Attack on my 50 foot baby!

Nov 1

Nov 1 Attack on my 50 foot baby!

Whew! It was wiiiindy last night! Gusts up to 40 knots that we saw anchored off Hospital Point, Portsmouth Virginia, directly across from the NOAA station on the other side of the Elizabeth River. It's official mile marker 0 for the Intercoastal Waterway. It was bouncy, noisy, rolly, and all around stressful. Matriarch creaked and groaned but she held her own. Our ground tackle held fast all night (77lbs Spade, 5:1 scope with 3/8" chain, and a Mantus snubber)...others were not so lucky. I had just fallen into a restless sleep at the sailors bedtime of 9:00pm (not kidding) when Greg woke me up to be ready to help. One of our neighbours in the anchorage was dragging and t-boned another neighbouring boat...there is something sickening about seeing 2 sailboats that close together unintentionally. We had met and chatted with the boat that got t-boned earlier that day; they are a lovely French Canadian couple with 3 kids traveling to the Bahamas with friends. We were up and ready to help with the radio on but it seemed like they had everything under control. Later today (i.e. when it's deemed safer to get in the dinghy that's bouncing around off our stern like a stallion) we planned to swing by and see how they are doing but they must have been ok because the continued their journey down the ICW.

Since leaving Herrington Harbour North, Greg and I have had a few nights now that remind us of our baby days. Particularly our firstborn days (you know, back when you were paranoid much more...we slept much more soundly trusting the resilience of human nature by the time we got to #3). Now we feel like we are waking up every hour or less checking on the baby...I mean the boat...making sure nothing crazy is happening around it, nothing is leaking out of a place that should be leaking, making sure there isn't anything loose that could cause trouble, planning for where to take her, but where she will be safe...and being super alert for any little sound that may indicate trouble, or potential trouble. It's like having a 50ft baby.

And she’s full of surprises…just found this paper chart of Bermuda which was exactly the back-up we needed!

Greg and I are looking at a Sunday morning departure to Bermuda depending on the most recent forecast. I'd like to say we are excited. We are not. We are scared and tired. But I know that you have to start somewhere and soon we will have completed our first passage...which will make the second one a bit easier.

In the meantime we are counting on this 50ft baby to get us to Bermuda safe and sound. As first-time parents to this vessel and we are trying to get our sh*t together and do right by her so when we get old she'll take care of us :)

Much love,