Chesapeake City

Doug and Dennis shopping, much fun!!!!

Time for another jewel on Chesapeake Bay today as we toured Chesapeake City.  It’s a very small town on the C&D canal, the route that we will take as we move on in a few days.  Victorian houses along a few blocks of Main Street were fronted with flowers and rocking chairs on the front porches.  Many houses had been converted to little shops that we perused.  A small building on the waterfront had been turned into an ice cream parlor, an old bank is now a jewelry store and the Tiki Bars ringed the marina.  We also enjoyed a fine Sunday Brunch with Doug and Kathy at a restaurant just across the canal in the northside of Chesapeake City.

Dennis spent time in the afternoon adjusting the regulator settings.  This evening the humidity and haze have moved back in and we are watching for showers, hoping they will let up on the perfect timing for us to be on our way when the bimini top is installed.

Beautiful old church, canal overpass in the background

Ice cream shop

A new hat I believe

Annapolis

On the water dining in Annapolis

Doug and Kathy picked us up this morning and we headed off to see Annapolis, by car.  It was a gorgeous day, about 80 degrees, light breeze, just a few puffy white clouds in an amazing blue sky.  Driving to Annapolis we must have seen 40 marinas in the various rivers we crossed before we got to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  The bridge is 4.3 miles long and most impressive, the longest steel structure over water when built in 1955.  From above the Chesapeake we could see hundreds of boats of all sizes. 

State house on the highest point in the county

Annapolis is a charming town, both the capital of Maryland and the home of the US Naval Academy, the second largest coed dormitory houses 4600 cadets.  Where is the largest coed dormitory? The architecture dates back to the 1700’s and there are gently rolling hills down to the river.  The State capital sits on the highest point and the oldest church sits on the second highest hill separated by several blocks.  The first Governor was trying to make a point.   The downtown area is a tourist mecca of tiny shops – art, clothing, chocolate, jewelry, shoes….. everything a shopper could desire.  Dennis was the big spender of the day, purchasing a $14 pack of burgee holder clips so we can put our new AGLCA flag back up.  I bought fudge.

We had lunch at Carrol’s Creek so a picture was in order.  Later we saw St. Denis church, but passed on that photo opportunity.  We rode a water taxi back and forth between downtown destinations and the taxi driver – who is also the volunteer fire captain – was asking us a lot of questions because he wants to do the Loop someday.

Doug and Dennis talking with the captain

We finished off with a light dinner at the Kitty Knight House.  During the Revolutionary War, Kitty Knight prevailed upon the British to not burn her house as it was serving as a hospital.  The house survived and has been combined and expanded into a large restaurant, a neat old tavern and a B&B.  It was a lot of fun to see the area with such good tour guides as Kathy and Doug and we had a very good time.

Annapolis Naval Chapel dome above Kathy's hat

Bohemia Bay – Bimini Rebuild

Andy and Kevin tension the fabric

Kevin, Gene, Andy and Kevin II began work this morning about 9:00 this morning. Setting the framework is 2 parts engineering, 3 parts material handling, and 100 parts special geometry. A 5^th bow was added to the framework, the four went to work like a finely oiled machine. They climbed all over the fly bridge trimmed tubes, anchored the base framework and then added the interim bows, a very intricate process. We discussed heights, Carol and I went to measure when they left the boat to get additional material and the process evolved. The framework was in place by 1:00 and they took lunch. The basic canvas was brought out and clamped to the framework, measured, marked and then removed to be taken out to be sewn.

Gene works the aft edge from the sundeck roof

This framework is made of 1 ¼” stainless steel tubing, which at first looks a bit large but as the process evolves feels solid. We will lower the Bimini about 8”, that will provide less wind resistance and I believe a better overall shape. It will also reduce the necessity to lower the Bimini for bridge clearance. All in all, the construction experience to date has been great with Canvas Plus, North East, MD. More on Monday.

Tonight John and Debbie from Bonnie Blue stopped over for decktails. This is their home port and they travel to the Keys during the winter. They will return to the Keys next winter and begin their loop in spring. 

Kevin directs the crew and marks the canvas for sewing

A real team effort

Back at Bohemia Bay

Yesterday, we were able to shop for gear for a couple of projects. I am exchanging email with the tech department at Balmar trying to get the new regulator working properly. I also am working to install a fuel polishing system and am beginning to fit parts in a very confined area. Keven and Gene from Canvas Plus were back this afternoon and began fitting the framework for the Bimini Top. All in all a quiet day at the marina.

Framework being placed

A three dimensional puzzle

Bohemia Bay and Allentown PA

Yes, that's my butt under the bush!

We spent a couple of days with Doug and Kathy Timmel at their home in Allentown.  It was fun to see the land-side of things for a bit.  They have a beautiful home and treated us to several good meals.  It was a treat to have some home cooking and also to go to the Country Club.   We looked around Allentown where there are many beautiful parks.  Went for a walk on the covered bridge and saw the trout farm and nearby trout fishing stream.

Nice fishing spot

Doug has been most generous in driving us around.  Today we came back to the marina, stopping for groceries along the way.  Then Doug and Dennis took turns overseeing the boat projects – new canvas for us, and an engine install for them.

It’s been hot and humid but a good thunderstorm is expected to clear things out tonight.   Thunderstorms are only “good” when you are at a dock.

We met some people here who said they are “looper wannabe’s” and we promised to come over and visit on their boat for awhile. Our replacement AGLCA burgee arrived in the mail today so now we are official again.

NOTE: to loopers and boat owners.  We have Progressive insurance through NBOA and it is very reasonably priced.  We were pleasantly surprised to get such a quick response and professional service from an inspector in this area.  Between the good insurance company, and finding a good Canvas company – our ordeal may come to a very satisfactory conclusion.

Structural engineering well before computers

Really pretty park setting

Bohemia Bay Marina

Very interesting day on Monday, Kevin from Canvas Plus arrived to look at and work on the canvas repairs. After a long discussion, we decided that it was difficult to build the frame to fit the canvas and the frame work and canvas must be replaced. Kevin prepared an estimate and I met with Michael the inspector from Progressive Insurance in the afternoon. Michael was very knowledgeable and he understood the problem of the frame and canvas, he viewed the boat, and the framework and canvas and we were able to reach an agreement concerning the repairs. Kevin will begin work on Tuesday installing the framework and plans to complete the project by the 10^th to meet our travel plans.

Danny and the engine block on the truck hoist

Carol’s cousin Doug came to the marina, his boat is located on the Sassafras River just south of our marina. Doug is having an engine replaced on his boat and we did the best we could to assist Danny, Doug’s mechanic with placing the engine in the hull. I was very impressed with the process Danny had in planned for the installation. He has a truck with a small crane and he placed the short block on the aft deck, then moved the crane to the other side of a support, lifted and reset the block on a small dolly. He had built a track to roll the block into the salon, where he placed an A frame with a chain fall, after several more small movements he was able to hoist the block directly with the chain fall and lower it into the hold. A very impressive maneuver of a 900 pound engine block.

On the chain fall ready to be placed

We traveled to Doug’s home in Allentown for shish kabobs on the grill. Today we did a few repair projects around the house including re-plumbing a fountain in the back yard. Fun time on the dirt.

Nice Fountain

Rockhall Anchorage to Bohemia Bay Yacht Harbor

Passing ships are a great diversion

Yesterday we left Rockhall very early in the morning to have a long day to make it to Bohemia Bay.  The tidal current was with us and we made good time.  However the waves were a little steep for most of the day.  The wind and wave limit was just barely within our window for tolerance – especially with no protection from the wind and spray on the upper helm. 

A fully loaded tug in route

Coming into Bohemia Bay was a treat – it is gorgeous scenery and a natural basin in the base of some hills.  The trees are huge and green, the sky is blue and the harbor is very well protected.  A family seems to run the place, with about 300 slips – many under cover.  They charge only $1 per foot per night, which is a great bargain in this area.  Since we will be here at least a week, it will be even less.  There is a boatyard here with mechanics and we chose it because it is the home of a recommended canvas maker.

There is a big pool, a boater’s lounge, and a pink pig boat alongside the pier that specializes in selling Bar B Q to visitors and boaters (see photo).  Other than that it is like being in a state park.  The only negative here is there is no courtesy car or shuttle and there is no grocery store or restaurant for about 10 miles.   So give it 4 stars for a Looper recommendation – beautiful scenery for a short stay, kind of isolated for a longer stay.

Today Dennis spent time on cleaning and little projects.  I managed to sew for a few hours and now we are watching a beautiful sunset.

Bohemia Bay Yacht Harbor Entrance

Nicely protected marina entrance

The local Bar B Que Boat