Its Saturday, September 2, 06. And here in The Chesapeake Bay it seems we now are in the “clear.”  It is still overcast and patches of rain still falling. But, TS Ernesto has moved on up north…

I went to check my boat yesterday at noon and this is what I found.  My Seafarer is docked on a private dock, not a marina.  My landlord/friend keeps his 3 boats, an old Tartan 33R with a dead engine and in need of some restoration, a 24’ power boat with a 90hp outboard to zip around the river and his Melges 24 race boat that he keeps an electric lift so his bottom stays clean.  There are no buildings other than a small barn/shed for sails and other boat stuff and lawnmower to keep the grass down and a 500w generator so he can operate his electric lift. 

The wind was blowing about 25-30 knots out of the NE.  The water was up almost to the bottom of the finger pier.  My boat, Aeolus, was bobbing nicely and  didn’t touch her lines (no reason to spoil a good thing).  His Melges’s lift was dangerously close to the rising water! He doesn’t tie his Melges down, it just sits on the lift.  So, I dragged down the power cable and started the generator and raised the lifts about 6 inches.

When I was done, in spite of the foul weather jacket, I was drenched, so after a 20 minute drive I rewarded myself with lunch at Pirates Cove Restruant across the river. Lunch was a Soft Shell Crab sandwich (with fries and coleslaw) a cup of Maryland Crab Soup (the red kind) and a Sam Adams.  Ah, this checking boats is hard work…

Maybe by Monday the weather will clear enough to have a sail.