Cookie Monster left the dock at Cedar Creek on Barnegat Bay at 12:15 Tues. Oct. 5th. The crew consisted of myself, Steve, Gary, and a first timer on our boat Dave. We headed out Barnegat Inlet for Norfolk, Va., about a 36hr sail. Well mechanical issues and weather did their best to stop us! After getting out the inlet we sailed along Long Beach Island in generally lousy conditions, ie. heavy drizzle, winds gusting to 25mph, 4-5ft seas and spray coming over the rails. Off Beach Haven we lost our steering. Thank God for Autopilot. Next stop Atlantic City. A good inlet and parts should be available. I assembled the emergency tiller so we could navigate the inlet and dock the boat. Hey c'mon the autopilot isn't that good!! Forgot to mention that after the steering went we tried to bring in the jib and the furling line, which rolls the sail back up like a window shade, broke. The crew handled it in stride and after donning harnesses, we took down the jib and secured it.
Boat Tow US followed(assisted) us to the dock at Trump Marina in AC. The next day, Wed., we rented a car and found the part for the steering chain. By 5pm we shoved off for Norfolk once again. The winds were "on the nose" and we motored. Around 12:45am,Thurs., just off Cape May the engine overheat alarm goes off. I check everything and the temp is high. We immediately turn for the inlet and slow down. The temp goes back to normal in about 25 min. Not taking any chances we anchor inside off the Coast Guard station. It turns out that the fan belt was loose so I tightened it and it was good. Now we leave to cross the mouth of the Delaware Bay around 8am. Once again the winds are..."on the nose". SW winds around 20kts and short, choppy 3-4ft seas. 3hrs later we are in the protection of Cape Henlopen, Delaware. The ocean is flat and we are sailing along at 7.5-8.0 kts!! 20hrs later we arrived in Little Creek Inlet, Norfolk. I was lucky to have the crew I had becaused they never complained and performed like "another day in the park"! Thanks guys!!!!!
Robin drove down to Norfolk with the rest of our supplies and Steve, Gary & Dave drove home.
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All for now!
Corbett & Robin
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Dolphin on the ICW
Great Bridge Lock, VA.
Country Bobbie
A NJ ex-pat moved here in the early '70s. Now he is more local than the locals.It was like having our private historian and wildlife expert onboard!!
Wow! Rough start. So sorry we were at the Annapolis Boat Show and not home to help you. We live in Absecon, the first town out of Atlantic City.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're back in cruising mode. Wish we were joining you for the trip. Look forward to following your blog.