacing.
Figure 137 - Chillin'
Figure 137 - John "reflecting"



Figure 138 - John alone in his thoughts

Figure 139 - Respite on the Chester River


Figure 140 - John leading us into Chestertown

Figure 141 - Sultana?
Figure 142 - We almost drifted into her
when the anchor rode loosened due to the currents



Figure 143 - Chestertown Egress
Figure 144 - Always checking the wind - here there was none

Figure 145 - Never satisfied with the trim
Figure 146- Lady of Baltimore?



Figure 147 - A man lost in his dreams



Figure 148 - A man lost in his nightmare 
Figure 149 - Entering Mordor or is it Baltimore Harbor
To get to Baltimore Inner Harbor, you have to cruise up the Patapsco River.  This is where the Constance Marie was first launched back in 1980.  I might have blogged that fact earlier, but it always strikes a warm moment with me.

Figure 151 - John acting as the Captain he is.
Figure 150 - It approaches
 A storm is moving as our seven boats slipped into Anchorage Marina like the battleships were lined up just before Pearl Harbor   
Figure 152 - Now this is a Captain living in Hell (minus the 20 foot waves and gale force winds,
which hit about two minutes after this picture was taken around 1900 in September.
Figure 153 - Back across Chessie to Fairlee Creek

Figure 154 - Navigated Jelly Roll Shoals and into that sweet lagoon
 
Figure 155 - The fleet joins us on the Constance Marie for appetizers
Commodore Ray is closest to the camera.
Figure 156 - That's my good buddy Denis who ran the portable bar like the good Irishman he is.
 We spent a great night.  After a dip in the lagoon after breakfast, the final leg home.
Figure 157 - Reefed sails

Figure 158 - C'mon, everyone does a selfie every now and then, right?








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