Sunny Seafaring Solomon's Island, MD

Solomon’s Island, MD                                     Zahniser’s Yachting Center                                  June 9-11, 2016

                   

We got off before 8 AM on a really lovely, brisk, sunny day but thankfully with far less wind than yesterday. It was a fairly easy ride except for the hour we spent in the center of the Potomac. It wasn’t as bad as it would have been yesterday, but it gave us some really good rolls. Mom had to put down the yoga mat for me to walk on since we were pitching so hard. Mostly, I just stayed tucked into dad or mom’s side. We saw some Navy ships along with F18’s flying from Patuxent Naval Base pass over us. Cruising into the island was like coming into a New England movie set. Marinas and boats were everywhere you looked…Mom didn’t have our camera out shooting so much today, so she tried to capture some of the scenes on her Phone.

When we came into Zahniser’s, Moondance literally had a layer of salt and oil covering her. So dad gave her a good wash down while mom and I went to pay…We are eating in tonight. I love it when they eat in!

What a beautiful day it is here! Dad took me for my morning constitutional. Sounds like they are leaving me to sleep today…no moving…Well, just a little bit! 

M & D used the big bikes they have here for transients to use to go see this darling town. First they ate some yummy breakfast sandwiches & had good coffee at Lotus…a cute hippy, dippy restaurant. From there they started exploring…mom and dad found the famous Tiki Bar complete with sand…Funny…someone has a sense of humor & irony! M & D visited the Visitor Center, U of Maryland’s campus here & spent hours at the Calvert Marine Museum. Incredible! M & D got home in the middle of the afternoon and after taking me out for relief. They took off for the pool for a couple of hours before they came home to feed me. I’m so excited! Mom’s cooking here again, so we can go up on the flybridge again tonight, and watch the world go by…talking about a boat parade! WOW! Tomorrow we leave a bit later so we can get a pump out. Then, they told me Mandie, John and Becca are coming on board in Annapolis! Yeah!!! They are even spending the night! Can’t wait!!! Haven’t seen them in too long!

"On Watch"...over by Calvert Marine which was on the old Naval Base

Some one bought an old Navy Ship and he is trying to redo it himself to do dinner cruises and such...

Some of the vistas coming in to this harbor

Our first night's sunset

Our Hippy, Dippy Breakfast Cafe

Lotus Cafe's tree in the courtyard

Such a relaxing place for breakfast

As cute as it was I passed on this hat but it did get a laugh out of me!

Oldest House and Visitor Center

Our view when we came out of our Marine's street

These images are inside of the Drummond Lighthouse that is part of the Calvert Marine Museum

Can't believe they actually had a dining room and eating space in the kitchen too!

Can't do without one of these!

One of the incredible exhibits inside the museum 

Doesn't this church look like a picture postcard

The famous Tiki Bar

One of the many charming Bed and Breakfasts

Not sure what this place is? No signs...

Solomon's Island Riverwalk

                                                       Inside the Calvert Marine Museum 

One of the more unusual Lighthouses, the Drummond

Having fun inside the museum

Such an incredible exhibit, it even had ocean sounds...so cool!

The marshes...

The lighthouse and some of the many boats they have saved

One of the old oyster boats

Moondance on J dock

Somewhere over the Rainbow

Before we closed up for the night a shower passed over and the sun came back out…We were treated to the most spectacularly intense, full rainbow. Sadly, even with our wide angle lens dad wasn’t able to catch it all…nor does our photo do the colors justice. It was magic and lasted pretty long…

We woke up to mild breezes this AM. The boat was rocking and rolling all night…it was a lovely way to sleep! When dad & Jimmy, the DRPYC manager checked today's weather, 35 mile an hour gusts were predicted on the Potomac River. Tomorrow looks much better, so it was really a No Brainer! We stayed put! Mom made us fresh blueberry pancakes, eggs and bacon…Delicious especially since they shared! M & D borrowed the courtesy van & picked up a couple parts, and cleaning supplies we needed from West Marine. Dad caved and got his haircut. He wasn’t happy with all his curls going every which way. They picked up gourmet sandwiches for their dinner later this evening from the Table. Mom sent Milena her birthday card & a small present early and mailed out the Buns’ wedding reply. They picked up just a couple needed items at the grocery.

M & D discovered that Deltaville, VA dates back to the 1640’s, but the town is really spread along one main road. It claims to be the “Boating Capital of the Chesapeake” and judging by all the marinas everywhere along that road, they may be right! If there are suburbs here, M & D didn’t see them…small farms seemed to be mixed in between the marinas and marine related businesses. Incredibly peaceful here…similar to Belhaven, but this town doesn’t even have a downtown area…just the one road. 

After mom and dad returned they dressed for the pool and took off for a little R & R. I can’t believe that I’m not allowed to join them! I just was recently groomed for Pete’s Sake!

Wish we could have gotten the colors better!

Mike decided to photograph our meal of marinated pork chops and veggies over Quinoa and Brown Rice.

Moondance sunlit this morning

Walking around the marina and the many gorgeous views.

We spotted this little doe as she crossed the road

It was so hard to choose, they had so many incredible sounding items to eat!

Darling Dozier in Deltaville

Deltaville, VA                                     Dozier Regatta Point Yachting Center                              June 7-8, 2016

We all woke up to pouring rains, but Dad was nice enough to take me out anyway. We both got soaked, but I needed the relief! Mom fed me and I heard them debating whether to leave or not? Dad consulted all his various weather apps and watched the weather channel. They decided as soon as the rain tapered off, we would leave. Tomorrow, thanks to tropical storm Colin, the winds are suppose to be really high! At least we will be that much further north and we can decide in Deltaville. 

When the rain stopped, Mom squeegeed off the front Eisen glass so dad could see better. As we passed the Norfolk Naval Shipyards she took lots of photos. The shipyard has changed so much…not nearly the number of ships in port and the ones that are there are spread out. The ships look so much more futuristic than in the past…matte, grey, non reflective paint and no circular radar anymore. She jumped back inside when she saw the small Navy Police boats with their blue flashing lights patrolling the area…no point calling attention to ourselves.

She photographed Hampton Roads, the Tunnel entrances there, Ft. Monroe, Newport News, Thimble and Wolf Trap Light. The sun started peeking out as soon as we crossed over the top of the tunnel. It’s been beautiful out on the Chesapeake Bay ever since…The waters are a beautiful blue green and we have large, puffy, cumulus clouds in the sky. We have seen lots of boat traffic, from Navy cruisers and aircraft carriers, to freighters, to a freighter being towed by a towboat (talking about the engine that could!) Wow!!! That freighter made 5 or more of the tug!!! We have seen lots of cruisers/trawlers/yachts out here with us as well. A perfect water day after our ugly start this morning…you just never know what to expect when you are at the mercy of the weather…wait a moment and it will change!!!

We have to laugh at Emergency Channel 16 radio chatter, especially the Navy! They get very huffy that you don’t come within 500 yards nor cross their bow…They start calling out to any of the freighters that they think might even be close??? It’s funny because some of these commercial captains are polite, but they definitely let it be known that they aren’t anywhere near those ships! 

Thankfully, I don’t hear so well anymore, I just tune it all out until mom and dad tells me what’s happening. 

Mom is hoping for a strong Internet connection tonight, so she can get caught up making her 3rd Shutterfly book of our trip. Her book combines, our photos and my blog. So, with all that we are seeing we won’t forget so much of it once it’s over… The first book was bringing the boat home and through Florida. The second volume is from Georgia through the Carolinas. This next one starts with Virginia…

We arrived here around 3:00 which was great, since we started later than usual. Jimmy, the manager said it has been a gorgeous day here in Deltaville all day, but he too said the winds may be strong tomorrow. Unfortunately, they may be bad for days… Colin remains even after he left. This place is so gorgeous! …Like a pretty postcard! …And so much grass to choose from…I just couldn’t make up my mind!!! The best part it was a short walk for a change! On the deck and in the office they had water down for me and dog treats too!!! I tried to drag mom back to the office again, but she wouldn’t do it…RATS!

M & D said that they have a courtesy car and bikes if we want to go into town but doubt that we will… Mom got ambitious early…she made a balsamic, mustard, white wine marinade and is marinading pork chops and veggies for shish kabobs later. She even made us delicious egg, cheese and bacon English muffins for our brunch. Don’t know what has gotten into her??? 

Dad did most all of the driving today…It was pretty straightforward, if you have done your nautical homework and you have the navigational apps and technology M & D do!

We will just have to wait until tomorrow to see if we move on…I would love to stay another day…if for no other reason than to savor all that grass!

This was quite a sailing yacht to put it mildly!

The Navy Hospital Ship, Comfort

Some of our views of the Naval Base

Hampton Roads across from the Naval Base

Fort Monroe now has this gorgeous hotel complex and isn't a Army Fort anymore...It's where Jefferson Davis was imprisoned after the Civil War

More of the homes on Ft Monroe or Port Comfort

Hampton side of the Hampton Bay Bridge Tunnel

Here is that tug pulling that big freighter

Off the end of the Hampton Bay Bridge Tunnel on the Norfolk side

Thimble Point Light

I should have shot more of the bay, so you can see those colors

I love dragonflies and he flew on board halfway across the bay

Wolf Trap Light 

Dozier Regatta Point Yacht Center

Some of the lovely views around us