2001 Intercoastal Waterway Leg 1-Wynne- Kilmarnock 30nm

In the fall of 2000, Bob and I took our boat RosalieAnn from Maryland down the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) to Key West, and then down to the Dry Tortugas. Then we visited the Bahamas briefly and came home. I wrote up the trip and emailed it to family and friends. This illustrated document is about the beginning of the 2001 trip.

Our boat at the dock

This was the first trip I wrote up on VirtualTourist after I joined in 2002, because the 2001-2002 trip was the first time I made extensive use of a digital camera to take photos and because I kept a detailed expense spreadsheet. I labeled each section as a LEG

Our boat has two separate sleeping cabins, each with its own head (toilet) and sink. The main saloon has two bunks, a corner settee, a dinner table around the base of the mast (which goes right down inside the boat) and the galley (kitchen) which has a stove, sink, a large refrigerator and freezer.

Layout showing the V-berth at the front, the cockpit in the middle (white area) and the aft cabin on the left

There is also a separate shower, but when we are cruising we normally use the forward cabin (called the V berth because it is in the bow and is V shaped) as a garage to store stuff. This year we packed all the stuff from the garage (including Scuba gear) into the shower which was full to the top, so that our guests could use the V berth.

Cut-away view

Getting ready to leave Tuesday 23 October 2001

After Rob and his family and Beth and family left, we started getting ready to move on the boat. I had several last minute loose ends to tie up
a) getting prescriptions for 6 months for me (Bob got his on the base with no problem),
b) finding out what had happened to one of the items I'd ordered,
c) mailing back shoes that should have been tan but were black,
d) trying to get a final bill from the Washington Post guy etc.

FInally did A after a number of calls - should have been quite simple, but the drugstore wouldn't believe me. B said that they'd tried to call me and couldn't get through the caller intercept, so they just gave up - had the item shipped to Rob. C was no problem. Never did get in touch with D.

Packed up and went down to the boat, got things stowed. Drove Bob's car back followed by the marina truck, and dumped all the water and refilled the tanks with fresh water. Max and Lucette, the couple that helped us take pictures of the boat under sail,

Under sail

are riding with us until the middle of Nov. They were driving up from FL where their boat, the 33 foot version of our boat, is docked. I called them on the cell phone about 6 p.m. and they were just approaching the Gov. Nice bridge to cross into Maryland from Virginia. We figured it would be 8:30 before they would be there and Bob asked if I thought I could walk to Scheible's for dinner as the marina restaurant was closed. I said yes. But Scheibles was closed, so we went on to Courtneys. We were walking back to the marina when Max and Lucette arrived.

On our way Wednesday 24 October 2001

We started the engine at 9:20, and finished removing the dock lines and were 3 miles out in the Potomac by 10 am. Winds were from the SSW, so we sailed a bit out of the Potomac,

Under sail

but then had to motor into the wind which was up to 19 knots against us with 4-5 foot waves in the Bay. We saw a topsail schooner Mystic Maid as we came out of the Potomac (probably coming back from the races) and lots of menhaden boats off Reedville.

Mystic Maid

We bypassed the Great Wicomico where we anchored last year to go up Indian Creek off Fleets Bay to the Chesapeake Boat Basin.

Arriving at Chesapeake Bay Boat Basin

We are on the T head (along the end of the dock and not in a slip). The bathrooms/showers are sparkling clean and newly decorated. There is a lounge with cable TV and an internet connection and a marine store. We got a ride into town to Jimmie’s Café in Kilmarnock for dinner - I had the pork chip special and it was almost 3" thick, and Bob had fried oysters. Max and Lucette had crab cakes