Wax ON, Wax OFF

Well it is that time of year again. Time to clean up the boat and get her ready for spring commissoning.

So.... do you wanna help? I'm serious. I can use ya.

Just give me a call.

Sorry that there haven't been any boating adventure stories lately. But they'll be coming along soon.

I've already been working on the boat though. I've done lots of stuff.

I just need to make it all happen and make it come together.

I've got a splash date of Sunday, April 5th, 2009 at 9 AM.

If you help, I'll take you for a ride.

We have a Snow Storm!

Right now we are having a snow storm. We are expecting 6" to 9". Who knows?
It will be the first real snow storm of this season.

And then, we have boating season just around the corner in about a month.
I'll be having to start; "Wax ON, Wax OFF" in just a few weeks.

I just fishing my Tambour Door (roll-up door) project on our 310DA Sea Ray.
If you care about that kinda stuff, go to my other blog at:
http://www.seaharley.blogspot.com/

Have a good day!

As it turned out, we barely even got a dusting of about an inch. I think I'm gonna go to weather school.

Brianna's a STAR! "The Butterfingers Angel"

I just have to deviate from my normal boating blog stuff and make a special tribute to my niece Brianna. She has been pursuing acting and has done quite a bit of acting in her short amount of years. She's been in a number of plays and has landed some leading roles.

Last night, we had the pleasure of seeing her perform in a play called "The Butterfingers Angel" etc., etc. This is a cute play that is put on by the "REP STAGE" at the Howard Community College in Columbia Maryland. This play is rather funny and actually made for a nice night out. Besides seeing my niece, we had an enjoyable time.

I wasn't allowed to take pictures during the performance, BUMMER! So I had (and you'll have) to settle for the ones below that I took before and after the show.

The name of the play is actually longer than I stated above. All of the actual credits are listed below.

Remember to click on the actual pictures below and they will enlarge for you to see them better.

I managed to get this one before the play. Here she is on the right. She's with "Mary" in the middle, and the "Butterfingers Angel" on the left.

After the show at the credits bulletin board. Her show picture is in the middle, upper left side.

All of the cast.

Brianna had several parts but is listed here as part of the Children's Ensemble.

We are so very proud of her. There's no doubt she'll be making it really big time in the future. She's got it!


Info about the REP STAGE:

http://www.repstage.org/Productions/Butterfingers/index.html


And just some of the reviews:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/the-butterfingers-angel-mary-and-joseph-herod-the-nut-and-the-slaughter-of-12-hit-carols-in-a-pear-tree,1152445.html

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/121296/article020.shtml

http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/10/the-butterfingers-angel/

http://www.explorehoward.com/arts/13812/theater-review-butterfingers-catches-rep-happy-mood/

http://www.explorehoward.com/arts/13512/theater-preview-rep-stage-readies-butterfingers-angel/

http://www.howardcc.edu/about_hcc/news_and_events/Current_Advisories/2008-11-07.html

You might wanna check this one out yourself!

Fishing the Chesapeake Bay, October 2008

This is what we are all after. A Chesapeake Bay Rock fish. Also known as Stripped Bass. Hhm, mm, Good!

This one was fun to catch and put up a good fight for Glenn. Assisted by Mike.

And then there are always the Blue Fish here at this time in the Bay. They put up an even better fight and are a lot of fun to land.

Feels like you have "the Big One" on!

Getting the net.



Yet another small Rock Fish. The bigger Rock Fish have yet to make their way back up the Bay.

And the Boat.

This is a real fish story - swear to God! Got it up to the boat and it got away.

And man... was it a BIG ONE!!!
A nice size Blue Fish.
I have to say, the best part - was another great day out on the water.

.

Flat seas......

Cold beer........

Great weather........

And good friends........

Doesn't get any better than that.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

For the past several years, we have traveled under this bridge that goes over the Chesapeake Bay. It is Rt. 50 in Maryland. Most of us have seen it many times from the bridge view down to the water. Here are a couple of views from the water, looking up.

Updated Loop Map and Trip Statistics. Start at CYC, go Clockwise.

Here is a revised map showing some of the actual deviations that we did. The tracks marked with "X" we did NOT do. Basically, we did follow our Trip Plan pretty good. We started at our Yacht Club, CYC, Middle River Maryland and went CLOCKWISE. From Ocean City, MD to Wachapreague, VA we decided to go all the way on the outside in the ocean. The seas were nice and it made for a very nice trip.

After "Bay Creek", we went into "Cape Charles Town Harbor" to get $3.50 gas and eat breakfast.

We left the "Tides" a day early and went to "Dozier's Regatta Point Marina" at the south side of the mouth of the Rappahannock River.

At Crisfield, we were advised not to go north through their canal so we heeded their advice and went back down south and then up and around the Hooper Straights.

After "Taylors Island Marina", we went up the Little Choptank River for a bit looking for a lunch spot at "Madison's Camp Ground", which we did NOT find. And then we turned around and went up through "Knapps Narrows". They were full at the time for lunch so we ended up going to "Buddy Harrisons" for lunch. This is one of those times you say you had a $100 hamburger......... Actually, I had a steak sub and Dawn had a Rubin sandwich. I guess you could say we were seafooded out!

Here are the basic trip statistics in round numbers:

Overall Trip Miles were 600 miles. Yeah! And part of that was about 180 miles out in the OCEAN. Man...... that was nice!

That relates to about $2,700 in today's gas prices. Ouch!

We only spent about $900 at marinas. Averages out to $65 a day. I didn't think that was too bad.

And I know you all want to know what the food bill was.......

Not tellin ya!

Just kidding!

Since some of this was cash, (I like to leave cash tips too....) I can't give you exact numbers. But it is over a thousand, and approximately $1,100 to $1,200. And that's only $80 a day for the way we ate!!!!

I'll let you all do the math and add it up yourself. But guess what? We came in under budget! And "that" - my friends........ is good!

Until the next time.........

Taylors Island Marina Views, Aug. 22nd.

This is a view of the entire Taylors Island Marina. It was actually taken from across the other side of Slaughter Creek and the only other restaurant within the local area called the "Island Grille". Taylors Island is a quaint place tucked all the way back up a beautiful creek called Slaughter Creek.

There is a "floating bar" called the "Dockside Bar and Grille" at the marina. They are very friendly there and really welcome visitors. We had the crab cakes for lunch and mmmm, mmmm, good! I know you've all seen a lot of me taking pictures of food........ so I refrained here, and a crab cake is - a crab cake...... but these sure were good!A closer look of the bar on the left, pool area center, and the red marina office to the right. They also had a loaner car available for you to go over to the other restaurant.

Closer yet. This bar was brought up from Florida and used to be a floating coast guard station. A happening place here - for a Friday night. We sure had a good time here. Say hello to Robin behind the bar........ Hi Robin!
A nice pool but we didn't have time to enjoy it. Check out Dawn's facial expression!
This is a view from the marina, across the creek again to the other side, where the other restaurant called Island Grille is. You'll have to click on the picture to view.

And... the Island Grille. More good food!

A look out of Slaughter Creek towards the Little Choptank River.

And what else could end another perfect day?

This sunset was dark and mysterious..........

That's all of the trip pictures. I intend on marking up the map as to the actual deviations that were made and also posting the overall basic trip information soon. Thanks for viewing and I'm glad you enjoyed the ride!

Trip to Taylors Island Marina, Thurs., Aug. 22nd.

A boat trip wouldn't be complete without seeing lighthouses.
This is Hooper Light, after going through the Hooper Straights.
A self portrait!
I like enjoying the sun back here but honey I wanna drive the boat...........

OK, but you're supposed to look straight ahead!

What are all these switches and instruments for?

Aaaahh......... Now she found the secret.

And I think she's got it now!

Wind blowing through your hair, calm and basically flat seas, XM radio.......

Life is very good.

And now "I'll" never get to drive the boat again!! LOL

A few familiar things, the gas docks near Calvert Cliffs.

Calvert Cliffs, view from the water.

Unbelievable weather and seas.

Since Dawn was driving, I got to look at the way the boat travels through the water.

Port side.

Starboard side.

We are Home at Crescent YC

Letting you all know that we are home safe and sound. We got in today, Sat. around 4:30. All went well. I will update with pictures and stories later.

Thanks for looking and caring.

Lee and Dawn

Taylors Island Marina, Aug. 22nd.

We are now on our last leg of our trip. We departed Crisfield a little before 11 AM this morning and went through the Hooper straights and up the bay around James Island. A turn to starboard and into the Little Choptank River and to a quaint marina called Taylors Island Marina. They were happy to sea us and ask us how we found them. I explained my reasons. They have a nice floating Bar called the Dockside Bar and Grille and we had very good crab cakes for lunch. We are off now to another restaurant called the Island Grille to have dinner.

Sad that all things must come to an end.

Sea you all soon.