June 7 - 13, 2015
Clay
and I awakened Sunday morning at the Philadelphia riverfront, aware of a flurry
of activity just beyond the security gate of our Penn's Landing Marina.
Noticing boats arriving and people gathering, we soon discovered an Irish
Festival in the making. Not one to be left out, Clay quickly made plans to
circulate among the festival-goers, and I tagged along to see what kind of
mischief he might encounter! What fun among the G-R-E-E-N! We found beer stands
and Irish food aplenty; a huge stage with live Irish folk music; demonstrations
of Irish step dancing (the little girls were adorable); Celtic-symbol jewelry
and mementos; and green t-shirts, tu-tus, and pigtailed wigs to name a few of
the items to tempt celebrants all claiming to be at least part-Irish.
A
Monday morning shower during our walk along South Street caught us unaware and
had me running through the streets of Philly at breakneck speed (got neither
lost nor detoured) to rescue the interior of our boat from water damage. I
didn't want to sleep in a rain-soaked bed nor did I want to figure out how to
dry out the mattress, and with aft cabin windows open, I knew these both to be
huge possibilities! I threw Clay a towel as he entered the boat; I was equally
soaked having simply collected raindrops faster than he.
We
were treated Monday afternoon to a whirlwind tour of downtown Philadelphia by
Gold Loopers Dick and Deanna (Sareanna). How wonderful to experience the city's
highlights through the eyes of residents (to name a few: the fabulously appealing
and intricately carved architecture of City Hall; Ninth Street Italian market
which is the oldest and largest working outdoor market in the United States;
and the Reading Terminal Market which housed offerings of cheeses, bakery
items, prepared meals, jewelry, soaps and lotions, clothing, etc). Clay and I
ended the day with dinner at Pietros on South Street.
Much
of Tuesday we spent regrouping and reorganizing in preparation for our next-day
departure. Clay opted to use afternoon time to explore the Seaport Museum while
I revisited Market Street at a leisurely pace, hoping for a shopping
opportunity (didn't happen, but was fun exploring solo). We hosted docktails
for our new acquaintances Dick and Deanna, then nibbled on Pietros' leftovers
for a late supper.
On
our last morning walk in Philadelphia this Wednesday morning, we followed a
mini-map to Elfreth's Alley, featured as 'America's Oldest Residential
Neighborhood.' What a step back into history! We walked the narrow cobblestone
street admiring attractively planted window boxes and snapping numerous photos
of "Oh, isn't this cute!" and "Oh, isn't that
eye-catching!" We'd certainly have to downsize to make our household goods
fit any of these residences.
After
a sincere thank you to dock masters Jimmy and Richard who were both so very
congenial and accommodating, we departed Penn's Landing Marina and guided down
the Delaware River destined for Delaware City, a nice four-hour cruise away. We
knew to anticipate the tricky docking maneuver, once again precisely transacted
by Corey and Tara (oops, and you, too, Captain Clay).
Secured
to shore, I made a beeline to the laundry room to cycle linens and a week's
accumulation of laundry, having had no amenities in Philadelphia for
bath/showers/lounge/laundry. We also off-loaded our bikes, serviced them, then
stowed them for tomorrow's use. After leftovers for dinner, we completed
preparation for a full day on shore tomorrow; SaSea Sally was to be pulled (on
the 'hard') for routine maintenance. The staff promised ladder access should we
need it, but Clay was doubtful.
Bright
and very early Thursday morning Charlie appeared to transact the move to the
sling and the pull. Slow to finish his breakfast, Clay jumped to action and
never did finish that bowl of cereal. We off-loaded ourselves and our day gear,
then I went about my usual walking routine while Clay monitored progress on
washing and waxing the hull and changing out zincs. Westminster friend and
fellow FiJi John Drescher arrived for a long lunch, rescuing us from the
beastly hot day. We dined at newly-renovated and now open Crabby Dick's, but
tolerated an ear-splitting fire alarm repeatedly and pesky flies throughout our
coulda-been-more-pleasant-conditions lunch. We had such fun catching up on
John's life since our paths last crossed. John was a very welcome and handsome
diversion from what could have been a very long day!
As
promised Charlie had us ('us' being the SaSea Sally) back in the water by day's
end. His goal was to avoid the necessity of a motel overnight . And, he did it!
Additionally, he had a distinct time deadline as determined by the tides in
this very rapid-current canal. He timed slack tide perfectly, and SaSea Sally
slipped back into her spot along the face dock in time for docktails. The day
with its activity and heat took a toll on us no-longer teenagers, but we
nonetheless enjoyed a nice home-cooked dinner then retired for the night soon
after.
As I
set out on my morning walk at 7:45 a.m. this Friday morning, I quickly realized
I should have gone at 6:45 a.m. HOT seems to be the key word today. Despite the
heat, I test rode the new West Marine bicycle later morning, adjusting to the
feel and maneuverability. We tackled other tasks as well knowing tomorrow to be
departure day. I took advantage of the marina laundry and nearby post office to
cycle a couple of loads and to handle tasks requiring USPS services. Clay
orchestrated a routine pump out and assisted Charlie in the repair of the
companionway's washer/dryer. Note: By 'assist' I mean that Clay saw it as a
learning opportunity; I was well-pleased with the outcome when Charlie
proclaimed the washer fixed! And, when asked if he would help me load the
bicycles, 21-year-old Corey replied, "Anything for you, Sally." Now
who wouldn't fall in love with this cute fella?
Now
Saturday morning, Clay and I are preparing for an anticipated six-plus hour
cruise to Cape May, NJ. From that point, we will await a weather window to
tackle the North Atlantic Ocean to Atlantic City then on to Staten Island.
Because the AICW (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway) is not dredged for this
stretch, we are forced into the ocean as our draft exceeds the AICW depth in
many spots. We will keep you apprised of what lies ahead when what lies ahead
happens! Until then...
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