Baycation Part 2

This whole Baycation idea started when we realized that there were some pretty cool places that some of our boating friends had not yet visited. They are places that are a little further away so we like to plan a longer stay to make the trip worthwhile. So, three boats left Swan Creek early Tuesday morning to head to Herrington Harbour South (HHS) for two nights. Looking back through the blog I realized that Doug and I have not visited HHS since 2010 so we were definitely looking forward to the trip. We docked our first boat there for a couple years so we knew everyone was in for a treat.

HHS is a well protected marina as you can tell from the entryway.

We lucked out with 3 back-to-back spots along B pier. We couldn't have been any closer to the pool and Mango's on the Bay.

View from our boat to the pool. The umbrellas that you see are in the pool area.

The marina features a large pool, a private beach area, a restaurant and bar, and an eco-friendly atmosphere. It was hot, hot, hot while we were there. We spent a lot of time at the pool. The pool was busy even midweek because locals purchase memberships. However, there was adult swim time every hour for those that want a little quiet pool time.

Swim lessons are available at the pool. Our friends took advantage of the opportunity to get a single lesson for their four-year-old. He's great in the water but it was fun to watch him gain a few new skills.

Outside area of Mango's. It is attached to the pool.

We visited Mango's for dinner the first night. Quick tip: Bottles of wine are half-price on Tuesday nights. It's on the pricey side but the meals were fantastic. And when you have six adults and one child, you can order three different desserts and everyone can share and be happy.

The second night we grilled out. You aren't allowed to grill on the docks, but there are numerous charcoal grills and picnic tables available. The convenience/wine store across the street has charcoal. Plus, you can't beat a kitchen with this view.

That's our little propane grill beside the charcoal grill. We all wanted to cook something different.

We remember when the store across the street was a tiny deli. I didn't get a chance to check it out but Doug said it has really grown. They serve hot and cold food and have a large beer, wine, and spirits selection.

While HHS has a lot to offer, there isn't a town to visit while you are there. I did go for a run Wednesday morning to North Beach. It is two miles away along a road with little to no shoulder for pedestrians. But if you're willing to be careful it is a cute town with a short boardwalk.

 

This looks like to perfect place to watch a sunrise.

Cute name but also a little scary.

Lastly, being that HHS is an eco-friendly marina, there is always lots of wildlife.

I didn't catch any photos of the numerous orioles I spotted. And Doug saw a pod of 30 dolphins when he went out fishing early one morning.

Our next stop, Annapolis, will be posted soon.

Baycation Part 1

How often do you get to travel and take your home with you? Just think -- you get to sleep in your own bed the whole time, you don't have to pack because you already have everything you need, and you get to explore. Full time cruisers can do this whenever they want. Those of us with full time jobs that require us to go to an office get to do it in short spurts. This year, we left our home dock on Saturday, July 2 and returned eight days later.

The Chesapeake Bay is perfect for this type of trip because there are many destinations relatively close together. This was our trip:

• Saturday - Tuesday: Anchor in Swan Creek behind Rock Hall
• Tuesday - Thursday: Get a slip at Herrington Harbour South Marina (in between Deale and North Beach on the map)
• Thursday - Friday: Luck out with a slip in Ego Alley in Annapolis
• Friday - Saturday: Anchor behind Dobbins Island in the Magothy River (just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on the west side of the Bay)
  

The other great thing about the Bay is that lots of boating friends can come and go from the trip as it fits their schedule. It's like having house guests that bring their own house (and bed and sheets and towels and food). We had a core group of four boats in Swan Creek with another three that visited for part of the time.

The raft up taken from the bow of Wet Wille.

After watching fireworks in Baltimore and Middle River for the past few years, we wanted to try something different. We chose Swan Creek because we like the anchorage area and Rock Hall had fireworks scheduled for Sunday, July 3. We then chose to stay in Swan Creek for an extra couple days so we wouldn't have to deal with a Bay busy with boat traffic and price hikes at marinas for the holiday. We also got to enjoy a relatively empty anchorage basin for a couple of days.

Rock Hall put on an impressive fireworks show but the funniest statement about the display came from the 4-year-old in the group: "Mommy, why aren't the fireworks up in the sky?" This lucky little guy has always seen fireworks up close and personal, as in, lay down on the bow of your boat and watch them explode above you close and personal. We were close to the front of the Creek but still at the point where the fireworks were on the horizon and not directly above us.

The four ladies took the dinghy into town on Monday via the dinghy dock at Haven Harbor Marina. Town is about a half-mile away along a well-traveled road but the shoulder is sufficient for walking single or double-file. We did a little shopping but I have unfortunately seen a steady decline in the number of open businesses in Rock Hall. I wish there was more to do in town but we were really there for a relaxing raft up.

We did visit Waterman's Crab House for lunch. You simply must go to Waterman's if you visit Rock Hall. Just in case you need proof, they do serve more than just crabs:

The blackened tuna was cooked perfectly!

After four quiet days it was time for a trip down the bay to Herrington Harbour South. Watch for that post in a couple days.

Real Heat for Winter

Back in the fall, we had a Webasto diesel heater installed onboard. Now that winter is officially over, I can say that it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. This little unit turned our boat into a cozy home:


Ruler added to show size.

Pros:

• We were able to keep the boat at a cozy 65 degrees. We could have gone warmer if we wanted.
• The warm air is blown throughout the boat so everywhere is warm. No more morning waking up to a 15 degree temperature difference between the foot and head of the bed. In the past, we used electric radiators. They do the trick, but heat only radiates so far. See my post from the 2013/2014 winter.
• Our electric bills dropped. And by dropped, I mean plummeted. Those electric radiators use a lot of juice.
• It's easy to use and the four new vents blend in nicely.

  

  Venting and control unit in the salon.

• The unit is fed directly from our diesel tanks and uses a maximum of one gallon a day.
• No smell. This was a concern of mine since I tend to be sensitive to fuel smells, but there was no need to worry.
• We no longer need an engine room heater. There isn't a vent in the engine room but the unit itself kept the space well above freezing all winter.
• The cats love it. Especially Latte. We had to buy another cat bed because she really wanted to sleep near the vent.

  

  The black circle in the background is the vent in our stateroom.

Cons:

• The initial install is costly. However, with the savings in electric bills, it will pay for itself within a couple years.
• Install can take some time. It took two professionals from Eastern Marine Systems two full days to complete the install. We had the option of self-install but I'm really glad we had them do it. We do recommend Eastern Marine Systems if you are considering a diesel heater on your boat. They were professional and easy to work with. They even came back a couple weeks later to make sure everything was still up to par. So, this is listed on cons but it's not an actual negative.
• The bow stateroom was not as warm as the rest of the boat. This is due to the fact that it is furthest from the unit. It may also be partially our fault because we keep the door to that stateroom closed to keep the cats out. I'm sure it would be warmer if air could circulate better. A small ceramic heater did the trick when we had guests.
• It looks like a giant black octopus died in our engine room. The unit requires all new vents and the tubing has to go somewhere. I put this under cons but the venting doesn't get in our way.

By the way, we promised each other that we would stay on board at least three years. We just passed that mark this week and we are still thrilled with our decision.

Adult Trick-or-Treating on the Docks

Halloween! That magical time when you get to pretend to be someone or something else. A time when it's okay to accept candy from strangers. And a time when you get to stay up past your bedtime eating your sugary treasure.

Alas, it is typically frowned upon for adults to trick-or-treat. Instead, we get to ooh and aah over adorable or scary costumes and be the givers of candy.

Until you move onto a boat.

Let's face it, the docks aren't the best place for a bunch of children running around in the dark. So, this year I decided to do something about it and arranged an adult event called "Trick or Drinks." Essentially, it was a roaming happy hour for marina liveaboards and guests. The group visited 6 different boats over a couple hour time period. Mimicking trick-or-treating, host boats provided an alcoholic beverage of their choice. Don't like beer? Tough! That's the "candy" at this boat. And just like kids that don't like Mounds bars but take them anyway, we drank and enjoyed the offerings at each location.

The best part? No one was left behind. The owners of host boats didn't have to wait around for us to come to them. They roamed with us so everyone could enjoy the festivities.

And, of course, costumes were encouraged!

A couple thoughts if you choose to coordinate a similar event:

1. Limit the number of host boats. This is mainly a safety concern as you don't want people imbibing too much alcohol when boats and water are involved.
2. Allow ample time for everyone to enjoy their drinks at each boat. Again, this is partially a safety concern. If you rush from boat to boat, people will end up drinking 6 or more drinks in an hour or less. That doesn't make for a safe night or a fun morning after.
3. Encourage all size boats to participate. People can hang out on the dock near boats that are too small to have everyone on board.
4. Choose a costume that allows you to easily get on and off any type of boat.
5. Add decorations for extra fun (see pictures below).

How do other marinas celebrate Halloween?

Classic games -- Twister and the Magic 8 Ball.

Boats provide the space (and the means) to hang things easily.

I love using the windows as a backdrop for decorations (especially at Christmas).

Our neighbor's boat.

 

The pumpkins on the docks will always make it through the night since there aren't random strangers passing by that wish to smash them.

Another neighbor's boat. Not sure I'd trust this captain.

Cape Town Boat Show

We found a special treat while recently on vacation in South Africa. The Cape Town Boat Show coincided with our final day in the city. Did we go? The better question is -- could we possibly resist?

The show featured indoor space in the Civic Center and boats in the water at the V&A Waterfront. Overall, I would say that the show is smaller than the Baltimore Boat Show but the in-water part showcased larger boats than we can see at the Baltimore show. We did find a couple vendors with intriguing products.

We are constantly having to clean build-up out of our grey water tanks. These guys provide a pump that sends it directly overboard avoiding the middleman.

Dirty hull? Clean it with a remote control robot. While I don't thing this handy gadget would work too well on the tough barnacles that attack our hull in the Chesapeake Bay, it is a cool idea.

Catamarans were the main focus of the in-water part of the show. We see some catamarans at the big Annapolis Power Boat Show, and perhaps a few more at TrawlerFest, but they don't seem to be a focus in this part of the States.

While these may seem silly, we made a couple observations about the boats in the show. 1) We wondered, since the driver's side of South African cars is opposite of the driver's side in American cars, would the captain's seat also be placed on the opposite side?

Answer: No. Looks like boats are made the same wherever you go.

2) Would boat length be measured in meters rather than feet.

Answer: Yes and no. In the picture below, the boat is still called a 620 (62 feet) but the length specification first lists meters.

You may be wondering why we would think boats would be any different in South Africa. People in the U.S. buy foreign made boats all the time and they look just like the boats made in the States. Yes, that is true. However, if you buy a Volkswagen in the U.S. the driver's side will be on the left. If you buy the same model Volkswagen in South Africa, the driver's side will be on the right. Same car, different configuration.

One final interesting observation -- Prices are prominently displayed at every boat show we have attended in the U.S. The number is in large, bold font, sometimes on brightly colored paper. Prices were not as obvious for the boats in this show. Some boats had prices, but most did not. Which is better? I don't know.

We did find reference to home (top left corner):

And, wouldn't you love to spend a lazy afternoon here?

Anyone else attended both a U.S. and foreign boat show? What other similarities and differences have you found?

Getting Mail and Packages

When I tell people I live on a boat, "How do you get mail?" always seems to fall in the first ten questions I am asked. It's a valid question, especially since most people don't realize how many amenities are offered by marinas (and by "amenities" I mean basic necessities -- electricity, water, bathrooms, mail AND resort features -- pools, bars, boaters lounge, etc.). I also happen to live at a marina that offers a large number of amenities. Just check out my post from August 2013 to see what Harborview has to offer.

When it comes to mail it's really not that confusing if you think of the marina as a great big apartment complex. We collect our mail from a communal post box.

We also have the added benefit of getting packages delivered to the marina office. No worries about who is home to sign for a package. The fear of packages mysteriously walking off of a rowhouse stoop is seriously diminished. I simply go to the marina office during open hours to collect whatever has arrived for me. It's a great system.

Of course, all of this is in a perfect world and sometimes things don't follow the expected plan.

Recently a package arrived after normal marina business hours. At 8:35pm I checked on an expected package and noticed that it had been delivered at 8:15pm and "Left at glass doors." No problem, the old boater's lounge is outside the main marina gate. That must mean that the package is near those doors since the delivery company couldn't get onto the pier.

I walked up to the gate but no package was in sight. Okay, time to check the laundry room as many of us will put packages in there when we notice they are delivered off hours. Again, no package in sight. At this point there was nothing I could do before the marina office opened in the morning.

Next morning: I checked with the office on the off chance that the package has made its way in there. Nope, no package. I rechecked everything from the night before thinking I must have missed it. Still no package.

I went online prepared to claim the package as lost/stolen and found that I couldn't make any claims for another 48 hours because it "might still be out for delivery." So, why say it was delivered if it might not be? Back to the waiting game.

This is when it's great to have fantastic marina staff. A couple hours later I was returning from yoga. One of the staff members said he had found the package and it was now sitting on my boat. What? Where was it? It had made it's way through the main gate and was sitting at the top of B pier. Why B pier? Well, my address is Slip 6B. The "6B" designates my box in the communal post box, not my actual slip at the marina. The delivery person must have made it through the main gate and then assumed he/she was placing the package somewhere it would be found.

Thanks, Danny, for finding my package. By the way, the box was pretty small -- that's my iPhone 4 sitting next to it.

For those of you who are truly interested in the liveaboard lifestyle, our mail situation only works because Baltimore and Harborview are our permanent slip. People who are continuously cruising use mail forwarding services like St. Brendan's Isle. One day I'll know more about that service. :)

Sorry for the mundane topic but it sure seems that lots of people want to know how the mundane things work in this life.

The Pirates of Swan Creek

We rafted up with three other boats last weekend in Swan Creek. But this wasn't just any old Rock Hall weekend. It was Pirates & Wenches Weekend - an annual event that brings hoards of people in costume to Rock Hall seeking fun.

In the past, we've always docked at Rock Hall Landing or did a quick lunch cruise to Waterman's. Why had we never ventured into Swan Creek? I don't have a good answer for that. However, this being our first trip and having heard stories of Pirates & Wenches Weekend, we didn't know what to expect.

The first "obstacle" we had to overcome was a swarm of pirate kayakers blocking our path into the creek:

Next came the pirate dinghies with their vuvuzelas:

I guess we looked harmless enough because they let us pass. We finally made it safely into the creek and rafted up.

After that things were pretty calm. We saw boats full of people in costume heading into town for the festivities. And there were many boats in the creek proudly displaying their flags. There was certainly plenty of space for boaters that wanted to anchor out and tender in to town.

The creek was so pretty that we can't wait to go back. Perhaps we'll even go into town for the next P&W weekend in the search of booty. This year it was fun being on the outskirts of the festivities enjoying the quiet scenery and the warm water - that is saltier than most of the places we frequent in the Bay.