BellaGatto Cruising: October 2020

In this episode, we spend a carefree month in Deale, Maryland finally getting our aggravating engine problem fixed and then re-asses our plans for Cape Cod and Maine – after this long layover, there are just not going to be enough days left on the calendar before we would want to start heading south again.

Red Crabs = Marina stays
Blue Crabs = Anchorages
Red & Blue Pins = Stops referenced in another blog
View the interactive map at https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CF-C1t-2Z0HKdDzBDd-Q8NANlkr8zK6Y&usp=sharing

We started out at Herrington Harbour North in Deale to give the Zimmerman’s boatyard another crack at our engine issue. We had been told they had a certified Yanmar tech on staff who could (finally) correctly diagnose and fix the problem. The tech showed up promptly in the morning and tested the fuel injectors and identified that as the problem. He pulled the injectors and we took them to a shop near Annapolis to be rebuilt, which only took a day and cost $600. Just two problems: 1) that was not the problem either – when we re-installed the rebuilt injectors the problem was unchanged; and 2) The tech up and quit that morning, leaving us totally in the lurch. At this point, we were DONE with Zimmerman’s and hired an independent shop, AR Marine Services, to come and help. Scott listened to the engine run for a few minutes and said the injector pump was the problem (at this point, there was really nothing left but the injector pump). So off came the pump, and it was shipped off to the rebuild shop. It turns out the pump needed a part that had to ship from Germany (!) and that was going to take a couple of weeks. I didn’t want to spend a couple of weeks at the very expensive Herrington Harbour marina, so we limped the boat on one engine across the creek to a little family owned marina - $150 a week vs. $550 a week.

Heading to Tracy's Landing/Herrington Harbour North to get our mystery engine problem fixed once and for all.

Happy to be at a marina with temps like these

This crab cake from the restaurant at the marina is all lump crab

Zimmerman's got right on it first thing Monday morning

Bella spa day by yours truly! She's not thrilled.

A nice visit from Bob and Denise

During Bob & Denise's visit we took the opportunity to catch up with the California Gorhams on Zoom

A pretty serious squall coming through the marina

BG in her slip at Herrington Harbour

Pegasus' home slip is at HH and we had a nice visit with Mary and Jim
Photo Credit: Mary of Pegasus

The sunset view from our new marina in Rockhold Creek, Wilson's Cove Marina

While we were sitting there twiddling our thumbs, we took our rental car to D.C. and visited with my brother’s family – they are terrific hosts and we lived in the lap of luxury. It was particularly great to be off the boat when the AC crapped out in the 90 degree heat and we wound up having to replace the whole unit. During our stay we also did a bunch of sightseeing and adventuring by car. Finally, the moment of truth…the pump came back from the shop and Scott installed it and we went out for a test run. Victory at last! The engine now is running like a champ, and finally, after a month, we can get moving again.

We drove to Annapolis to meet Apres Sail's Michael & Kathleen for a lovely lunch at the Annapolis Yacht Club. We first met them on the Loop in Canada and have stayed in touch.

You know when I'm in crab country and there is a crab cake on the menu, then I'm having it. Amazing!

Bob and Denise whipping up one of their many amazing dinners

Bella loves to fetch a ball especially if its in a swimming pool

Laser did not seem to mind sharing his beloved Denise with Bella

Such an idyllic setting

This is the Wharf in Washington DC which has amazingly fresh seafood

We got to meet up with our friends Kathleen and Michael (Apres Sail) for a nice hike at Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls followed by thirst quenching beers

This repair shop got right on our problem and had us fixed up in no time at all. Top photo is old unit. Yeah, it was time.

It has been great having a car during out downtime. We drove to Baltimore to visit Russ and Jax (InQuest) and had a great Mexican lunch. We first me them on the Loop in Elizabeth City, VA. Before departing we made some plans to do some buddy boating in the near future.

Well, I found this local waterman near Deale, MD, who sells crabs and oysters from his house - depending upon what's in season. He was kind enough to explain the whole soft shell crab cycle to me and show me his operation. What a find!

Well here is our gorgeous rebuilt injector pump. I've never seen anything so beautiful! And now for the moment of reckoning...

Here is Scott from AR Marine Diesel hard at work getting everything just so

And just like that (sound of snapping fingers) we're back in business! Bella approved.

Our first voyage was just a few miles across the Bay to the Eastern Shore at Tilghman’s Island, where we stayed at Knapp’s Narrows Marina. It’s a cute little town full of working fishboats, and we borrowed the marina’s loaner bikes to explore. We can’t report on the restaurant scene, because every single place in town is only open Thursday through Sunday, and we were there on Wednesday. But it is SOOOOOO nice to be back on the road!

Long at last we are underway!

The marina at Tilghman had some excellent loaner bikes which means we didn't have to unpack ours and put them together. Plus they were very comfortable. Our bikes are on the upgrade list for when we return to Florida

We biked all the way down to the south end of the island

The mosaic tile art at this post office was a surprise to find

BG at the dock

Sunset from the cockpit

We decided our goal for the next month was to get as far north as Philadelphia before turning it around for the season, and to see a lot more of the Eastern Shore on the way. So in the morning, we headed up north through the Kent Narrows and along the Eastern Shore to Rock Hall, Maryland. We tied up here at a busy restaurant for lunch and to take Bella for a walk through the (very nice) little town. There were a number of nearby marinas, but after all that time at docks we had a hankering for some anchoring, so we went around the corner to Swan Creek and found a nice spot for the night.

This is the approach to Kent Narrows

Definitely tighter than your average bridge. We really love our low bridge clearance because we only need 12.5 feet to squeak under.

We stopped for a couple of beers and some appetizers before heading to the anchorage

Rock Hall has a quaint downtown area so we picked up a few treats before heading out

Scenes from Rock Hall

Kicken' back with Bella enjoying a cold drink and a book

Sunset in the peaceful Swan Creek anchorage

Fall is definitely in the air around these parts. These are the grounds of a nearby marina where we landed our dinghy to walk Bella.

Another scene from our morning Bella walk

It was a very nice night at anchor in Swan Creek, but the weather forecast for the next few days was windy and rainy, but also warm and humid - terrible weather to be "on the hook," so we started looking for a cheap marina in a protected spot that was on our way north. We found a great little stop way up the Sassafras River in the town of Georgetown - Duffy Creek Marina was just $1.25 per foot, and even had a nice little pool on site. Like everyplace else in the area, Georgetown has a long history. During the Revolutionary War, British gunboats sailed up the Sassafras, and when they were fired upon, set about to burn the town in retaliation. While most of the town was destroyed, a local woman named Catharine "Kitty" Knight told the British marines if they burned her house, they would have to burn her in it. Impressed by her courage, the officer in charge spared her house, and it still stands today as a bed and breakfast and resort. We spent two days in this pleasant little town, and when the weather cleared, we were ready to move on north.

Hunkering down safely secured at the dock

Here comes the squall line

There is quite a lot going on in this 2 second video. Keep your eye on Bella.

The weather is starting to break

Once the rain cleared we took some relaxing dips in the pool

Sunset from the cockpit

The Catherine "Kitty" night house

From Georgetown it was an easy day’s run north to our last stop in Maryland (for now) at Chesapeake City, which is at the western end of the C&D Canal which will take us to the Delaware River and on to Philadelphia. We had anchored here at Chesapeake City before – there is a nice protected little basin and great shore leave access for Bella near the Corps of Engineer’s office. It was almost perfect – except for the noise! It was a Sunday, and this may be the noisiest place I have ever been. The harbor was filled with noisy cigarette style boats revving their engines as they jockeyed for position at the docks of the noisy bars whose parking lots were filled with hordes of noisy Harleys and noisy trucks. Mercifully, they all started winding down around 11:00 or so.