September 7 - 14, 2014
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| Peggy and her twin sister Cathy, both boat owners |
"Cambridge
first sported a bustling tobacco trade which was snuffed out in the 18th
century due to the American Revolution. After the war, Cambridge's residents
revitalized their economy using the abundant timber that lined the Choptank's
shores. Lumber mills acted as a catalyst for the birth of a significant boat
building community which soon expanded to include shucking and oyster-packing
houses which grew along the waterfront. Boats and boatbuilding are twin icons
of the community's heritage."
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| Ruark boatworks (museum) |
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| Boat building in progress |
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| Picture of O-45 in on the racing circuit |
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| Clay with restored O-45 |
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| Sally with O-45 |
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| Passing in the wind.......... |
Currently,
the 'charming' (per Peggy) town of Cambridge is undergoing resuscitation of
which we'd been apprised by our mentors Hans and Peggy (Aqua Vitae). There are
tons of new boat slips, split between the municipal wharf and the yacht club.
And if the accumulation of boats at our current location is any indication,
'tons' is a good descriptor (maybe a bit exaggerated). The historic buildings
along Race Street are being restored, giving opportunity for artists and
craftsmen to fill the renovated galleries; guided tours of the historic adjacent
High Street enlighten and educate visitors, including many of the MTOA'ers
(sans the Logans; we just never managed to work it in). Several restaurants are
moving into town, two of which we thoroughly enjoyed. It is apparent that
Cambridge gives opportunity for exploration and education!
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| Hydroplane sponson on O-45 |
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| O-45 topsides |
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| Restored racing hydro from the pre-WII era like John Logan's |
All
in all, it was a good week. Weather was, for the most part, cooperative, which
made the walk much more doable from C-7 (our slip location as previously
indicated) to the the complex housing marina office, bath house, gazebo (where
impromptu informal gatherings were held), big white and little white tents
(where scheduled roundtable discussions, meal functions, ship's store,
membership meetings, etc were held). I clocked Clay's pace at 5:35 and mine at
4:45, meaning we got lots of exercise this week just traversing the terrain.
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| Sailboat heeling on the Chestapeake |
The
MTOA Northern Rendezvous 2014, themed "Changes in Attitude" was held
Tuesday thru Thursday, so Monday was spent in preparation. Remember the
cooperative weather (for the most part) of which I previously spoke? Well,
Monday wasn't one of those days. With overcast skies, drizzle and chill, Clay
and I opted to stay at the boat tackling the ever present, ongoing project
list. We were interrupted late afternoon by a knock on the door...we'd missed the
mentor/mentee meeting and were soon to miss the social hour. Since MTOA'er
Nancy (a higher-up in the organization) had traversed the 5-minute +/- route
each way to secure our presence, we felt obligated to join in the social
hour...which we did. A casual dinner out of the galley ended our day (who felt
like cooking after social hour with soon-to-be-forever friends?)
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| Choptank River "light house"??? |
The
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday schedule of events gave many options for both Clay
and me. Clay was far more diligent in maximizing the value of the MTOA
presentations; he spent the majority of daylight hours in meetings, picking
boaters' brains, and gleaning answers to questions he had accumulated over the
past months. Me, I opted to treat myself to some 'me' time aboard. Having spent
no time cleaning and organizing since Sus' traveling back with us from MO late
August, I found myself doing both with Jimmy Buffett XM seranading me as I
worked. Loved every minute of it as I am sure Clay did, each of us for
different reasons. With regards to meetings, I picked and chose among
roundtable topics of interest to me and attended knot tying, visited Ruark
Boatworks (to see wooden boat-making in progress), lunched with fellow MTOA'ers
on grilled hot dogs, visited a newer-than-ours model Mainship 430, smiled for
group pictures (command performance), nabbed a ride to Wally World for
reprovisioning, and dined at each of the three evening meals which followed
social hours. I met wonderful folks, many of whom we will chance encounter as
we play leap frog during our next months aboard; and many others with whom we
will intentionally collide (given our quick bonding during these three MTOA
days together).
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| Scene on one of our morning walks |
As
Friday dawned, I coerced Clay to join me on my morning walking route,
delightful as it was. I followed the shoreline along the Choptank River each of
the days in Cambridge. I passed under a three-block canopy of sycamore trees
shedding their leaves in a darling neighborhood, crossed an isthmus where I'd
usually find a crane poised for flight, found two tiny beach areas as well as
some very impressive waterfront property. I wanted to share this with Clay,
even though he's usually insistent on designing the day's route himself. Once a
captain, always a captain I guess.
Shortly
before 11 a.m., Terry and Donna Freed, friends and a co-worker (Terry) at Stark Bro's
arrived for a boat tour and lunch date in Cambridge. We had a nice reunion
followed by lunch at a downtown restaurant favorite of Donna's. Clay continues
to successfully reconnect with folks from his past as we Loop the eastern half
of the United States.
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| Cambridge MD Sunset |
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| Cambridge MD Sunset |
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| During a very high tide the street floods every 12 hours |
Clay
spent much of Saturday doing boat chores while I chose to explore the downtown
area. After a USPS stop, I visited a few shops then beat feet back to the
marina to avoid approaching storms which dropped temperatures for a welcomed
change. Skies cleared in time for a casual dinner at nearby Snapper's.
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| Cambridge sunset |
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| Sally at the playground |
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| Imaginative play stations! |
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| We met Toucan on the IL River in 2013 |
Sunday
morning we found ourselves bidding adieu to the few remaining MTOA'ers still
harbored at Cambridge. (As we 'closed up shop' in anticipation of departure, I
was amazed that we'd not off-loaded our bikes for use this entire week as they
would have been handy.) Just prior to disconnecting electric and water and
untying and stowing lines and fenders, Captain Clay made an abrupt (but good
and informed) decision to abort plans to cross the Choptank River to Gateway
Marina. Instead he set sights on Oxford (Hinckley Yacht Services).
Gateway Marina listed shallow waters at both entry and dockside whereas
Hinckley provided some cushion for our 4' draw. We had checked winds Saturday
night to anticipate the best departure time, but we'd not explored anticipated
depths, and Clay certainly didn't want to chance it. Bright boy! I was happy to
take blame for 'having to have breakfast before departure (gave him/us time to
THINK and to research).
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| Short haul to check and clean bottom |
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| Short haul in Oxford MD |
Hinckley
offered the same services as Gateway in having boat pulled (short haul) so the
bottom could be power washed and checked, zincs checked, props cleaned and
checked, etc. A bit pricier was Hinckley, but also safer with a reputable
staff. With those tasks on Monday's agenda, we departed shortly post noon and
set our sights on an Oxford, MD entry in a couple hours.
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| Beautiful sunrise at Cambridge MD |
More
later as the week begins in Oxford.
Monday
morning brought the anticipated short haul at 9 a.m. but not before we managed
to seek out the corner grocery for hearty breakfast sandwiches and fresh
cranberry-orange muffins. On terra firma and standing clear of the operation, I
watched in rapt (or should I use synonyms fascinated, spellbound, enthralled,
captivated, riveted, gripped, mesmerized, entranced) attention as the lift
geared up in land-rover mode to hoist SaSea Sally out of her liquid
environment, suspended by what looked to be awfully skinny straps for her girth
and 20-ton poundage! Realizing, of course, that I could do nothing to prevent
what could (awfully slim chance) happen, I opted to scoot off on foot to see
what I might see, hear what I might hear, and otherwise enjoy another beautiful
day in my allocated hour of freedom! Who needed stress? I left Clay to monitor
the goings-on and to learn, quite confident that he would share his
newly-acquired knowledge upon my return. Which he did...I got Zincs 101, Prop
Cleaning 101 and Re-entry 101 in rapid succession. 
I
led the way across the bridge to Eastport, MD on our morning walk Wednesday
morning which was a delightful, 
