The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

The Gloucester Weekend Away
September 10 - 12, 2011

Sunday, Sep. 11, 2011; 11:45 am
A slip at Brown's Yacht Yard
Gloucester, Massachusetts

Sailing Season 2011 seems to have been especially short, with almost no sailing for the past month, and it's quickly coming to an end. I spent almost three weeks going from a nasty cold to an upper respiratory illness to a slight case of pneumonia. Just as I was recovering, Hurricane Irene threatened the coast. Fortunately, I was well enough to unrig Chip Ahoy out on its mooring, ultimately trailer it out on Winter Island, then relaunch and rerig it a few days later. Last weekend — the first I was able to sail again — I took the Jacoby family out, but it was crowded aboard so sailing was restricted. For over a month of our short season Chip Ahoy and I have been idled.

Late Friday, with a great weather forecast for the weekend, I decided to take off for a long weekend up to Cape Ann; Gloucester or Rockport. Yesterday morning I called Brown's Yacht Yard, spoke to Greg, they had plenty of spare slips, "C'mon up."

I got out to Chip Ahoy early, had it ready to go by 10 am, dropped the mooring. The good weather forecast was holding, though as usual I'd be sailing pretty much into the wind. It took a few tacks to get out of Salem Sound but once through the channel between Misery and Bakers Islands and in open Massachusetts Bay heading for Gloucester it was a pretty straight run tight into the wind.

Beyond the islands the seas kicked up considerably; choppy at 2-3 feet, coming in almost head-on. The trip was pretty bouncy, lots of spray when Chip Ahoy slammed hard. The occasional pounding would have concerned me — before the near-death experience out in Buzzard's Bay last year, the pounding Chip Ahoy took in 6-7 foot seas into a SW head wind. Funny how experience makes conditions and concerns relative. Better how experience provides confidence.

I furled the genoa (it was doing little good most of the time, often back-winding and flogging as I dodged the multitude of lobster pot buoys) on the run up, sailed under the main alone for most of the route beyond the islands.

I gained the shelter of Gloucester's coast as I entered the harbor off the breakwater, dropped the main sail and called ahead to the boatyard. I'd be docking on the starboard side, I was told, so in preparation I went out to the bow and attached a line, ran it back to the cockpit, cleated a stern line and hung the fenders, then motored through Gloucester's inner harbor to Brown's Yacht Yard, across from the state fish pier. Tom the dockhand and the young lady I spoke with on the phone were waiting; we had Chip Ahoy tied off quickly though I was glad they were there to give a hand. The wind pushed the bow away from the slip as I eased in; stepping off with both lines in hand likely wouldn't have worked out well this time without their assist. (This was similar to the situation I ran into coming into Scituate a couple years ago, when I ended up in the water and blew out my knee.)

After settling up my dockage bill ($2.50/foot with electric and showers; $110 for two nights), I connected to the marina shore power, ran the 5MileWiFi antenna up the mast, connected the laptop, and found a signal — in fact a lot of signals. Brown's has it own ('meraki') unsecured network, but the strongest comes from Enosmarine, a short distance away further into the nearby end of the harbor. ('The Harbor Room' and 'GMR' are also unsecured and strong.)

I haven't bothered with putting up the "pup-tent" over the boom, cabin and cockpit. It's not needed to ward off the sun, and there's almost no risk of rain in the forecast. One less thing that needs to be done, one less thing that needs to be undone, folded and stowed before departure.

Up and out the boatyard's lot and directly across the street are a convenience store and a restaurant, "Expresso's." The last time I was here, the restaurant was a sports bar with a limited menu. Expresso's specializes in Italian fare, but the NY sirloin steak dinner I ordered last night was one of the best I've ever enjoyed. I'll be dining there again tonight. (It's always appreciable when the only place nearby to eat serves great food!)

This morning, instead of pulling out the Origo stove and coffee fixings, I walked up the lot and across the street again, bought a couple large cups of coffee at the convenience store, and a couple pastries for breakfast.

September 11th — the tenth annual observance of the Islamic Jihadist attack on our nation — so there is little else on the radio, as it should be. Looking up, the sky looks the same as it did that demonic day a decade ago: clear and blue. With the announced threat of a potential second terrorist attack when I departed, naturally I cruised armed and prepared. That, and the recent "pirate" attack on a transient sailboat in the anchorage area within sight from here. (The stupid "pirates" were still flying their Jolly Roger when later apprehended by law enforcement officials!)

Tomorrow, after a cup of coffee or two, I'll leisurely break camp in the morning and head home. Almost dependably, I'll be sailing into the wind, forecast to be coming from the SW turning S later. Funny how that works for me; whether I'm sailing to or from Scituate, to or from Gloucester, whatever, I've come to expect that it'll be into the wind every time.

Monday, Sep. 12, 2011; 6:05 am
A slip at Brown's Yacht Yard
Gloucester, Massachusetts

Almost sunrise (6:19); the sky is clear, temperature is 59° and should rise into the high 70s by noon. The weather forecast looks very good, but of course for the usual opposing wind direction, coming from the SW turning WSW later this morning. Seas should be running at 1-2 feet, according to the NWS. Overall, good conditions for sailing back to Marblehead.

I spent a relaxing day aboard yesterday; reading, napping, making a few minor adjustments to the rigging, playing with the laptop. The temperature reached a high of only 67° at about 2 pm; I haven't pulled the shorts out of the seabag since stowing them before leaving home — just extra weight this trip. Fall has definitely arrived, but it's still comfortable. It's quite cool at night, but the down sleeping bag does a great job.

I walked across the street last night and again had dinner at Expresso's Restaurant, this time their linguini and meatballs, again a very good meal. I was telling Greg the dockmaster what a great meal I had their on Saturday night; he replied that he highly recommends the establishment to transients, was glad I'd enjoyed their food. It was a "sports bar" that served basic sports bar food the last time I was here, but the city had all kinds of problems with the place, finally pulled its liquor license and closed it down. It then opened under new ownership, a family that operates another restaurant across the harbor in downtown Gloucester.

Early this morning (5:30) I walked across the street to the convenience store, alongside Expresso's, and got two large cups of coffee and a couple pastries for breakfast. I really didn't expect it to be open yet. If it wasn't I would come back and pull out the Origo stove, make my own coffee — but it opens at 5 am. Much easier and less to break down and stow away before departing. At least I don't need to take down the pup-tent, fold and stow it; it was unnecessary here.

My plan is to start packing and setting up for sailing soon, after the second cup of coffee is finished, depart here at around 9 am. The forecast calls for a 40° chance of showers and thunderstorms late this afternoon, but I should be home on the mooring well before then.

Monday, Sep. 12, 2011; 7:00 pm
Home again, Chip Ahoy's on its mooring

A nice cruise back today, though once again directly into the wind all the way. Geez, this has become so predictable.

Prepping Chip Ahoy for the return trip didn't take long, I was in fact ahead of my departure schedule. I backed out of my weekend slip at 8:45 am on calm harbor water with an assist by a dock hand (who owns a small sailboat and admired how I had Chip Ahoy set up). Heading out of the inner harbor I was running into the light SW breeze, so after pulling in the fenders and dock lines I dropped the keel and hoisted the main sail, hoping the wind would eventually turn more favorable outside the harbor.

Once settled in, the first thing that grabbed my attention was a gigantic cruise ship anchored ahead, just inside the breakwater — I mean huge. Glass-enclosed "shuttle pod" boats were zooming in and out around me from it into Gloucester; they looked more like lunar modules than launches. Each advertised on its sides that they held 150 passengers. I later discovered that the other lettering along their sides, "Eurodam." I later discovered as I approached that the massive cruise ship, Eurodam, that it was visiting from Rotterdam, Holland.

Beyond the Eurodam and the harbor breakwater, the seas picked up a bit but the wind remained bow-on. I didn't bother raising the genoa, wondered if I should even have the main up but hope springs eternal. My goal was to reach home and work, the iron sail hanging off the transom was working well as I caught what I could with it up. When a ketch passed on my starboard side under bare poles I knew I was making the right decision if I was to get home any time soon.

I tried a few tacks, but they took me way off course and route. It was homeward-bound with the motor and main sail.

The morning went by beautifully, 1-2 foot seas and a steady heading almost directly into the breeze and seas, as usual dodging the ubiquitous lobster pot buoys all the way like a slalom. I noted for the first time this season that the shoreline is looking fall-like: More browns than greens.  I grabbed my home mooring at about 1:30 pm and was tied up.

I'm glad I grabbed this weekend to get away on the water for a few days. There won't be many if any more.