Visits with Family & Friends on the way to Maine

After we left Coinjock on June 24th, we set our sights on Hampton Rhodes where we had reserved a slip at Blue Water and ended up docking ourselves on a very short finger pier. When the dockhand finally came to the slip, we asked to move to a slip on the opposite side of the dock, where the finger pier was long enough to at least allow us to get on and off the boat!

The sights along the way to Blue Water Marina in Hampton Rhodes:

Birds and more birds!

And then through Norfolk:

On June 25th, we put in an 8 hour day to get to our next destination, the Chesapeake Boat Basin in Kilmarnock, VA. The wind was on our nose all the way so it was a slow banging motor with a 2-4’ chop. Good to finally be in the slip. 

These osprey sure pick some strange places to make their nests.  Look close!

The next several days we were more in “delivery mode”, trying to get as far north as possible. Long days! Over the course of five days, we traveled almost 50 hours, stopping in Solomon’s, MD, Rock Hall, MD on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, anchoring in the Delaware River near Alder Cove, Kammerman’s Marina in Atlantic City and the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club.

Zahnizer's Marina in Solomon's, MD

Visitors

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The town of Rock Hall was fun to explore.

Fishing for dinner

Got one!

Dinner on the piling too!

Waiting for the train to pass in the C&D Canal

Atlantic City here we come

Paddleboarders in Atlantic City near Kammerman's Marina

We left Atlantic City for Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club, an 11 hour run and took a mooring there and enjoyed grilled steaks onboard while listening to live music nearby. On July 1st we were on our way to Brian (my son) and Ama's house in Huntington, Long Island. Admiring all the sights in NY along the way, we reached Oyster Bay at 5:30 and settled on a mooring ball there for the next 4 days. We didn't want to travel over the 4th of July weekend and indeed wanted to spend time with Brian and Ama. Such fun!

New York in the distance

Queen Mary 2

Looking good from any angle

LaGuardia

Billy Joel's home in Oyster Bay

Great breakfast

Fresh eggs!

Fresh donuts too

Panther seems comfy

What a first feast

Grillmaster Brian

Feast #2

Feast #2

The firework displays all around Oyster Bay were spectacular. There were at least six shows going on

Time to head out

The next stop was Brewers Pilot Point Marina in Westbrook, CT where my nephew Matt keeps his boat. We visited with my brother Don & sister-in-law Karen and family, Robin & Bob Hunter came to the marina to meet us for dinner and we rented a car to go see my mother while we were there. We missed seeing my sister that time, but got together a couple of weeks later. 

My nephew Chris with his daughter Kylie. His wife Jess didn't make the picture :(

My nephew Matt with his girlfriend Nicole

Long time friends Robin and Bob Hunter

Mom (left) and her longtime friend Betty. 

Surprise, surprise! My brother and his friend Frank joined us onboard for a one day sail to Stonington, CT where their wives drove to meet them and we enjoyed dinner together. Fun day!

My brother Don, the sailor

Don & Frank

Don & Jeff

Grammie Karen and Kylie

Grampy Don & Kylie

We checked out the town and a local place recommended by my brother called The Dog Pound, then headed back to the boat for the night.

After that we headed to Newport, RI, then to Mattepoisett, MA where we met boating friends of ours, Karen & Chuck on MAX and their friends Bonnie & Carlos and all enjoyed a fun dinner at the Inn.

Another 10 hour day and we made it to the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. We had stayed on one of their mooring balls two years ago and this time had the same ball. Unfortunately, their transient moorings are at the mouth of the bay and we rocked and rolled all night. I think we’ll skip it from now on.

On a mooring in Old Port, Newport, RI

Corinthian Yacht Club

Since we were anxious to get to Stonington, (ME) our home for the summer, we left the next morning at 7am, and arrived at the Dolphin Marina in Harpswell, ME 12 hours later. Great place! We missed out on the signature fresh blueberry muffins delivered to our boat in the morning but will definitely stick around long enough on the way south.

Not all days are clear & sunny...

Lobster buoys. You can tell we're getting closer!

Dolphin Marina view from the slip

Camden mountains

The Spark Plug

Burnt Cove

Our home for the summer!

Our good friends Sharon and Blaine Blackmore joined us for dinner onboard!

At 5:25 pm, we were on our mooring in Burnt Cove. Let the summer begin! Well, almost…

Now that I've caught up on our trip north, I'll catch up on our goings on this summer as we're now heading back south!  Where in the world did the summer go???