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Voyage 2022: Chapter 3

Sailing the Baltic Sea

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1 Oct 2022, Solo Sailing for Dummies Part 1, 38 46.53 N/ 076 33.78 W

(13 July 2022 from personal log) Today, I went on my first voyage since Miss Ann passed. Lots of anxiety and missing the girl.

Got up at 0630, went to pottie and slowly did the lines thing.  It was not windy  so not much current.  First thing was to tie a breast line on the port side which allowed me to remove most of the other lines.  The breast should have been secured a little further forward on the boat as the anchor got stuck on one of the deck pilings.

The wind was blowing lightly out of the west, which blows the boat into the slip and allows her to back to the west, which facilitates us leaving.  Winds out of the south, would force the boat out of the slip in the wrong direction, meaning a U turn in the fairway.  Bottom line, I left without incident.

Attention and visibility could be better. Got into Herring crab pot field like always, but caught none.

Heading south down the bay, I experienced light winds abaft the beam which abetted in the afternoon.  My nav skills came back with the toys. Still like north up nav vs course up or heads up. 

Almost collided with a power boat fishing.  It would have been mutual fault.  Not proper lookout on either side.  The boat had almost no radar return.  Got to work on that.
Before entering Solomon's, asked for preferred tie up side. Ended up with a port tie. We set up our lines, came to J dock, where we had to get past a big Kroegan, then head further on same dock very slowly and stop the boat with several reversing thrusts. Straightened up parallel to t-head with no incident. Port tie ups are perfect, starboard are sh*tty.

Left the next day where we had wind on the nose at the dock.  Doubled up stern, dropped aft spring line, loosened up forward spring, doubled up a loosened now. Released bow, had engine in neutral, pushed bow out until caught the wind, release forward spring, put in forward, released stern line, and there we go.  Cleaned up the fenders once we got outside the harbor.  Kinda of embarrassing with fenders dangling.
Now near the mouth of the Pax River, increase RPM's, then twang. Apparently the throttle linkage broke. Dropped anchor and 200' of chain in 50' of water. Called TowBoat; he towed me to his dock, left the next day for a 6-hour tow.

Next day, left Capt. Mike's dock, passed our favorite anchorage, no osprey nest again this year.  Something must have happened to our family.  Once we got close to the mouth of Pax River, Capt Bob told me I could tie up the wheel.  Once we passed the CNG plant, I went down for a hour nap.  Arrived 1 mile east of Herring #1 where  Capt Bob handed Jule III to Capt Rob where  he took Jule all the way to the slip with a towline not a hip tow.  He slacked his towline, nudged Jule's bow to past the back starboard piling.  I start pulling on the port aft spring line from the piling, but now the boat was heading for the  boat on our port side.  I pushed off on the  boat with the rubber end of the boat hook, so Jule was straight but no speed.  Pushed on the back port piling to give her a little speed.  Was about ready to set the port after spring when Captain Rob asked me to get a boat hook and snag the bow line from him.  I did get bow line and set it on the red tape marker.  Then set the aft spring ( a little tight at first to keep the stern from being too far forward. Then set starboard bow lines and both stern lines.  The voyage was a success except the engine is broke. 
Ann and Bob ______________________________________________ Aboard SV Jule III (http://www.Jule-III.com)

1 Oct 2022, Solo Sailing for Dummies Part II, 38 46.53 N/ 076 33.78 W

(August 24, 2022: from personal logs) "Headed for Annapolis to test my docking skills again, solo mooring retrieval, and re-docking. Tried to do on the 23rd, but the repair had not been repaired.

Dock was Shipwright, wind out of the NW at 5-10 kts.  This is a perfect 
wind forecast as the stern will go to the north while the bow will go 
where we want it to go.  We set the stern line, and a breast line on the 
port side (bow into the dock) while removing the other lines.  Released 
the breast line and then the quick release stern line, then a bit of 
stern thrust.  As expected (and better), the stern moved to the NW (into 
wind) without any interference from the slip.

Headed out of Herring Bay without incident.  Surprised that I was a bit 
tired already, but that faded as I ate cold pizza.  Still not up to old 
specs.
Four hours later, we approached Spa Creek mooring field. I had to set a line for the mooring process on the bow. Saw a small sailboat watching me as they slowly approached us. As I headed for the cockpit, they changed course for an intercept. By the time, I got to the cockpit, we are on a collision course. Turned off autopilot, put engine in reverse (hard), and we missed him by 30 feet. As we passed he waved a pleasant wave. What could I do but do the same. Lesson: Slow down when you are doing deck work and worry about old folks, including myself.

Winds were mild at 5-10 with a faint flood current.  Lined up the buoy, 
took it on starboard side, hooked it, then cheered the victory, then saw 
buoy in the distance..didn't secure it and we were free floating. 
'Practiced' three times more.  Next two were on the port side and 
drifting away.  Fourth was like the first..perfect (though I had to use the 
support line as boat was drifting away maybe because boat was still 
moving).  Double secured the eye and waiting for it to settle down.  Speed 
to buoy in this condition .5 kt or less. Don't know if wind and current 
were worse.

Next day, made coffee on stove.  We'll see how it tastes when underway. 
Got nav up, autopilot on standby, going to back up so ball is in front 
of me. Went up and released my pendant ties then slowly backed up until 
I could see the ball, then forward. Homeward bound.  Forgot to turn on VHF!

All morning I noticed how tired I was.  Nothing new these days, but... 
Finding my life will have to slow down. Plan B for next year if I am 
lucky (solo to Newport).

Trip to Deale was calm hazy, enjoyable, not very long.  I was dreading 
the tie up 'cause I always have problems with F6.

I slowed down to one  kt or less while making the turn into the slip, 
but again headed for the wrong piling.  Couldn't recover so headed for 
the bridge for a U turn them passed the slip for an opening, and another 
U turn.  Miss judged the wind a bit.  I knew it was from the East but 
neglected the southerly component, which caused me to favor the northern 
side of the slip. Also, I entered the slip too slow and the boat 
stopped.  Used cheater lines with little luck.  Should have pushed  on 
aft piling to move boat forward.  Everything worked but slowly.  Study 
this before next time.  BTW, used fender board to protect tumblehome area.

Still very tired.  Heat bothers me still but no incidents for this trip! 
  Going to cancel my Plan A (delivery to GTC).

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