Sail to Cock Island
The best laid plans……
I had stuff packed pretty well the night before. The only things I wanted to get on the way over were bagels (so they’d at least start out fresh!) and ice (never can have too much of that!). I told Steve N., Lee and Nelson that I wanted to leave the docs by 9:00. So they all planned on arriving between 8 and 8:30. I arrived first, a bit after 8. Lee and Nelson arrived next, not much after I did. Steve arrived about 8:30 and we started packing stuff on the boat. That was the long part, and first lesson learned: try to do all that the night before if you want to leave early in the morning!
My marker, when heading back to Wormley Creek, is a large barber pole colored stack at the refinery near the docks. Great thing is that you can see it forever. Bad thing is you can see it forever. You feel like you’re not getting anywhere when you leave, because you can still see the tower. You feel like it’s taking forever getting back because you can see the tower. With the heat, and no wind, it was a very slow journey out of the York River.
And I got burned.
I’ve had a great farmer’s tan this summer, since I wear a t-shirt and shorts most of the time I hang around the boat. I wanted to get a bit more color, though, to look better in my daily work dress. So I wore a swimsuit under my clothes. I took off my t-shirt, put on some SPF 30 sunscreen, and hoped for a bit of color. The results was that I did get some color, and the color was red. Second lesson: spend a bit less time getting full sun exposure. Might look into one of those sunscreen shirts.
Hmmm…. need to see if there’s a way to include my tracks from the GPS on here.
When we got down to GrandView, in the Chesapeake Bay, we finally had a bit of wind. Nelson took over steering at that point.
As those who’ve read my other posts understand, I’m a bit nervous about hitting bottom with this boat, since I seem to do it so often. My rule of thumb is to try to stick to water that’s at the least 10′ deep.
The waters from the York River down to Hampton Roads contain alot of shallows quite a ways from the short, so I try to stick close to the channel where I know it’s deep. Well, Nelson grew up in this area; he knows the waters well. So I guess I should have trusted him. But he wanted to take the boat closer to shore than I did, to avoid making the trip longer than it needed to be. I was still concerned about the shallowness. We finally reached a compromise on the distance from shore to stay.
We lost the wind still several times until we reached the Elizabeth River. I wasn’t concerned for me – I like just spending time on the boat. But I was worried for Lee and Nelson, who had activities for the evening planned. Next lesson: let your passengers know that it’s a bit harder to predict your arrival time when you’re dependent on the weather to get where you want to go.
Coming into the Elizabeth River, we finally got a good breeze. Blowing about 10 knots, it was finally some nice sailing. It was only 1 hour of what ended up being a 9 hour trip. But at least we did get to sail in a sailboat.
Cock Island
This weekend is the Cock Island Race in Portsmouth, Va. I’ll be taking the boat from Wormley Creek in York County to Portsmouth. Steve N., Lee and Nelson have offered to give me a hand.
I’ve heard many stories as to how the race got its name, but nothing I could call authoritative.
Apparently, in the ‘olden’ days, Norfolk was the ‘good’ side of the water, and Portsmouth, was the ‘bad’. Still cock fighting, gambling, prostitution and the like were illegal. So a barge would be set up in order to host such events. The barge would be called ‘Cock Island’. And thus, any references to it meant that a cock fight was going to be held.
I’ve also heard that the events actually took place in Portsmouth. But ‘Cock Island’ was still the code word for finding the events.
As for the boat races, they started as bragging rights – type thing. One boat captain swearing his was the fastest and others going to prove him wrong.
The current iteration started about 20? 25 years ago, can’t find out exactly. It’s always been a 2 – 3 day party, interrupted by a race. And, at its peak, there were more than 300 boats involved. Then, apparently, a city group took over running the event and started trying to ‘regulate’ it more: limiting the number of participants and, more importantly, limiting the liquor. The race participation reached a low point at that time. In fact, the city was going to cancel it, since they weren’t making any money on it, or so they claimed. The Portsmouth Boat Club took over the event several years ago and participation is slowly picking up.
[Top]Boat Un-/Re- Naming
Megan and I spent some time today putting together the unnaming and renaming ceremony for the boat. Here’s our text, gathered from a bunch of sources that I’ll reference when I get a few minutes:
Opening Invocation & Blessing:
In the name of all who have sailed aboard this vessel in the past and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future. We invoke the ancient Celtic water Goddess Danu for which the river Danube was named to favor us with her blessing today.
Expression of Gratitude:
Mighty Danu, Queen of all that moves in or on the waves, and mighty St. Nicholas, guardian of sailors! We offer thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.”
Raise your cup
A toast to the previous owners of this vessel!
Supplication & De-Naming:
Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection all the old names this vessel has held. As proof thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her previous names to be corrupted through your powers and forever be purged from the sea.
At this point, the prepared metal tag is dropped from the bow of the boat into the sea.
Now therefore, we submit this supplication, that the all the old . names of this vessel be struck and removed from your records and archives.
Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with her new name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the self-same privileges she previously enjoyed.
In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court.
Pour at least half of the bottle of Red Wine or Champagne into the sea from East to West. The remainder may be passed among your guests.
Cleansing of the Boat
We ask Danu to cleanse this boat and prepare her for her new name.
Take the sage around the boat. Invoke each of the wind gods at each direction.
Virgin splashes her pee from a cup onto the bow.
East
We ask Eurus, ruler of the East winds to grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scouree of your mighty breath.
North
We ask Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind to grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.
West
We ask Zehpyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath.
South
We as Notus, exalted ruler of the South wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.
Surround this vessel in a shield of white, and a shield of blue. Together these shields will protect this vehicle and its occupants from all harm and mechanical breakdown. These shields will protect from harm any that come near this vehicle, especially the four-leggeds, the winged ones, and the finned ones. These shields will remain intact and at full strength until this vehicle returns home. As I have spoken, so mote it be.
Rededication & Re-Naming:
We will now perform the christening. Reverend Jimmy will provide a serenade during this part of the ceremony.
Let it be recorded, that on this day, June 1, 2008, and forever more, this fine vessel is named 4 Degrees. I name this ship 4 Degrees. May the gods and goddesses bless her and all who sail in her. So mote it be.
Take some more champagne and pour drinks for everyone who does not already have a drink. Make a toast to you, the owner, to your spouse or significant other, and last to your new boat, and pour that into the water. With every toast, ring the ship’s bell.
First mate: First, a toast to the Captain.
Captain: Next a toast to my lovely (or handsome) First Mate. Finally, a toast to Four Degrees!
Christening
Next, we will place a coins from all over the Earth under the mast as good luck charms, and as a symbol of generosity to this vessel, to show her that we will care for her and attend to her every need and desire.
Last, thank everyone for attending and continue the festivities in celebration of this joyous
occasion.
Finally, a toast to all of you, with many thanks for coming today to help carry out this essential naming ceremony and to celebrate this festive occasion. Cheers/Salu/Lehiem
[Top]Second (semi-) Voyage
I think I need to have a *long talk* with this boat! It seems to have the wrong idea about its (future) name.
So, it’s name, as we have the un-/re-naming ceremony, will be 4 Degrees. The idea is that this boat is my reward to myself for getting 4 kids through college. Well, it actually ended up being a 50th birthday present from my mom and my Significant Other. But that just meant I had more money to put towards repairs.
Anyway, back to the name….
So I asked a few friends if they’d like to take the first pleasure cruise on this boat. Weather all week had been looking good, and I had no doubt that this day would be any different.
As I said, the boat, though, has different ideas.
Well, we had the chance of rain. No biggie. That’s what they make foul weather gear for, right?
<sigh!> Not only did we get rain, we got hail. And it was cold, of course. And the winds picked up. But, that came later.
The creek where I have my boat berthed has a narrow channel. And, this day, we had a terrible time finding it. The aforementioned wind wasn’t helping matters, either. We kept going aground. First time, didn’t take much time to get going again. Nor did it the second time. But the third time, the passengers moved to the high side and we struggled to get free.
So now we’re free and finally in deeper (relatively speaking) water. Next problem? Crabpots!
For those unfamiliar with the Chesapeake Bay area, there are these landmines they call crabpots all over the place! They’re wire cages that the fishermen put on the bay floor, with a rope attached, and buoy attached to that. The buoy, of course, makes it easy to find them again. Problem is, there will be dozens in an area and little way to get around them. So you go through them. Problem with that? Well, hit one of those buoys (about the size of a large Clorox bottle) and the rope attached to them wraps around your propeller. If you’re real lucky, you can just unwrap it easily. If you’re not, and you’re a good soul, you get in the water and untangle yourself, leaving the buoy and rope in tact. If you’re not a kind soul, you get your handy dandy knife out and cut yourself loose.
So I made it through the minefield of crabpots and out of the shoals. But now the wind has picked up and it’s nasty cold, and we turn around. How far have we gone in all of this? Less than a mile! <double sigh!>
So then I get to practice backing my boat into its slip. I guess that’s the one lesson I did get to learn that day: prop walking and backing up.
Well, the captains I’ve sailed with had taught me a valuable lesson: keep the crew well fed. So I had a good feed prepared for lunch. We enjoyed that, listening to the rain falling outside and relishing in each other’s company.
So, though the sailing was again pretty crappy, the company was excellent!
First Voyage
Up until today, the coldest sailing adventure I’d ever taken was one New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Day weather in this area is unpredictable. You can have fairly nice, warm weather, or it can be miserably cold. The day I’m thinking of was a New Year’s Day race that was one of the latter.
As I said, it was the coldest I’d ever spent on a sailboat, until today.
Today …. was ….. miserable!
My two companions, Saint Steven and Saint David, and I left Willoughby Spit, on the Norfolk side of the Chesapeake Bay, at about 10 a.m. this morning. The prediction for the day was small craft advisory (winds over 15 MPH) until 10, then tapering off towards afternoon. Highs were expected in the mid-50’s. But, as St. Steve so aptly put it later to Erik, the temperature may have been in the 50’s. But then you have to subtract 10 degrees because you’re on the water, and 10 degrees for wind chill…. and, by the time you’re done, it’s about zero.
Well, at least that’s how it felt!
So why did we go? Well, the guy who said it would take him two weeks to finish the repairs on my boat actually finished them in a week. And, rather than paying two slip fees, one at the old place and one at the new, I was anxious to get the boat moved. Besides, I’d had it for two weeks and hadn’t even been out on in but the one ‘trial’ run before purchase.
So, the weather was against us.
On top of that, the batteries on the boat were going. I knew that. So I went to the boat on Saturday to pay the technician and to find out what batteries I needed, then go back to the marina store and pick up a couple of new ones. But the marina store was closed. So was the battery outlet store. And West Marine’s prices were almost 2/3rd’s more than those other places. But the engine had turned over when I was looking over the repairs, so I figured we might be okay.
Wrong.
Luckily, I still had the outboard, and I had brought extra gas for it, just in case we’d need it. We did.
So, we leave Willoughby spit, and we head over to the channel. We’re following the buoys as we should, to avoid the shallow places. And I’m watching the depth gauge. Depth gauge says 8′ below us a WHUMP! We hit a sand bar. Not 30 seconds later, the depth gauge catches up with us and my boat, which draws 4-1/2′, is sitting at 3-1/2 feet.
St. Dave comes to the rescue and directs us out of the sand bar and we’re on our way!
We unfurl the jib. But the wind isn’t quite right to put up the main. It never really is the entire voyage. This sailing vessel makes it to its new home under power the whole way. :no:
Not only that, the engine tried to die the first time we took off the choke, so we left it on, and forgot it was on, until we were in the York River, near the end of our journey. Luckily, we didn’t run out of gas on the way!
So, how cold was it? Well, you know that feeling your get when your mouth has be novacained? Where your speech is slurred and you really can’t taste anything? I got so cold a few times that that’s how I felt.
Most of the rest of the 5 hour journey was uneventful, and cold. Did I mention that it was cold?
But we made it there safely. And the smarter member of the group, Erik, who had stayed in the nice warm house, came to pick us up so we could get warm and back to cars on the other side of the bay.
I didn’t get as many pictures as I had hoped. But what I did get are online.
Only saints would have come with me on such a journey. So my public thanks to St. Steve and St. Dave!
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