Back to Virginia

Hi y’all Boatbloggers ® and welcome back to another exciting episode of The Boatblog.

This edition is coming to you live from Hampton, Virginia where we are preparing for another major crossing. This time back to the British Virgin Islands, which is about 1,250 miles away as the shark swims, and a little bit longer if you have to tack and gybe because of the wind. Details of how to follow our epic voyage will be announced in the next blog.

We left New York in the middle of September and headed down the East Coast to Cape May. It was a pretty horrible trip – the wind was on our nose and the tide against us for most of the time, so poor old Domini was slamming up and down like a bucking bronco with fleas. But we made it, and spent a couple of days there before heading up the Delaware Bay, through the C & D canal, and into The Chesapeake.

By now we realise it was time to change our flag. The Red Ensign that we so proudly fly as members of the British Merchant Fleet had turned orange in the sun and looked like something left over from the Battle of Trafalgar.

ORANGE ENSIGN

RED ENSIGN – Or the Red Duster as ye olde salts call it.

Then we went down to the Sassafrass River in the Chesapeake Bay.

It was when we were anchored there that we got the sad news that Ju’s dad had died, so we flew back home as quickly as we could.

RIP Pa. We love you.

While we were back in England, the eclipse of the Red Moon happened, and Ju stayed awake to watch it, and took photos in case there weren’t enough being taken already.

We’re not sure that NASA will need this, but if they do we have plenty of others.

When we got back to the States after Pa’s funeral, it was time for the Annapolis Boat Show. It’s a Park & Ride set up, and they take you there in those little yellow school buses that you see in all the movies.

LYN & STUART trying to pass as teenagers.

They are great, except that they’re obviously designed for school kids, so you can hardly get your knees in between the seats. Very tricky for the larger adult, of which there are quite a few in Annapolis.

They had the actual America’s Cup at the show.

 

Hopefully it won’t be too long before you don’t have to go to America to see it. Come on Sir Ben!

We bought a new anchor at the boat show. Which seemed like a good idea till Ju found out how heavy it was. 44lbs to be precise, and it’s not much fun carrying that round a show and then onto a school bus.

Still, those of you who know about these things will recognise it as a Spade Anchor, and will no doubt be saying to yourselves, “Those two really know what they’re doing. No longer just rookie sailors – these guys are pros.”

SPADE ANCHOR – The connoisseur’s choice

But it’s starting to get a bit cold. Not cold by English standards, but Ju has had to resort to putting his jeans on. Yes – it has come to that. There is definitely an autumn nip in the air.

AUTUMN IN MARYLAND

So we decided to put the conservatory up.

Looks a bit odd, but keeps you warm. (That’s the conservatory of course, not Lyn.)

And now here we are in Hampton VA. Our friend and legendary theatre director, David Taylor came up to visit and we went to colonial Williamsburg.

…where we found out how nicely the British treated the colonials, and why they declared Independence.

But now alas we must leave you, because we are getting Domini ready for the Salty Dawg Rally to the BVI (http://saltydawgrally.org), and there is much to do. 

Look out for our next instalment live from the Caribbean.

 

Ju & Lyn

Salty Dawgs