LORD’S PRAYER LOG, Part 638:
0756 The Verizon cellular signal is weak making voice communication a little tenuous here at Worton Cove… and Verizon’s NA/BBA connection to the Internet is unavailable.
0815 The anchor chain is particularly muddy this morning requiring a good bit of washing as at comes aboard. The wind is N 10 kts.
0840 Lord’s Prayer is underway, bound for home, a distance of 54 nm.
0850 I set the main and jib and crank her up in the hope of being home for supper!
0855 Every couple minutes there is a little change in engine rpm as the alternator adjusts the charge that it is sending to the batteries. This is not a common behavior, but neither is it uncommon; sometimes the alternator is putting out 65 amps and periodically the output drops to 30 amps; that, of course, changes the load on the engine. Presumably this is just the “smart” alternator doing what smart alternators are supposed to do. Typically the cycling of the output ends after the batteries are near full up. I am thinking that this occasional cycling behavior (as I said it doesn’t happen every time I start up) might have something to do with the fact that the house battery is only down slightly this morning - maybe about 75 amp-hours.
0900 The tidal current this morning is 1.2 kts on the nose, twice the prediction of 0.6 kts.
0912 With apparent wind now light and variable, the sails are just kind of flopping around; I roll up the jib.
0952 I
pass the marina at Tolchester, carved into the shore just south of the
0957 The sky is blue with a few clouds and the atmosphere is fairly clear today. I am beginning to be able to see the top structure and roadbed of the Bay Bridge 14 nm ahead as it begins to rise from the Bay; the base of the bridge is well beyond the horizon at this point, of course.
1045 Weather.com forecast for
Today
– Plentiful sunshine. High around 80F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight
– Mostly clear. Low 59F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
0943 NWS forecast for Chesapeake Bay from
SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Today -
N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. WAVES 2 TO 4 FT.
Tonight
- NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. WAVES 2 TO 3 FT.
0200 Tropical Weather Outlook:
FOR THE NORTH
ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE
TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION
IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
1100 The wind is N 11-14 kts. I secure the engine and haul out the twin jibs. Lord’s Prayer is running before the wind on the starboard tack at 5.9 kts
1118 The northbound tug Elizabeth McAllister passes without a tow starboard-to-starboard in the ship channel.
1129 I rig the twin jibs on the poles to hold the clews outboard and thereby prevent the jibs from flopping about. The boat is moving along now at 5.2 kts under the main and twins on poles in variable strength wind, N 8-11 kts.
1134 The
north end of
1221 Lord’s Prayer passes under the William Preston Lane Jr Memorial Bridges (A.K.A., The Bay Bridge) in the Eastern Channel where vertical clearance is 58 ft at MHW. Lord’s Prayer is 47’ tall to the tip of her VHF antenna.
1313 The
boat continues to slide along in a seemingly effortless fashion at 4.7-5.2 kts
under the main and twins on poles in variable strength wind, N 6-12 kts; a 1.2
kt fair current is boosting the speed south in the Bay. I am currently about
abeam of the
1351 The
south end of
1355 I pass the Bloody Point Bar light 300 yards to port.
1435 What a glorious sail today; I am passing south in Poplar Island Channel; there’s a fish weir to starboard immediately followed by one to port. The wind N 15 kts is pushing the boat along at 6.0 kts as I run before the wind.
1509
Approaching the channel marker off the west side of
1512 I start the engine; I have to use the alternate start button for the first time in several weeks.
1515 I turn east into the channel to enter the narrows.
1524 The bridge opens on request and I pass through.
1531 At
the last channel marker on the east side of
1542 I secure the engine. Lord’s Prayer is on a port reach under main and jib making 6.2 kts through the water. The wind is N 14-15 kts. If the wind holds, the ETA at home is about 1830.
1640 I pass the Choptank River Light 0.4 nm on the port beam and the wind strengthens N 18 kts.
1653 The sky has clouded up blocking the sun… and the sea is now grey.
1658 I pass the Castle Haven Point marker beacon #16 on the starboard beam at 300 yards.
1752 I pass around Hambrooks Bar.
1812 I turn into the creek. As I do, I see Don and Joan Johnson standing on the corner of the municipal marina watching Lord’s Prayer sail in; we wave. It is so good to see good friends again here at home.
1817 In the creek’s turning basin, I round the boat into the wind. I douse and stow the sails and start the engine (again having to use the alternate start button) and I prepare to back the boat into her slip.
1829 For the past several weeks, Lord’s Prayer has responded to my touch in a most gratifying fashion; and I’ve begun to feel almost as one with the boat. The rustiness of springtime boating is all but gone. But now, trying to back Lord’s Prayer into her slip, I feel again like a bit of a clumsy oaf. Backing Lord’s Prayer up has always been challenging and might be likened to trying to throw a dart backwards… it is unnatural… and she doesn’t particularly like doing it… There’s a tendency to want to weathercock. But If I handle her just right, it can be done smartly. This isn’t one of those times! And so I am humbled by my awkwardness. I do get her into her slip ok, but it isn’t pretty. Maybe it is a good thing to occasionally discover my ineptitudes. Clearly this is a maneuver for which I am in much need of some refresher practice!
1840 Lord’s Prayer is
secured in her home slip in
END OF LORD’S PRAYER LOG, PART 638
END SUMMER VOYAGE 2008
Christine & Jim Kidd
Lord’s Prayer