The next day dawned sunny and warm, but the wind continued to blow out of the south. This meant that the seas outside would likely be no better than they had been outside of Cape May, and were probably a little worse. So, I’d be spending another day inside, which was no great hardship. I’d […]
37. The Jersey Shore
When the time came to leave Cape May, I got underway without really knowing which way to go. On my way south in the fall, I’d taken the outside ocean route down from Atlantic City. It’s basically a straight line down the coast, and without all of the twists and turns of the ICW, it’s […]
36. Crunching Numbers and Making Flag Friends
After a few quiet days in Solomons, it was time to press on. It had been a while since I’d gotten fuel, so I decided to take a splash on my way out of town. I’d passed quite a few really cheap fuel docks on my way up the ICW, but for one reason or […]
35. It’s Always Foggy on the Chesapeake
Oh hello. It’s been a while. I hope you’re well. After a long 35 day work week, I was finally parolled. It took a couple of days travel by rented land yacht, but I eventually made my way back to Sylphide at Hampton, VA. I’m always a little nervous to leave her for long stretches, […]
34. One Last Jump, and we Hunker Down
My first morning at Atlantic Yacht Basin started with a chorus of noisy-ass Canada Chickens. I think they were trying to honk a Metallica song, but the only part they got right was the volume. It was perfectly reasonable for them to be making a ruckus, it being late in the morning, and high time […]
33. Coinjock to Cheesecake, VA
After an enjoyable three days at Coinjock, my feet started getting itchy. A quick WebMD search told me it was likely wanderlust, and not athlete’s foot. All I had to do to make it right was go for a boat ride. No creams needed. I’d been expecting to return to work soon, and had planned […]
32. Why I Went to the Woods, and Why I Came Back
I’m an extrovert. Sure, I need alone time to stay sane, but I also need people. Something I’ve learned about myself since I started cruising, is that I generally don’t like going more than about three days without interacting with others in person. This, more than any limitations of Sylphide’s systems or tank capacities, is […]
31. Something Something Social Distancing Something
I spent a couple of gray, rainy, and windy nights at Morehead City. When the second morning rolled around, things were looking much more gooderer. I decided to shake a leg, and make some more miles. By the time Perkins was warm, and I’d finished swearing at my new and still obnoxious fresh water hose, […]
30. Quarantine Cruising, Sylphide style
I left Southport Marina after just one night’s stay, and without having come within six feet of anyone, for better or worse. I caught the last of the flood tide up the Cape Fear River, and was shot through Snows Cut like a spicy burrito through a sensitive intestinal tract. [Insert relevant joke about toilet […]
29. Cruising Into the Apocalypse
The next morning, I felt like I’d had Domino’s and a terrible night’s sleep the night before. This is because I had. My mattress and I haven’t been getting along well lately, and replacing it is becoming a higher priority with every sore, creaky, early morning. While coffee soaked into my joints to loosened them […]