LAZY W FINALLY GETS UNDERWAY

June 14, 2011 – Another adventure begins!

 

Even though Lazy W’s radar unit was back in Seattle for yet another repair, we decided to depart Ocean Marine Yacht Center at 8:30 on Tuesday morning, June 14^th.  (The radar would have to catch up with us at a later date and another location on the Chesapeake Bay.)  Yesterday’s planned departure was delayed until today by a marine forecast of 10-20 knot north winds and 3-4 foot waves.  We hoped today would be a better day to cross the bay to our intended anchorage at Kiptopeke. Dave and Rod helped us leave the dock and bade us ‘bon voyage.’

As we approached Norfolk Naval Station, we were privileged to see Warship 67, the U.S.S. Cole, depart its berth at Pier 7.  We were delayed about thirty minutes as two Moran tugs eased the Cole directly in front of Lazy W. 

After passing Sewells Point and Willoughby Spit we were met with stronger than expected winds and, while the waves did not look too intimidating, Lazy W did roll quite a bit as the waves hit her beam.  It was a lumpy ride across the water to Kiptopeke.  Finding the entrance to Kiptopeke was easy as it is well marked by a breakwater of partially-sunken concrete ships – four to the north and five to the south.

Steel had become scarce during World War I and the Second World War was again consuming the country's steel resources. In 1942, the U.S. Maritime Commission contracted McCloskey & Company of Philadelphia, PA to build a fleet of 24 self-propelled dry bulk cargo concrete ships. Improvements in concrete technology made this fleet lighter and stronger than its WWI predecessors.

S.S. Arthur Newell Talbot (in her prime years)

The ships, named after pioneers in the science and development of concrete, were constructed in Tampa, FL starting in July of 1943. The identical ships were built at an incredible rate, with one being launched a month.  Two of the ships were sunk as block ships in the Allied invasion of Normandy. Nine more were partially sunk in December 1948 to form a breakwater for a ferry landing at Kiptopeke, VA. This group of ships, affectionately known as “Kiptopeke’s Navy,” includes the S.S. John Grant, S.S. Robert Whitman Lesley, S.S. William Foster Cowham, S.S. Richard Meade, S.S. Willard A. Pollard, S.S. Willis A. Slater, S.S. Arthur Newell Talbot, S.S. Edward Thatcher, and S.S Leonard Chase Wason.  (Several other surviving concrete ships serve as breakwater in Newport, Oregon and along the Powell River in British Columbia.)  After the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 1964, the ferry was no longer needed. Now the ships protect the beach at Kiptopeke State Park and serve as a habitat for marine life and birds. There were flocks of sea gulls congregating on the mustard- and rust-colored hulks and plenty of pelicans raiding the fish net traps that run from the south end of the breakwater to the shore.

Two of “Kiptopeke’s Navy” today

We dropped anchor behind the southern end of the breakwater and were joined a short time later by three sailboats.  After several days of oppressive heat we were pleasantly surprised (and chilled) by today’s 75° temperature.  The anchorage, recommended to us by Gustav and Charlotte on Ida Rose, was not very well protected from the north winds or from the wakes of the commercial vessels cruising the bay.  Perhaps, after many years of sailing on the North Sea near their home in Rotterdam, Kiptopeke seemed calm!  We settled in for a lumpy evening.  My new “smart” phone said we were in Houston, TX…

June 15, 2011 –Lazy W takes a beating on the bay

The morning was a breezy one and Lazy W bobbed lazily but securely tethered to her anchor.  The forecast called for more windy conditions, and thinking that Kiptopeke offered little protection, we decided to head out and make our way 46 miles north to Onancock where we would meet up with Patti and Alan on Fairways.  The anchor came up smoothly and by 9AM we were on our way.  The bay was choppy and full of white caps from a brisk north wind.  After half an hour we toyed with the idea of heading back to Kiptopeke but pressed north instead.  Why?  Because we did not think it was a protected anchorage in the north winds but we heard later on that the winds had been gusting to 19 knots there!!  We had been protected and didn’t realize it.  We should have stayed…

We took quite a beating from the relentless waves of 3-4 feet.  Occasionally a wave broke over the bow, flipped the table on the rear deck, battered the dinghy which lost its fender pad and now clanged against the davits.  Down below, things were not faring much better – hours later when the wind calmed down, I went down to discover that the floor in the forward cabin had come up, the salon furniture had shifted to port, the tower fan and bench had bounced down the steps into our cabin, books were strewn helter skelter – the place appeared to have been ransacked!

We arrived in Onancock Creek about 3:30 and the previous hour or so had been relatively calmer that the first few.  We wound our way up the creek to Onancock Wharf where we wedged the boat into a very narrow slip with a short finger pier.  It did not take long to realize that with this configuration we could not get off the boat (and believe me, I so needed to get off!) so we squeezed back out and went to anchor just off the wharf entrance amid four sailboats.  This was not a good time for the anchor to be uncooperative, but it was.  Somehow as we were beating our way through the waves, the anchor chain got tangled in the locker and now refused to come out.  I ran down to detangle it while Frank held the boat in position.  By the time I returned to the deck I was a bit frazzled and could not remove the U-bolt securing the chain.  We swapped positions.  Frank got the bolt off while I manned the helm.  We swapped positions again.  The anchor chain eventually cooperated and Frank set the anchor.  It was now 4:30.  We both needed a drink...

 

The Onancock Wharf from an anchored Lazy W

After a calming glass of wine and reassuring ourselves that Lazy W was securely anchored, we lowered the dinghy and made our way to the wharf for drinks on Fairways and a wonderful dinner at the Blarney Stone Pub. 

During our many travels by car up Route 13 through the Eastern Shore we always saw directional signs for Onancock but never had the time to stop in as we were on our way to someplace else.  We are glad we got the chance to stop here by boat and enjoy its small town charm.  Sitting on the wharf is the restored Hopkins & Brothers Store dating from 1842. Four generations of the Hopkins family ran the store through the height of the sail and steamboat eras.  While it is now home to Mallards at the Wharf restaurant, you can still get a sense of the old-time store as you walk to the dining room past empty penny-candy jars tucked behind the original massive wooden counters.  Old metal advertisement plaques adorn the walls in the store area and photos of a bustling port from a bygone era decorate the dining room. Top off a delicious waterfront meal, perhaps prepared by Johnny Mo - the Musical Chef, with a decadent slice of eleven-layer Smith Island Cake, Maryland’s State Dessert. 

 

And back behind the dockmaster’s office, the local gentlemen hang out and shoot the breeze on the Liar’s Bench...

Early the next day while inspecting the dinghy davits Frank found some broken bolt heads on the swim platform – they had been securing one of the four davit arms to the aft of Lazy W and must have been victims of the beating we took on the bay.  An immediate repair was necessary so, after drilling out the broken bolts, we dinghied to shore and pedaled up Market Street on borrowed bikes in search of stainless steel replacements.  Much to our surprise we found exactly what was needed and repairs were sufficiently - but not fully - made by early afternoon.  Thunderstorms rolled in that evening and a wakeful night was spent on the hook.

Next morning, while Fairways headed east to Mobjack Bay, we pointed Lazy W north to Crisfield, the self-proclaimed Crab Capital of the World.  It has been ten years since we first brought Sea Venture, our 37-foot Mainship, into Crisfield and the economic downturn and the years since have not been kind to this town.  Many storefronts are empty, the 500+ slip Somers Cove Marina is less than half full, and the Captain’s Galley Restaurant that was a local favorite has been torn down and replaced with waterfront condos.  But we are on a nice new floating dock that is a quick walk to The Ice Cream Gallery!  Happy hour and dinner on the boat in a marina that is so quiet it is almost like being at anchor – not a bad way to spend a Friday evening.

Our next planned stop on our journey north was at Wikander’s Yacht Yard on Wicomico Creek in Allen, MD.  WYY is owned by Stu Wikander, a high school/college buddy of Frank, and his wife Carol.  The Wicomico River snakes through marshy countryside and farmland and, after 22 miles, reaches the town of Salisbury, the hub of the Eastern Shore.  We would only travel the first five miles or so before heading up the creek. As soon as we passed Nanticoke Point we were inundated with brown flies intent on nibbling on our arms and ankles.  A few miles upstream at the town of Whitehaven we encountered a 3-car cable ferry crossing the river.  As we neared WYY, a bald eagle, a turkey vulture and an osprey were engaged in some sort of neighborhood disagreement.  Carol met us at the floating dock and we were safely tied up by 12:30 after a four hour journey from Crisfield, a mere 25-mile trip via car or 33 nautical miles via Lazy W!  Later that afternoon, Stu and Carol joined us for happy hour aboard the boat; we wrapped up the day with great food and conversation at Fratelli’s Restaurant in Salisbury.

 

 Wikander’s Yacht Yard from Lazy W

Stu and Frank spent a rainy Father’s Day afternoon completing the repairs to our dinghy davits.  Thanks to Stu’s presence, I did not have to lay on the narrow swim platform wrestling with the loose davits while Frank drilled new screw holes for a more secure attachment.  Thank you, Stu!  Our gracious hosts invited us to share dinner with them and their children, Meghan and Timothy, and Meghan’s friend, Travis. 

We made preparations to leave WYY early Monday morning to take advantage of tide and currents.  However, the weather was not cooperative – with a marine forecast of winds blowing NE at 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots we decided to stay put one more day...