12/06/2017 – N39˚01.18′ W76˚21.65′ Chesapeake Bay – 33 nm
We’re off! Dropped the lines and motored out of the harbor this morning at 07:20 into the Chesapeake.
Yesterday, we skipped lunch and finished our last minute preparations, stowed the provisions, topped up the fuel and water, dropped the rental car off in Philly, and returned just in time to grab dinner at The Granary. Crab cakes on salad while competing against the locals at trivia. Last land shower, IPA and in my comfy sleeping bag by 11pm.
This morning I woke up to the engines starting and came on deck. I immediately went back below to put on extra ski pants, sweater, jacket, hat and gloves. Brrrr! We quickly gave the boat a Hawaiian blessing and were off the dock at 7:20 motoring into light headwinds against the current. A Bald Eagle flew right over our bow as we nosed out of the harbor, so that’s gotta be a good sign at the beginning of our voyage!
At 10am we realized the batteries weren’t charging, so we pulled out of the shipping channel, shut off the engines and drifted while testing the engines’ alternators. No output! But Chris quickly put two and two together and realized what that object was he found in the bilge yesterday. It was a coil plug that belonged on the alternator! He replaced that and we were back up and charging, motoring into the channel with only a ten minute delay.
Now we are motoring under the William P Lane Jr Memorial Bridge in 15 knots of wind off the beam, the sun is finally out, it’s warming up and we are seriously thinking about putting the sails up and shutting off these noisy engines.
It feels great to be on our way!