Here is Skylark's route for those first eight weeks:

Week 8 - Richmond to Goose Creek off Pamlioc R. & Sound
Week 7- Great Wicomico R. to Richmond Va
Week 6 - Annapolis to Sandy Pt.-Great Wicomico River
Week 5 - Atlantic City to Annapolis
Day 28 - Hudson River-New York City-Atlantic City
Day 21- Salt Water
Day 15
Day 10
Day 7
We have departed

Subject:  Week 8 - Richmond to Goose Creek off Pamlioc R. & Sound
Date:  Tue, 7 Nov 2000 13:49:16 -0800

When we arrived back at Skylark we were pleased to see she was in fine condition & so were the contents of the fridge & freezer.  To keep the refrigeration working, we either need to run the engine for an hour a day or hook up to shore power (electricity) at a dock. On that first day back we found the sun too bright & the day too short. With daylight saving time gone the sun set at 5:10.

Our first destination was Norfolk - the Naval Base.  There were aircraft carriers, destroyers, supply ships, personnel carriers & submarines.  The battleship Missouri was docked there. It was on this ship that the Japanese signed their surrender during World War II.

From Norfolk we moved into the Dismal Swamp Canal.  William Byrd surveyed this area for the British in the 1700's & found it repulsive so named it Dismal.  Then, the Americans had slaves dig it by hand.  The canal  provided an inland route to help move supplies during the Revolutionary War.  This area  became a haven for runaway slaves  during the Civil War.

The locks are gravity fed & are only opened 4 times a day.  If they were opened on demand the canal would completely drain.  The canal trip was very pleasant as the trees displayed their colours in the bright sun.  At the end of it was Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  The town has free docks & the Rose Buddies (retired southern gentlemen) have a wine & cheese party for the travelling boaters.  A great time was had by all!

From Elizabeth City we had a wonderful sail through Albemarle Sound to the Alligator R. with 18 knot NW winds off our stern.  The river was very swampy with scrubby trees, but no alligators.

From the Alligator R. we travelled to the Pamlico R. & Sound where Kitty Hawk & Cape Hatteras are located.  Unfortunately, we couldn't go there because we didn't have the charts.  We will get them for our trip north in the spring.

We are presently  anchored in Goose Creek. Our position is
N 35^o17.649'
W 76^o36.438'
Jim & Lee Ann

Air Craft Carriers in Norfolk.                                The not so Dismal Swamp from Norfolk, VA to Elizabeth City North Carolina.
 
 

Subject: Week 7- Great Wicomico R. to Richmond Va
Date:  Thu, 2 Nov 2000 18:06:12 -0800

On our way out of the river into the Chesapeake we  had the boat hoisted out of the water at Reedsville, a fishing port.  The anode on the propellor shaft had come loose & needed to be replaced.  It took Jim  1/2 hour to do the work & then we were on our way. The fleet of fishing boats from Reedsville were reconditioned Navy ships  painted battleship grey.  That day we sighted our first pelicans.  We hadn't realized they travelled so far north.

Heading to Mobjack Bay for the night we passed military restricted areas.  Portions of the Chesapeake are used for practising military procedures.  Langley Airforce Base is  close by & Norfolk, a huge Naval Base is 20 miles south.

From Mobjack we motored to Hampton at the crossroads of the Chesapeake & 3 rivers . We secured Skylark at the Hampton Yacht Club, enjoyed some southern hospitality  & were picked up by Lee Ann's sister Jane for a 6 day hiatus from the boat.

From Jane & husband Jim's home in Richmond we travelled north to Newark Delaware for a visit with their daughters as their schools’  had  a football game against each other.  Heather goes to U. of Delaware & Sarah attends James Madison U. in Harrisburg Va.  The day was beautiful, the game was good, & Jim was able to shmooze with the referees. (Jim is a ref. back home)

Richmond the capital of Virginia is the centre of Civil War country. There are plantations, battlefields & museums to tour.  The area is also where the first settlers came. The city is on the James R. which had locks to help bring goods from the western part of the state to the Chesapeake.  In addition, George Washington had the plan to join the James to the Mississippi.  This never did happen.

Jane & Jim's hospitality was superb as they chauffeured us around, had a lovely birthday celebration for Lee Ann who was 39 again & gave us a warm bed.

A big surprise we had was call & visit from Sailing Club members Bruce Reid & Bill Noakes who were touring in the area.

Skylark's  position at Hampton is:   N 37^o49.311', W 76^o18.692'
Distance travelled is 1215 KM

Jim & Lee Ann

Subject: Week 6 - Annapolis to Sandy Pt.-Great Wicomico River
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 14:11:40 -0700

Daughter Dana made Annapolis an extra special treat.

History, Naval Academy, boats & boating supplies best describe Annapolis.

It was briefly the capital of the U.S. immediately after the American Revolution & has been the capital of Maryland since 1695. The numerous historical buildings are close to the harbour so touring on foot is easy. The Naval Academy (next to the harbour too) has a beautiful campus, chapel & museum. The midshipmen have their own fleets of dingies (small sailboats), 40 ft. yachts, and minesweepers to learn & practice sailing rules & techniques. As we walked through the campus we were reminded that" clothes do make the man".

Boats - Jim was in heaven - any kind of boat you could imagine you could find there. We saw cruising boats from England, Holland, South Africa, Australia, Alaska, Texas, & of course Canada. We seem to be one of the smallest boats going south. We met three Aussies who were professional yacht racers. They had just aborted their trip to Bermuda on route to the Caribbean Race Circuit because of boat difficulties & asked if we would take their supply of food. Naturally we kindly accepted. Somehow we managed to stow it all.

The 47 ft. Dutch boat worth $1,250,000 that was docked in front of us was going to Key West non-stop in 7 days - a trip that would take us 6 weeks.

44 ft. racing boats with 8 ft. keels were drysailed twice a week from the boat yard at which we were staying. Also people who were anchored in the creek next to the yard would come ashore & pay for a shower at the facility.

When Dana left, we headed S.E. to St. Michael a shipbuilding centre with an excellent Maritime Museum. The town was out of a fairy tale with quaint homes & tame swans swimming in the harbour.

From there we went S. to Solomons & presently Sandy Pt. in Great Wicomico River Virginia.

Our next major stop will be in the James River area where we will get off the boat for a few days. Sister Jane & brother-in-law Jim will give us a solid bed in which to sleep at their home in Richmond.

Our position is W 76^o18.311', N 37^o49.692'

Lee Ann & Jim

A visit from Dana and some crazy racing boats highlighted Week 6.
That little dot next to the keel is Jim!

Subject: Week 5 - Atlantic City to Annapolis
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2000 14:34:21 -0700

We have finally got out of long johns - wonderful! During our layover day in Atlantic City we checked out 5 casinos - Caesar's Palace was the most impressive. The next day we headed SSW to Cape May. The wind picked up to 31 knots & we had a miserable motorsail with the wind almost on our nose. We should have delayed our departure 1 more day as the conditions were far better the next day for going S & not good for heading N (our next destination). Murphy's Law!

After talking to locals during our layover day in Cape May we figured we needed to leave 1 hour before mean low tide to get a favourable ride with the tide up the Delaware. This meant leaving before 4 a.m. We led a flotilla of a dozen boats in the dark but were quickly passed by bigger boats which made us happy to have someone to follow. The tidal current gave us a 1.5 knot push almost all the way during our 65 mile motor bucking moderate winds on our nose. If we hadn't got the tidal push, our trip would have been much longer.

Chesapeake City in the C & D Canal that joins the Delaware River & Chesapeake Bay was our destination. The quaint town had gift & antique shops but no grocery store - Rats! (We hadn't been to one since New York City.) We stayed there for an extra day as we unsuccessfully tried to rendezvous with our niece Heather, who was at the U. of Delaware, 30 minutes away. It is difficult to go to out-of-the-way places without a car.

Next we sailed into the Chesapeake Bay dogging crab pots and explored a couple pretty rivers. The weather was so nice there were kids swimming.

Annapolis - the sailboat capital of North America was the next stop. There we would meet our daughter, Dana - How wonderful!

Our position is N38^o58.00' W76^o29.00'

Lee Ann & Jim

Chesapeake City

Subject: Day 28 - Hudson River-New York City-Atlantic City
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 14:29:32 -0700

During our last 2 days on the Hudson, we passed West Point & Sing Sing Penitentiary. There were boats moored (tied to balls that were anchored to the bottom of the river) but not in front of Sing Sing. I guess prisoners don't have the luxury of using the water. As we approached New York City the commercial traffic got heavier & we saw a tug that had its bridge on an elevator so the skipper could see over his load of 9 barges. The noise also increased - planes, trains, cars, buses, boats, & helicopters - you couldn't tell where the noise was coming from. We kept looking around to make sure we were safe. New York City - what an exciting place! After mooring at the 79th Street Marina, a 5 minute walk from Broadway, we explored. We took in the planetarium, a musical (Kiss Me Kate), the World Trade Centre, 5th Avenue, a climbing wall, Times Square, various shops, & did a lot of people watching. We saw people on bikes, scooters, on roller blades, & many walking & talking on cell phones. The grocery stores were fascinating with all the ready to eat gourmet food. At a park we saw a Dog run where people brought their dogs to play with other dogs. Leaving the city was very moving as we passed the Statue of Liberty - It just takes your breath away.

From N.Y. we have to sail in that big ocean for 3 days until we head up the Delaware River to the Chesapeake & finally the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). Naturally we stop each night at a port. The first day was an easy motorsail, the second was a nice sail as the wind built. Today we are weathered in as the wind has continued to build to gale force. Fortunately, we are in a beautiful Trump Marina next to a glitzy casino which is a great place to people watch. The bad news is that is very cold - in the 30's at night.

We have gone 840 nautical miles & are positioned at N 39^o22.716' W 074^o25.529'

Happy Thanksgiving

Lee Ann & Jim

"New York, New York.  Where else can you do a half a million things all at a quarter to three?"

Subject: Day 21- Salt Water
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 15:04:29 -0700

We completed the Erie canal system on Thursday. The last 2 days were cold & sunny but very pretty as we travelled on the wide Mohawk River, lined with rolling hills. In the last 1 1/2 miles there were 5 locks called "the flight of 5". As we entered, a flood gate which separates the canal from the Mohawk R. opened up for us, then closed immediately. Each lock lowered us about 34ft. until we reached sea level. We celebrated our arrival at the Hudson R. with dinner at an Irish Pub in Waterford. The next day we travelled south to Castleton on Hudson where 5 people from Kingston, ON helped us put the mast up. That is when we broke out the champagne from Glenn & Kara Bennett who did this trip in the early 90's. Travelling in tidal waters is interesting. If we travel with the tide our boat speed goes from 6 (which is our normal speed) to 8 knots & against the tide 4 knots. Unfortunately, it has been foggy during the favourable tides.

The Hudson has less traffic than the St. Clair with e few tugs pushing barges and pleasure craft with high wakes. The shoreline has very high hills with names like Breakneck Ridge and Storm Mt. Last night we anchored between Pollepell Island & the east shore of the Hudson. There is a deserted castle on the island.

Lee Ann & Jim

Subject: Day 15
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 04:16:44 -0700

The highlight of the last 5 days was the visit by our friends Buddy & Dick Walker, the original owners of Skylark. We met at Lock 23, 11/2 hrs. due south of their home in the Thousand Islands. We got the boat ship-shape for admiral Buddy's arrival. After showing them the changes we made on Skylark, we had lunch at a local restaurant. It was just delightful. The scenery along the canal has varied from mostly trees and brush to quaint towns and then shacks you would see in the movie Deliverance. One rainy day we spotted 24 great blue herons. There are 35 locks along the canal. All but 3 take us down from 572.4ft. above sea level on the Niagara River to 1.3ft above sea level on the Hudson River. The locks were completed in 1825, after 7 years of construction. Mule-drawn barges carried goods from Lake Erie east. The canal helped open up ports west of Buffalo including Detroit. We have put away our bathing suits and are wearing sweats & turtlenecks as the weather has been cold. We need electricity at night for our heater or else there will be two frozen bodies on Skylark in the morning. On Thursday the killer frost is coming then the weather is to warm up. By that time we will be in the Hudson River. Tonight we are in Little Falls, New York, a neat town with an aqueduct. We have covered over 500 miles (the distance you can travel easily in one day in a car).

Jim & Lee Ann

Buddy, Dick, and Jake return to Skylark                             Skylark entering a lock

Subject: Day 10
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 17:29:36 -0700

After 3 days in shorts we are back wearing mitts & toques. We got into Buffalo on day 7 in the dark & by chance found a dock along the Buffalo River. In the morning the place was seedy but they took our mast down for a good price & the location was great. We were across the river from a Navy Destroyer & a Cruiser and over them loomed the Intestate 5. It took 8 hrs. to get the mast secured to the braces we made for the 338mi. Erie canal trip to the Hudson River. Our cousins Jack & Joanne arrived and took us to dinner at the Anchor Bar where Buffalo wings originated. Both the food & company were a wonderful treat. Next day we motored 3 hrs. up the canal beside the Niagara River to the Erie Canal. At the first 2 locks (Lockport) we paid our $75 fee. This includes all locks, lift bridges, dockage, water & power & sometimes showers & pumpouts - a real bargain! We spent the night in Middleport and an older couple sitting at the canal side park offered us Manhattans on arrival (very tasty). Later the mayor came & gave us his blessing and 2 hrs. later the police came warning us of the pending storm.

With the storm came the cool weather and strong tail winds. Tonight we are just west of Rochester in Spencerport.

Lee Ann & Jim

Subject: Day 7
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 07:24:03 -0700

After our weathered-in day the report indicated that the wind off Fairport was NE (on the nose). We walked 1 mile to the beach to see it was NW and favourable. Our highest speed sailing 27km to Ashtabula was 8.9 knots (on GPS) with a 110 jib and reefed mainsail in 7 ft. following seas. We docked at Ashtabula Yacht Club 1 mile down the river beyond a lift bridge that opened every 1/2 hr. Next morning the wind built quicker than we expected & we hit 11.6 (on GPS) with just a full main as Skylark shuddered in 10ft. following seas. The 40km ride was terrifying at times because we had to fight to control the wheel in as much as a 30 knot breeze. We anchored in a quiet basin in Presque Isle State Park across from Erie Pennsylvania. Today we are motorsailing with very little breeze 64km to Buffalo .We have gone 281km so far since we left home. Bill Noakes said that Erie was the toughest part of his trip to Annapolis. We hope we can concur.

A famous cruiser once said, "Cruising is long periods of boredom interspersed with short periods of sheer terror."

Jim & Lee Ann

"The weather started getting rough.  The tiny ship was tossed.  If it wasn't for the courage of the fearless crew...."

Subject: We have departed
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 18:36:23 -0700

We left on Tuesday at 9:20 a.m.. Daughter Dana, brother Bernie and his wife Anita saw us off. It was a teary farewell. We sailed to Put-In Bay instead of Pelee Is. because it was a more comfortable sail. Our first night at anchor was very rocky as there were swells coming from the north around the tip of the island. Apparently the Bahamian anchorages are rocky. Tonight we are in Cleveland. Tomorrow we will rock more at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Lee Ann & Jim