The Loon’s Call

Archive for October, 2010

Loon date : October    ,2010

Well I have a new appreciation for yacht brokers ! After spending 5 days at the boatshow hearding the masses around my friends Bernie and Kates personal new boat as they are the new Valiant dealers we are all exhausted but lots of fun and some great stories Bernie only threw about 6 people off the boat .Don”t touch this ,leave that alone ,why are you pumping the head ? Another person was washing thier face in the sink ? another rubbing thier hands all over the wood saying hey this is nice woodwork you have here ? You like it ? Get out ! We had alot of fun though there is humor in everything I could hear them muttering as they left .Whats up withthat guy?

I also want to thank my friend Joe Greene who was in the annapolis area visiting family and stopped by to see me for the day . When asked how the boat was going I said Joe the old Gen set is still acting up ? Joe put on his work clothes and came on by and we tried to get this little beast fixed we got her to run  we shortened the list of possibilities had lunch and a beer and it was much appreciated . Thanks Joe .

It has been a good stay here in Annapolis maybe a little longer than I wanted but it has been fun .I have been staying at Friends Bernie and Kates house at there dock and visiting family and friends in the area . Also it is easier to get my new crew to Baltimore than Norfolk ,Va the loons port of departure for the direct run down to The Virgin islands about a 12 day trip non-stop offshore . It is Oct. 28th and i have been starting to watch the weather there is alot of Tropical activity in the Carribean and these are all to be watched closely . Right now I am planning to leave Nov. 1 and the weather looks good ! the problem is it does not look good around Nov.6-7 I listen to chris Parker who is the authority on weather on the east coast of the United States and Carribean he broadcasts over SSB radio the internet and can be called on the phone all for a fee of course but I listen in and grab a report for my area when I can there is always someone heading my way and I am a cheap cruiser ..oops! To tell the truth I have not really mastered this box in my navigation area but continue to learn more .    This is Robbie my Chief radioman and SSB mentor everything I know he taught me .  My great nephew

Today I pick up my new crew Jim Donavan a memer of my yacht club SSYC Jim is an experienced offshore sailor with two atlantic crossings under his belt and many more adventures I have yet to hear so My brother Everett and I will pick him up at the airport do some last minute shopping  prepare the final steps on the boat and off we will go dest Norfolk and then the islands /Weather ,Weather it is the ruler of your way of life out here . Respect it and things go a lot smoother but not always ! we will respect it and cater our plan as needed there are many options if this Hurricane season wants to continue to be active time will tell ? the loon is tough the crew ? well we have survived about 5 k cruising miles together so far with many more to go !

Stay tuned for the next update it will either be later this week if weather gets in our way or from the islands ? Smile. Life is good!

Loons Call

Loon Date: Sept, 21, 2010

Well the loon is off again , This time with crew Dave Pallotta who will sail with me until Annapolis ,MD where he will head back home. At this point I will be looking for crew but have several strong possibilities so time will tell but the loon must move on .

We left S.S.Y.C. my home club at 7:30 am on Tuesday sept, 21 st 2010 with a northerly breeze we slipped by Boston Light and headed south to the Cape Cod Canal running on a ¼ tank of fuel as what I had in the tank was a couple of years old and not looking like diesel at all so we motored and ran her tanks down low so that we could refuel at the Sandwich marina located at the entrance to the canal about 8 hrs.

 While underway I was still storing the many supplies “beer” of which I had loaded up on before leaving. At the docks of SSYC there was a small afternoon party any excuse to drink a cold beer and talk sailing and adventures before we left it was much appreciated and thanks for the fine gifts and good lucks all around and of course Trish’s traditional Banana bread, Thanks so much.

We arrived about 4 pm at sandwich marina just ahead of a 60 ft. yacht we beat him to the fuel dock that would have been a long wait phew we took on 80 gallons and thinking ahead I had called up the marina and asked for a slip for the night as we were not going to make the tide change and going against the tide is not an option here. so we moved around behind the fuel dock to tie up and my crew decided to stay on the dock to grab the lines as I came in, well of course the loon does not maneuver well in tight quarters but hey no problem ? the winds were starting to gust up and as I tried to get the bow around she was fighting me so out and around again I went to line up for another attempt a little more throttle and we should be good well doesn’t always work out the way you plan does it ? Bow line was out to Dave and as loon came around I tossed the stern line to the dock man it slipped out of his hands I retrieved it and tossed to him again he caught it but the wind gusted the loon slid back and the skipper leaned to far forward OOOPS! Ass over end into the water fully dressed jacket 2 shirts ,long pants shoes ,wallet and oh of course cell phone .Coming back up I swam to the boat as there was no one onboard grabbed onto the side of loon took my shoes off and tossed them onboard scurried up the side and finished docking the boat . Now slightly embarrassed I stripped down and took a little time to asses what just happened? I fell off the boat a first for me but it could have been a lot worse so with no one hurt boat safe off to look for a hot shower and wash the salt out of my clothes. I had enough adventure for the day.

                          Now how am I going to replace this phone? Another adventure in itself.  after making a few calls my good bestest friend Connie came down to take us to a Verizon store .Well Verizon has some issues with communicating as they don’t want to answer the phone but the voice mail says were open till 9 pm as we arrive the manager is walking out ,sorry all closed up ,but the voicemail? Oh those are our summer hrs. ? Try another store 10 miles down the road oh thanks buddy why don’t you change ya voicemail. So off we go and I rehearse how my phone mysteriously stopped working the old dumb blonde routine. Connie and Dave drop me off cause they don’t want to see this and the go to the nearest bar to probably laugh about the swimming skipper Dave as a matter of face has been laughing for two days now? I am looking for new crew? So the Verizon dude says the phones wet? Really? Hmmm! How did that happen must have been the dew last night? I can’t replace a wet phone. Oh yes you can I say it has been done before another story, But gee don’t get fired over it. Can I talk to the manager? Ah oh sure, Manager says we can’t replace a wet phone! Who says its wet its only 4 months old just toss it and get me a new one? We can’t do that. I think you can. You see if I don’t have a phone I don’t need to pay you $150 /month for service so let’s just make this happen do the best you can? Off to the salesman we go, I thank him ,We go through the whole baloney again ,well what’s the best you can do then I say , $200 a new phone ! that’s not an option my friend tell me how I can have a phone so I can continue to pay my monthly bill you see if I have no phone I don’t need to pay you . Comprende! Well that would mean a breach of contract? $175 well that’s $25 cheaper than a new phone  Oh this dude is full of himself ,okay one more chance listen closely I need a phone or I will discontinue my service for good he says sorry and out the door I go telling him he has lost a customer and there still in business ? Maybe I should have been an ASS and I would still be in business? But I would not be sailing so there is good in everything! Okay back to the boat and one more chance I say I call Verizon 10 pm now I select cancel service ,Guess what I immediately get a human hisname  is Will and a real gentleman I tell the story he apologizes ,Understands the economics behind this and says I can do better well like what ? A new Phone and I will activate a used one until it arrives. Will you the man. Verizon needs to hang onto him. So I call Connie again she gives the phone to Jeff and Jeff brings down an old phone for me and I get it activated. It’s blowing 30-35 kts out now from the SW day two we are hunkered down taking care of business and I have a phone that works… Smile I should throw it back in the water how we become so attached to those damn things. Thanks Connie and Jeff for all your help!

The next morning we slip out of the marina winds 10-15 NE headed south Elizabeth islands. Hadley hbr. A chain of islands owned by the Forbes family with a hurricane hole for and anchorage. An uneventful trip al goes as planned. Tomorrow my favorite Block island, RI.

After a beat into 20 knots on the nose we arrived Block island in pea soup fog dropped the hook and settled in. The next day was great so we explored the island and after a couple at The Oar a well known watering hole we went back to the boat and went for a swim the water was surprisingly warm and we stayed in for at least ½ an hour really refreshing .Next morning were off to Delaware bay and 35 hrs later we arrived south side of the bay and ducked into Cape Henlopen an anchorage tucked in around the point in Delaware and settled down for another windy ,rainy night so we can get up the next morning with the tide and run 50 miles up the bay and catch the fair current through the C&D canal .Tornado watches to the left and severe thunderstorm warnings we continued on and entered the Chesapeake bay and a safe haven for the night about 9 pm. Again we awoke early to motor down to The Severen River in Annapolis, a safe mooring to hide out from the approaching front which brought with it 10 inches of rain and 40 knots of wind. The next morning with the torrential downpours Dave’s friend in Annapolis picked him up and drove him to the airport and home after a 9 day transit from SSYC to Annapolis, MD. Getting my sea legs back and settling in to the ways of cruising all is well and The Loon will stay put for a week or so to help out with the new valiant dealers and friends of mine Bernie and Kate from Rogue Wave yachts at the Annapolis boat show. It feels good to be back. 

It’s raining again so off to Baltimore to spend a few days with my friend Dan and his wife Nancy with thier 3 kids Alex 11,Mark 13 and Michael 15 lots of action here Baseball ,track ,soccer, xbox,and first dates for Michael so I was imearsed into the family life which I absolutely enjoyed ! For 3 days that is!  I do not know how it all gets done but it does and theyre all great . I always look forward to it . It is time to go over to see brother Ev and Sue too! and start working on the crew list for the two week offshore trip to St. Thomas ,USVI. More to come ……………..?LAT 39 54.17  LONG 76 30.5