WHAT A DAY

July 13, 2012  Dateline: Annapolis, MD USA

At 7:45 AM, MID LIFE CRY-SEAS II untied herself from me and headed off for some fuel, a half hour later I got underway.  The night at anchor was a pleasant one.  There was no wind and I floated on the hook.

The 87 mile trip to Annapolis was a real enjoyable one for me.  The bay was flat and I was able to run at 18 knots, it was great not having to worry about a narrow channels and shallow water.  The Navy has a target range in the Chesapeake for the aircraft flying out of Patuxent Naval Air Station and my route was going through the middle of it.  Rich decided that I should go around it, just in case a Navy fighter was going to do its thing, I saw not jets.

I passed a motor trawler on the way and Rich called them.  The name of the boat is JIMKAT owned by Jim and Kathy of Vermont.  They told Rich that they were on the Loop but were on the 6-7 year plan.  As I was traveling a lot faster Rich bid them smooth seas and suggested that they contact us when they get to Cape May.

I took on some fuel at the Yacht Basin Company in Annapolis, but little did I realize that in the Annapolis mooring field was GREAT ESCAPE.  She had come from South River with Don, Teresa and their two labs.  Rich and Carol first met Don and Teresa in Frankfort, MI during August last year.  They met again when after a long day Rich wanted to tie up at Fairhope, AL----the dock hands were busy and Don and Teresa said that they would tie me up to the dock.  Rich remembers that was one of the greatest moments of the Loop.  Rich and Carol were tired after the 132 mile trip down the Mobile River and to hear the offer of help was a God sent.

Don and Teresa brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate my completion of the Loop.  As GREAT ESCAPE was in the mooring field Don and Teresa came over by dinghy which they tied up behind me.  Don said “If a boat comes in next to me, they would not be able to get the dinghy out.”  Later,  when we returned from dinner a large Sea Ray had pulled in the slip and Don could not get the dinghy out, at least the way he came in.  The captain of the DONNA MARIE a 100+ foot Hargrave motor yacht tied up behind me offered to move her just enough so the dinghy could go under the dock and get out.  It worked!!  So Don and Teresa were on their way.

John, Kelly and John’s mother of MID LIFE CRY-SEAS II joined us for dinner.   The food at dinner was great, but the company was even better.  Here is a picture of us all.

Tomorrow I will spend the day in Annapolis and head home on Sunday.