Motorsailing on a Flat Blue Ocean

At 5:30 p.m. on June 1 (Sunday), we anchored at Stillwater Pond in five meters of water behind a headland which protected us from the NW wind. A few other boats had also found shelter there, but they were probably staying longer than we did. We were just waiting for a favorable tide through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. We did a few little jobs, Peter and Shalako took showers (The last time was in Oxford), I made dinner for us and then we rested. 

Anchored in the aptly named Still Pond

At 8:10 p.m, we pulled up anchor and headed north, enjoying the various stages of a gorgeous sunset. I stood watch until around 10 p.m., and then Peter and Shalako were on watch together for the night. 

Before sunset, with the sun behind the clouds

Sunset reflected in the water

Sunset reflected on the top of the pilot house

The next thing I knew, I was being awaken to be at the navigation station to guide us into the peaceful, remote and deep Cohansey River in New Jersey, on the north side of the Delaware Bay, where we have enjoyed anchoring before. We dropped the anchor at 4:50 a.m., having safely made it through the canal with its fairly heavy traffic of cargo ships and tankers, listening to the melodic march wrens and watching the sky brighten in the east.

At anchor in the Cohansey River

Later that morning, after we had all rested, Peter revealed to us that we had had a close call. He had gone to the nav station to check on our course. He determined to alter course, planning to move from the outside of the channel on the right (south) to the left (north) side. Having made the adjustments on the chart plotter, he went to the wheel to execute the plan. While he was looking at the monitor, he had noticed a large ship in the channel, but somehow he forgot about it on deck. He was just entering the channel when he saw the monster looming ahead and quickly darted back to the outside of the channel buoys. He is sure that the ship's captain was just getting ready to blast his horn five times! Peter showed us a picture in Nigel Calder's Cruising Handbook.

Peter in the night!

It was so peaceful in the wide river and sunny and warm enough that we could shed some layers of clothing, so we decided to spend the morning and afternoon there. We inspected our life jackets, making sure they are good to go. While Peter was getting out beacons from the emergency locker, he noticed the jack lines, which we had totally forgotten to run from bow to stern. In addition to taking care of that task, Peter and Shalako spent hours on the foredeck untangling the anchor chain, ensuring that the rigging and whisker pole were set up properly to fly wing on wing (with two headsails and no mainsail) and doing other jobs. I did three loads of laundry, using the sunshine and wind to dry the clothes on the lifelines; cleaned the salt from the pilot house windows (greatly improving visibility); and pulled out all the manuals for almost everything on the boat, from the engine, the alternator, the generator, the hot water heater and other equipment in the engine room; the stove/oven, faucets, refrigerator and freezer in the galley as well as appliances such as the microwave, the toaster and the hand-held blender; the air conditioning and heat; all the electronic equipment and wiring; and many other things. They are all stored in a small cabinet in the saloon, and they needed adminstrative attention as new manuals need to be added and manuals for items such as the watermaker, which we got rid of years ago, need to be discarded. We also have most of the receipts for boat maintenance and repair as well as clearance papers from the previous owners as well as five or six almost identical, fairly thick documents about Mantra written by Steve and Linda Dashew, the designers. I think we can toss a few of them. 

Laundry day

We wanted to use the current to our advantage for the rest of the trip down the Delaware Bay, so we departed from our idyllic location at 6:35 p.m. and headed out to sea. I made dinner for us and cleaned up the dishes and the galley. At 9:00, Shalako and Peter went to bed, and I was on watch until midnight, listening to Amy Tan's The Backyard Bird Chronicles with my earbuds, which allow me to continue to monitor the radio. We passed by the Cape May, New Jersey, lighthouse around midnight, and Peter took his turn at the helm. Even though we were motorsailing, we were tilting just a little, so we slept on the port couch rather than put up lee sheets on our bed. 

I woke up at 7:30 this morning and found Peter on watch. He had chivalrously allowed me to get a full night's sleep. The blue water was beautifully calm as we were heading up the New Jersey coast (no land in sight since Atlantic City) and south of the middle of Long Island there is now a tiny bit of a swell. Peter has slowed down a bit on his work today, but it is difficult for him not to tinker. The three of us played a game of Scrabble, Shalako and I read for a while, I did some crossword puzzles and some coloring and made meals. Peter has wired up the Starlink, so we have Internet. It's good to be able to update the blog, send a few texts and emails and make phone calls, but I must admit it is somewhat pleasant to be disconnected. 

Motorsailing on the Atlantic Ocean

Today's coloring

We have been marveling at the animal world. A zale lunata moth appeared on the bimini railing; perhaps its chrysalis was attached to some part of the boat and it has just emerged as a adult while we have been sailing.

Zale lunata moth on board

Shalako was the first to spot dolphins, and we have passed two small pods. It is always a thrill to see them.

Dolphins off the starboard stern

I should think about dinner for the three of us and take a nap before I am on watch at 9 p.m.