ANNAPOLIS

I am sitting in the cabin of 'Interim' with a full, gorgeous sunset outside the porthole windows. Bill, Bruce and Tony left Mamaroneck on Wednesday, September 23rd heading towards the East River and then down the coast of New Jersey to Cape May. The beginning of the trip was uneventful except for a slight difficulty in the East River. Our fabulous friend, Patrick, was in the city in the morning and called Bill to ask why there were so many Coast Guard Vessels in the river. I immediately recalled (from my days driving to New Rochelle) that when the UN begins sessions and all the big whigs of the world are in town the Coast Guard closes the river to recreational vessels at their discretion. I then called "Homeland Security" and was told to contact the Coast Guard directly. I did and was informed that the river would be closed from 9:30 to 3:00 and after 3:00 only the West Channel (the one furthest from the UN) would be open. Now, we had to find out if the bridge in the West Channel was high enough for us to go through - well it wasn't. However, when 'Interim' was close by Bill was to call the bridge tender and he would open the bridge. And so he did. I have to say that everyone I spoke to was polite and informative.

Once through the East River the captain and crew went on watches down the coast of New Jersey, up through the Delaware Bay, through the C&D canal and down the Chesapeake Bay and at 5:30 am on Friday morning they picked up a mooring in Annapolis Harbor. I'm told they slept til 10:30 and then went into Spa Creek where we are now moored. I drove down to Annapolis on Saturday and as I approached the town it started to drizzle. We exchanged crew - I went on board 'Interim' and Tony and Bruce took the car back to Mamaroneck.

Of course Bill and I then had a wonderful time trying to find places for all the stuff. We went to sleep early to the sound of rain which lasted the entire night and morning but at about noon the sun came out and we walked through the lovely town of Annapolis.

This was an uneventful transit and I am grateful for the wonderful crew and weather. I'm not sure how long we will stay in Annapolis - probably til the Sailboat Show - and then we will start the trip to the Intracoastal Waterway.

Sorry no photos yet - I can't seem to find my cameras!!!!!

ONE WEEK TO GO

We just had the most beautiful weather window but as fate would have it we were not ready to drop the mooring and head out to the Jersey Coast. Bill has several people lined up to go on the first leg from Mamaroneck to Annapolis. We are working very hard to get the boat in shape and this photo proves that Bill was serious about taking some of his (hopefully not needed) "stuff" off the boat. However, we just loaded bags and bags and bags of food that is now sitting on the cabin floor waiting to be stowed. I guess it's like moving to a new, larger home. The first one small but filled to the ceiling with "stuff" and when moved to a larger home there is no holding back filling the NEW space. Well, I just fill all the spaces, it's one of my few vices (Bill is chuckling looking over my shoulder).

There are so many little/large details still to do in order to close up the apartment: forward mail, terminating CABLE, taking out batteries for the many electronic gizmo's, etc. etc. The list is long.

There will come a day, however, when all the prep is over and 'Interim' becomes our home. Of course, there will be many items that still won't have homes but that just mimics our apartment and in a way somewhat satisfying.