Onancook

Town of Onancook VA, N27 42.64 W75 45.47

(6/24/05) What irony. The other day the book said we could get into Jackson Creek and we couldn't. Today the book says we can't get into Onancook because the channel is too shallow, but we got there no trouble.

We met 50 or so sailboats leaving Onancook as we came in. It must have been bumper to bumper boat traffic here last night. Some people told us that it was the Alexandria Yacht Club on an outing. I'm glad we were out on the creek last night. This morning we woke to a splendid scene. Blue sky. Still air. Crab fishermen leisurely checking their traps. It was idyllic for we yachtspeople to eat breakfast out in the cockpit.

We motored to the town and took the dinghy into the dock to buy food. No grocery store in town but we did get a pound of scallops at the hardware store (that's right, hardware.) This sounds like a wonderfully laid back little town. I expect Andy Griffith to be the town cop. We asked a man for directions. He looked and sounded just like Bucky Moore, the well driller from Ballston Spa. I bet Mr... Moore must have come from this part of Virginia.

There's a strong WiFi signal as we sit at anchor but no Internet connection. I bet that if I wait till this evening when the owner turns on his computer, that it may work.

On The Bay

(6/25/05) The stars must have been against us yesterday. After the call from Kathy about the house sale going bust, we debated for a while. Then we decided that the best plan would be for one or both of us to return to West Charlton immediately to resolve the problems with water in the basement and perhaps to rescue the sale with the original purchaser. With that plan, sooner would be better than later. Trouble is the place we were at, Onoancook. The marina was full next week no slips to rent. The only car rental agency nearby rented it cars (car?) The only bus in and out of town doesn't go far enough to reach any other town big enough to rent a car. Alas we were stuck.

We decided to sail to Maryland on the Potomac River on Saturday to find a marina and/or anchorage and a car rental agency. If successful, Libby will stay with the boat while I drive to NY.

I'd like to inform Kathy and the buyer about this aggressive action plan, but the cell phone won't work. I didn't mention it earlier, but 80% of the time on this trip the phone gets no signal, 10% of the time it gets a marginal signal, and 10% good. The signal also fluctuates a lot so we receive a call but may loose it before finishing. We may also be able to receive voice mail but not initiate a call. Singular man, "Can you hear me now?" Home office, "Huh?"

At any rate it is another nice day with light winds. I'm writing in the cockpit around noon. The winds are 7 knots from behind and we're making 2.7 knots toward tonight's destination. It won't be till dark till we get there. Hopefully the cell phone will come alive before arrival so I can reserve a place.

Evening, we're at Point Lookout Marina Maryland. Tomorrow I'm going to try to find a rental car. It was difficult navigating into this place. In most cases inlet channels are marked with red and green buoys. Just navigate between the red and the green to stay in the channel. This evening I saw a red/green pair and started to steer between them. I soon ran into shallow water and I had to hastily turn around and go back. Closer study of the chart showed that I should go around the right side of the buoy on the right, make a 90 degree left turn, go around the left side of the left buoy, then make a 90 degree right turn. Diligent study of the charts is the only way to avoid trouble. Luckily I caught my mistake before running aground again.

I met a man called Bill here at the Marina who used to own a flush-deck Clipper Marine 26. That's the identical boat that we owned in the late 70s called Jennifer. We sailed it on Sacandaga, Champlain, and Main. It was a great boat.

The waters in this Marina were like those in Onancook Creek. The water is only slightly salty and there are lots of jellyfish hanging around the boat. It's almost hypnotic watching jellyfish swim.