Logs

Social Security Statement - Cape May to Home Port - Log 3

Social Security Statement left Cape May early Wednesday morning to get a head start!  We found a strong current exiting the marina and grounded.  After using our trusty bow thrusters and raising the mainsail, we’re able to break free and began our trip back to our home port of Baltimore.  The weather over to the canal was great.  We sailed past several freighters, spotted a few more dolphins and turned left into the canal.  With calm waters and several bridges to pass under, we exited on the Maryland side just before sunset; and ok course, the winds began to pick up.  Through the night the winds increased, with gusts to 25+ knots and seas 6 ft+ (not making for a wonderful sleep).  Through the night we crested and surfed down waves, finally turning to. read more...

Social Security Statement - Log 2 Norfolk to Cape May

Social Security Statement made it to Cape May safely.  We had a great sail coming out of Norfolk while narrowly missing a nuclear submarine!  We took a heading to about 20 miles offshore hoping for wind and found the doldrums.  The sea state was calm and we continued motoring towards Cape May.  During the night shift we encountered an UBO (unidentified boating object) that beamed a spot light on us for about 45 minutes, then disappeared into the night.  Entering Cape May we encountered a pod of about 100 porpoises!  Great ending to the sail.  SST CrewGOPR0478. read more...

Meritage - Log entry 3: Cape May!

We survived our Ocean journey! The day started in Virginia and ended in New Jersey! Thats pretty cool for a bay sailor like me. Highlights include:1. Motoring out of Portsmouth with a surface submarine (and his armed patrol boat escort) beside us!2. If that wasn't cool enough, watching an aircraft carrier steam past us made us feel like the speck that we were! 3. 12 hours of sailing including another few hours of the spinnaker flying (we are determined to hoist that thing smoothly before the trip is over)!4. Watching the sunset over water and not land! As an east coaster this only happens when you are more than 15 miles offshore! 5. Alas, the winds would not hold out and we were back to motoring by 1am. Fortunately by morning, just as we were about to make shake-n-pour pancakes, the wind. read more...

Social Security Statement - Norfolk to Cape May Video on YouTube

I will be posting a video of Social Security Statement’s Delmarva Rally episode on my YouTube Channel:Sailing Epoch.I captured some of you other Ralliers along the way.Stop by the Channel and Subscribe to watch! Regards,Craig SavageauSST Crew. read more...

Meritage - Log entry 3: Meritage

We completed leg 1! 150 nautical miles feom Annapolis MD to Portsmouth VA in exactly 24 hours. Lots of exciting firsts for me and the crew!At the end of the last blog, I was going to get some rest before my first nightwatch...I knew that falling asleep would be difficult but eventually, 45 minutes before my watch started, I managed to get a nap in!When I woke, Craig and Paul had set me up with a good heading and a good handoff. Wecarried on with motoring until 2am when the winds returned. After 15 minutes (of waffling), I decided to let Meritage do what she was out there to do. So we raised sails, cut the engine and were back off to the races moving faster by wind power! As the sun rose we were greeted by a pod of 4 dolphins (screwed up the video, sorry) and by 7am we were entering the. read more...

Meritage - Log entry 2 for Meritage: 12 hours in!

We have been on the water for 12 hours now. Currently we are motor sailing due to the lack of wind however the first 8 hours were fantastic! We were making great time and having fun. We hoisted our asymmetrical spinnaker (for the first time)! I will attach a picture because it was a long awaited experience and it did not disappoint! A bright red, blue and green colored sail that carried us for hours at 6-7 knots in very light air. Amazing! There is video of me doing an Irish jig I was so happy! Breakfast was a dozen home grown eggs from my birds, Lunch were simple PB&Js, and dinner was veggie chili. We are on our watch schedule (I am supposed to be sleeping) so I will sign offnow as I have the midnight to 4am shift. Cool sitings include dolphins, stingray, and a pelican the followed. read more...

Meritage - Log entry 1 for Meritage

We made it to Annapolis in record time! 3 and a half hours thanks to a following sea. This morning, we loaded our gear and our absurd amount of food, and off we went from Deale to Annapolis. Winds were brisk and we only needed the mainsail to zip along at 6-8 knots (thats only like 9-10 miles per hour which to most of you is laughable, but to sailors, especially cruisers, thats like formula 1 racing! We found the Port Annapolis Marina, settled in, and rode marina bicycles to the skipper's briefing where we got to meet other teams on the rally. A dip in the pool, a nice shower and we were ready to settle in for the night...until...I wanted to do a Navigation lights check. Low and behold a key light (stern running light) was not working. We replaced the bulb but still no light. 2 hours. read more...

Andiamo - Getting prepared for tomorrow's start

Shakedown cruise by Doug solo on trip from Oxford to Annapolis.  Seas 2 to 3 feet and wind 15-20 knots with gusts to 25.. Briefing done, dinner finished.   Life vest fitting and adjustments tonight. Boat safety overview as well. Then some well deserved sleep.  Start time 10 am tomorrow.  Ready to go!. read more...

Social Security Statement - Log 1 - Preparing for Departure

After a rainy evening, the Crew of Social Security Statement are sitting in Back Creek prepping for the day.  The weather is clearing, the sun is bright and breakfast is about to be cooked.  Our Rally Flag is flying to port, and we’re awaiting a great start to the Rally.  Hoping our friends on Evening Star (Pearson 33) are making out ok and that leak has stopped for the time being!   Let us know if you need a tow!  Big winds and following seas to our Rally friends.  ~ Social Security StatementSSS Log 1 Email. read more...

Mariposarah II - Ready for Annapolis!

Mariposarah II is ready. Food is stocked. Crew is ready. Dark and Stormies ready, Will see ya’ll at the briefing!  . read more...

Halcyon Days - The Circle Completed!

The leg from Cape May back to Annapolis was an interesting one - Up the narrow shipping channel of the Delaware River at night, with channel lights that weren't on the charts and nuns that were on the charts, but no where to be seen; then across the C&D and meeting a huge car carrier coming around the bend at 0200; then down the familiar Chesapeake Bay, complete with a final perfect close reach home.What a great trip!Well organized by the World Cruising Club and Andy, Mia and Isabelle; very competent crew that knew their sailing and safety, who all pitched in and did what was needed and who were fun to be around; and provisioning that was unbelievable - we ate like kings and the only hard part was deciding what wonderful dish to have for dinner - "tonight let's have Asian Pork with. read more...

Dawn - June 22

We had an exhilarating sail to Portsmouth!  Once we were out of Annapolis area, we were moving!  Night sailing was gorgeous!  We were ready to leave on Tuesday, but due to bad weather, the recommendation from Andy and Mia was that the fleet should stay put. Initially, I wanted to leave anyway.  We all got up at 4 am, We had a team meeting and I reviewed the weather fax, Grib files, and given the knowledge and experience of Andy and Mia, and other factors such as crew fatigue, the only decision was to stay.  Then, at about 6:00 am, I got a text from the admiral back at home:  "If the admiral was with you, she would tell you to stay put."  We stayed.  So....we all got some hammock time, met some of our rally mates, relaxed.  It was a fun. read more...

Evening Star - Delmarva

What a great day! We left cape may and had the best day of sailing thanks to a local thunderstorm. Then.we saw some dolphins! We are on our third overnight trip to home. What a fantastic experience!Sent from AOL Mobile Mailimage image image. read more...

Halcyon Days - Where was the wind?

We had a smooth voyage from Portsmouth to Cape May - departing at 0600 Wednesday and arriving in Cape May at 0800 on Thursday.There was a gently rolling sea on our starboard stern quarter and light westerly winds the entire trip...just not enough wind to sail once we turned the corner to head north, so we motored all but a few hours.Now we are tucked into Cape May for the day - some sightseeing for the crew that hasn't visited yet, relaxing for some...some sleep for all....then ready for the home stretch tomorrow/Saturday.The crew, Peter, Gary and Jim S, are all very experienced blue water sailors.Gary has done the DelMarVa twice before with other groups - and in both directions!He regularly sails with his NJ sailing club.Peter has a large number of passages to all sorts of destinations. read more...

Evening Star - Delmarva

Offshore leg was fantastic. Amazing sunset complete with rainbow! Super job of navigating by Charlie, missed both storms and had a wonderful ride. Rick will give a presentation at the last party on Saturday. Arc world cruising expects to post an article about the trip and dsc will be featured. All around a great trip!Sent from my iPhone. read more...

Sablier - Ocean bound

Yesterday's Skipper meeting gave the weather a-okay for us to depart this morning for leg 2 of the trip. So, last night we tried on our safety equipment and practiced lashing to the jack lines that are now running along both sides of the boat's deck. Jacklines allow you use a tether to connect to boat should one need to be out on deck in unstable seas. This is a pic of Nick, with all his gear on. Can you tell what is wrong with picture? Hint: Nick is standing in the cockpit behind the binnacle.     20160618_181956.jpg We rose early and left Ocean Yatch Marina at 5:30 am. It was pretty to watch sunrise and the cities that flank the Elizabeth River start to wake-up. Initially, winds are light and from our stern. As the day went on and our route changed, we were able to set sail.. read more...