UNA Makes Print Again

My pal Peter is an avid WoodenBoat reader. I mean from cover to cover. He pointed out an ad in this month's issue for 2016's Small Reach Regatta held each year in Maine. A boat featured there on page 76 is a sweetie. It's UNA, I believe on our first day.We started near last, sailed through the fleet and back and still got to the destination first. Maybe we were the only ones considering it a race. Anyway, I'm glad to see we had proper sail trim. Telltales are streaming aft. Pretty cool. I was told by WB that they would not feature her under their "Launchings" section as she had been in Small Boats Monthly. Well, she snuck in there anyway. Thanks Pogo!

One Reef, One Beautiful Day

I had hoped to sail along Norfolk's waterfront today, but my father couldn't make it so, I decided to stay closer to home and headed north to the Yeocomico River. A still somewhat rural area on the south shore of the Potomac River, the river was a fantastic diversion.

I know the season is closing. I know the water is cold. Today's air temperature however was in the mid 60s. Winds were 10-15 mph, gusting to 20-24. That, a picnic lunch, and one reef served to make it a near perfect day. At 11:00 I launched UNA from Olverson's Marina ($5). They have two 16' wide concrete ramps to choose from. Launch was easy. We sailed out past maybe two dozen cruising sailboats at dock and a couple sheds full of powerboats out into Lodge Creek. There were also covered land slips available for boating and camping. Perhaps and Old Bay Club event could be based here?

Olverson's Marina

Winds were flukey in the creek initially. Lulls and blows. You had to be on your toes. No cleating of the mainsheet. Once out in the Yeocomico, I could see St. Marys River across the Potomac. Had I started earlier, I would have sailed across.

east lip of Yeocomico

west lip

entrance to Parkers Creek

Instead of braving the Potomac, we sailed past the mouth and into Parkers Creek for lunch. We went as far as Una would let us go, stirring up mud with board and rudder up. A bald eagle and great heron took flight at the tail end of the creek. Borrowing a small pier, we tied up, flatten mizzen and dropped the main for lunch. The sun's warmth and light were perfect.

Lunch done, we reached back down creek to explore the other fingers of this pretty river. The wind seemed to have moderated as we watched oystermen dredge their harvest.

oystering

This boat was an interesting pram bowed barge.  Further on a group of workboats hugged the shore.

Having explored 4 of the 5 fingers making up the river, we headed back toward home. We passed a  large fishing operation was to starboard.

A couple videos here give some of the flavor. Another glorious day on the water. I almost didn't go.

Severn River Scenes: mid December

Just a few short, but rude, videos of the time spent in the Mobjack area this week. I'll endeavor to devote more time editing. Not there yet.

Enjoy!

Just east of Whittaker Creek off Severn River.

Whittaker Creek

And the next morning.

Jamestown's "Bed and Breakfast"

If you hadn't gathered, we typically sleep either in the bottom of our boats, or in a tent, and are forever rolling over because the sleeping bag has you notted up once again. Therefore, it can be quite disorienting to sail all day, enjoy cocktails, have a marvelous meal prepared for you and find yourself waking up in a queen sized bed. However, it was so for the inaugural cruise of The Old Bay Club. We're basically a confederation of not so daring sailors who love their comforts and detest rules. Why Harris and Barbara were so gracious to open up their beautiful home to this motley crew, I'll never know. For 2 1/2 days we were allowed to stay at their "bed and breakfast". To come home rested after a great weekend of sailing was an unusual pleasure.

Our hosts and fellow club members: Barbara and Harris in their Caledonia Yawl Mabu.

From their place on the James River we 4 boats sailed downriver to see replicas of the three ships that began the settlement of the colony.

The original Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery set sail from London on December 20, 1606, bound for Virginia. The ships carried 105 passengers and 39 crew members on the four-month transatlantic voyage. A 17th-century source noted that a total of 71 people were aboard the Susan Constant, 52 aboard the Godspeed and 21 aboard the Discovery. The expedition was sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, a business venture that had been organized to form a colony in Virginia. The fleet reached the Virginia coast in late April and, after two weeks of inland waterway exploration, arrived at the selected settlement site on May 13, 1607.

Our voyage was not so world changing nor daring, but we did complete ours successfully. Winds were westerly for an off wind sail to and an easy 2-3 tacks home to weather. We practically hit the tidal current perfectly coming and going. Fall's colors were near peak and the winds fairly gentle. Very nice.

UNA pushing the fleet.

skipper

1st mate

The sail downstream was maybe 1 1/2 hrs. We beached just upstream from the Jamestown ferry to stretch and have lunch. 

Some of the gang.

Here's an interesting contrast of boats and technologies. I wonder how the 3 ships stayed together as their sizes are so different.

The second day was spent drifting up the Chickahominy on the incoming tide. Now 5 boats, 4 of us even lost steerage at one point as Barry in his light Melonseed proceeded to sail away.

3 boats all headed for the same destination.

Winds never saw 5 mph, but the day was still a winner on such a beautiful river.

Barry before ...

And Barry after. Way up ahead is Caesura's red sail dead center in this pic.

We had a short lunch on a short beach among the cypress stumps. It was all other worldly.

The return faced the current and challenged the sailor. It demanded staying in the shallows and chasing stripes of wind on the water. The following day was grey with a drizzle. Some sailed. Some packed and went home. Great weekend. Thank you Barbara and Harris!

A Stitch In Time ... Saves The Varnish

I'm sure as UNA ages her owner will favor more paint over varnish, but for now, he can't "let her go". One area of constant wear on the finish has been between the tiller extension and gunwale. Though the extension has a pronounced "hump" to clear the gunwale and smooth edges, it has regularly sawed off the rail's finish. Just over an hour's worth of work and $7 of scrap leather hopefully fixes the problem. For oar leathers, diamond hole chisels were purchased. Reused here, a long 30" strip of suede was punched to be sewn onto the tiller.

chisel and scrap demo.

The strip width is 1/8" shy of wrapping around the tiller. This allows one to draw the leather tight around the stick. Once punched, the leather was soaked in warm water for 10 minutes. Then the strip was dabbed dry and stitched with a double strand of waxed twine onto the tiller. Initially the stitches were on top of the stick. I moved them to the side before the leather dried too much. Looks better I think.

tiller extension with leather

close up

This should solve that problem. Now on to solving the slick floors with some anti-skid.

Pamlico Pleasures

Katman and Little T met us in Oriental, NC 's public ramp next to the Route 55 bridge on Midyette Ave. About a dozen parked trailers indicates it is heavily used by fishermen in the area. This ramp is concrete and flanked by two nice floating piers. For the next three days, the winds are predicted to be out of the NE, shifting more easterly on the third day. Our goal, 40 miles away as the crow flies, was Ocracoke Island. That puts the wind on the nose outward bound. Around 10:30 we were rigged and under way.

The wind was crisp at 10 kts with gusts to 12-15. The NE direction was steady and only a few headers made tacking necessary with the inevitable Neuse River shoreline. It is a wide river with as much as a 5 mile girth in places. Once at the mouth, the wind dropped out. We anchored behind Swan Island on the north shore for the night. The evening gave a wonderful sunset while rafting and brilliant stars once we set tents for the night.

Una and Little T

At Swan Island

Katman (aka KMac)

At some point around midnight a motor boat roars into the anchorage which is protected by 1 foot shoaling at both ends of the island. I grabbed the flashlight, ready to point us out when the speeding boat was stopped as they dug up the bottom. Some choice country words were heard as the boat then slowly proceeded t the back of the small bay. They were out for the fish and could be heard having success as they came back rowing along the far shore. The mosquitoes were also out all night and only a towel over the head kept them at bay. 

Morning was cool with winds strengthening. After coffee and rice cakes with peanut butter. We haul anchor, put in a reef, and head on out. Where the sound and river met was a confused sea state. It looked to be a rough and wet day. UNA did fine and gave no concern.  At one point a stacked wave 5-6' in height caught us off beat and UNA pierced the top to bring on a few gallons of water over the bow. Once past Brant Island Shoal Light, the waves became uniform as we rolled over the 3-4' waves. I risked the phone for a video once waves and wind slowed.

Other than a few shrimpers and the occasional ferry, we saw no other boats. Not able to fetch Ocracoke  we tacked above Cedar Island and again several other times negotiating the shoal waters along Portsmouth Island south of our destination. I don't know if the waves had churned the waters to murky or if the cloudiness was typical, but even in 12" of depth you couldn't see the bottom. The centerboard took soundings. Winds abated as we sailed in the lee of Ocracoke and waves dissolved as we slipped in to survey Silver Lake. Once around the harbor and we tied up to the Community Pier  which has an old shack housing an interesting waterman's museum. Across from the pier was tied a Skipjack.

Skipjack "Wilma Lee"

Named the Wilma Lee, she is over 70 years old, donated to Ocracoke Alive, Inc. ( a non-profit), and is for hire to sail. She happens to be one of only 32 skipjacks left afloat out of a fleet of once 800. More of her history can be read here.

I hose off the salt from UNA, put on dry clothes, and we head to Dajio's for a good dinner. Back at the pier we enjoy chatting with several of the locals. Like most small towns, Ocracoke is also suffering in this dismal economy. However there remains a strong pride int he locals who are hard working and now that Labor day has passed, may feel that their island is theirs once again. I suspect our mode of travel is our passport of acceptance by them.

Eventually we cast off and sail downwind under mizzen to the SE corner of the harbor for the night. New snaps for the tent have replaced the difficult velcro webbing and rusty "stainless" loops under the gunnel. Setting up is now quicker and much improved. With bedroll over army blanket and armatures, sleep for night number two comes easy.

Next morning we're up before sunrise. Kevin motors around the lake before we head to Pony Island Restaurant for a good breakfast.

Morning motoring

We see a green heron at the pier.

heron

After a final roll around the harbor, we head out under full sail. Winds are 10 kts from the east.

Little T forges across the shoals bumping along (and she needs 8"). UNA reaches more northerly to save her ruder in deeper water along the entry channel. They meet again a mile or so out and we run for hours across the Pamlico. 

Marsh Cat and Cedar Island ferry.

The ride is a dramatic difference from the day before. No spray and we slip along on a gentle sea.

Once in the Neuse again, we go wing and wing with the main to weather. Thankfully the day has been overcast, keeping the sun off yesterday's burn. Around 16:00 we pass the shrimp boats resting at the foot of Oriental.

We choose to anchor off Dewey Point near our beginning. Kevin notes we've sailed over 95 nautical miles. That is a record for UNA. Knowing that she can and in those conditions is reassuring.

We tour the harbor marinas in Little T. Few of the hundreds of sailboats seen are of interest. Its mostly miles of neglected plastic. The sunset is spectacular.

Oriental

UNA at anchor.

Back at anchor, a swim is refreshing. Dinner is good grilled chicken and rice. Night three is the most restful. 

Morning is cool. A slight breeze beckons. Breakfast is coffee and pan made biscuits with butter. The sail to the ramp is short. We're already planning for next time.