Headed South!

[OBXTucker]

Well, July is only a couple of days away and we begin doing some serious cruising (for us anyways!).

We leave the middle Chesapeake early Friday morning and head south. Hope to make it to the Great Bridge Locks on the ICW late afternoon. From there, we're headed to Manteo for the week (and to spend a few days on the Outer Banks with family and friends).

Thursday week, we head back north. My 22 year old son wants to take her offshore, so we can do some fishing. We'll probably give it a go if the weather around Oregon Inlet is decent. I've been out of there MANY times, just not in a boat that draws 5.5'! Plan to arrive back in Deltaville on Saturday.

The following weekend, we're headed to Hampton for the Virginia Yacht Club gathering (our first).

The last weekend of July, a short jaunt over to Windmill Point Marina for the weekend. "Guys" golf weekend, 1/2 of whom will stay on the boat with me for the weekend.

Finally nice to be able to clear the calendar and begin using Kismet as I'd imagined!

Mike/Cindy, we'll give you a shout as we go by on Friday! Anyone else here between Deltaville and the Outer Banks on the ICW? Any recent news on the ICW? I know the Gilmerton Bridge schedule is limited.

 

[GJH]

If you are going out, and especially back in, Oregon Inlet, get a lot of local knowledge first (USCG, tow companies, charter fleets) and find a local charter boat to follow. Even with some recent dredging, it is very tricky and changeable. I know you frequent THT, so you can get some advice in the Carolinas section there too.

Let us know how you like Manteo; where are you docking? Too bad you don't have time to mosey down to Ocracoke too; put that on your "to do" list. Great anchorage and fun place.

 

[Diver Down]

Jeff, the Gilmerton bridge is no longer opened upon request. It now opens at the bottom of each hour. If possible, try to avoid that bridge during rush hour (probably 5:00-6:30) because I believe they have an extended closure period. Let me know where you will be staying Friday evening and I'll try to stop by. Have a great cruise. We're headed up to Jamestown Saturday morning for 3 days of anchoring at Chippokes.

 

[SeaWhisper]

Jeff, the Gilmerton bridge is no longer opened upon request. It now opens at the bottom of each hour. If possible, try to avoid that bridge during rush hour (probably 5:00-6:30) because I believe they have an extended closure period. Let me know where you will be staying Friday evening and I'll try to stop by. Have a great cruise. We're headed up to Jamestown Saturday morning for 3 days of anchoring at Chippokes.

Mike,

Are you guy's still planning a trip south this year to go diving.... It's really hot here and the water feels great!...

 

[OBXTucker]

Thanks Mike, have a safe cruise north.

FYI, the Gilmerton Bridge schedule changed last week:

They are now only open upon signal between 9:30 - 3:30!

Effective 6:30 a.m. June 19, 2011 through 6:30 p.m. December 20, 2013, the temporary regulations will allow the drawbridge to operate as follows:

(1) The drawbridge shall open on signal at anytime for commercial vessels carrying liquefied flammable gas or other hazardous materials;

(2) From 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, the drawbridge need not open for the passage of recreational or commercial vessels except for Federal holidays; the draw shall open anytime for commercial cargo vessels, including tugs, and tugs with tows, if two hours advance notice is given to the Gilmerton Bridge operators at 757-545-1512;

(3) From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays, the draw shall open on signal hourly on the half hour; except the draw shall open anytime for commercial cargo vessels, including tugs, and tugs with tows, if two hours advance notice is given to the Gilmerton Bridge operators at 757-545-1512;

(4) If any vessel is approaching the bridge and cannot reach the draw exactly on the half hour, the draw tender may delay the opening up to 10 minutes past the half hour for passage of the approaching vessel and any other vessels that are waiting to pass;

(5) If the Norfolk and Southern Railroad Bridge #7, at mile 5.8, is not opened during a particular scheduled opening for the Gilmerton Bridge and vessels were delayed, the draw tender at the Gilmerton Bridge may provide a single opening for waiting vessels, once the Norfolk and Southern Railroad Bridge #7 reopens for vessels.

(6) At all other times, the draw shall open on signal.

 

[OBXTucker]

Safely in Great Bridge. Beautiful day on the water. Spending the night at atlantic yacht basin. Manteo around 1530 tomorrow.

Safe travels north tomorrow Mike.

 

[SeaEric]

Take a walk past "Sea Tabby" She's the old Mathis/Trumpy in the shed across the little wooden bridge all the way to the east end of the yard. She's got fresh top to bottom paint and varnish and is looking quite crisp. Very pretty old Classic.

 

[rsmith]

O.I. is a challenging inlet. Fished a lot of tournements out of there over the years. Y'all be careful. If your brave you can run up to the "cigar" for a shot at a billfish. If not troll up the beach with feathers and spoons, look for birds diving. You'll catch bluefish for sure.

 

[OBXTucker]

We're in the ditch this weekend. Headed out of OI Thursday if the weather stays good. We'll probably head offshore and pull a 24-36 cruise with shifts, while fishing too.

 

[rsmith]

I asume most of the LRC are Hydraulicly stabilized but I saw a Hatt LRC years ago in Lauderdale that had a short set of outriggers and was using them to drag a set of Vosper mini fins. It seems like it would be a simpler method of stabilizing the boat without using a power source.

 

[OBXTucker]

Simpler to maintain, yes. Simpler to deploy and retrieve, no.
When people talk about fins, I always think of the movie Perfect Storm!

 

[Boatsb]

I asume most of the LRC are Hydraulicly stabilized but I saw a Hatt LRC years ago in Lauderdale that had a short set of outriggers and was using them to drag a set of Vosper mini fins. It seems like it would be a simpler method of stabilizing the boat without using a power source.

Paravanes or "screen doors" depending on how they work.

Paravanes run like a wing in the water maintaining a constant track while you move forward and apply pressure through the poles to hold the boat on a stable angle side to side.

"Screen doors have a one way trap door allowing it to sink easily but makes it hard to rise therefore stabilizing in the same manner but do not need forward motion.

 

[OBXTucker]

Headed back north. At Tidewater Yacht in Portsmouth tonight. Great people and we saw quite a few Hatts here!

Home in deltaville early tomorrow.

Great trip! The Admiral is really starting to enjoy this!

 

[OBXTucker]

Double post. Sorry.

 

[rsmith]

So did you do the OI route and get some fish?

 

[OBXTucker]

No, we ended up going back up the ICW. Weather offshore was iffy and it didn't make sense to subject the crew to something that wasn't necessary.

Also, given the nasty storms that popped up, it would have made for an interesting passage.

ICW trip was painless and very enjoyable. Everyone is excited to do it again, which is what it's all about in my book!

Headed to Hampton this weekend for the Va Yacht Club rendezvous. Give us a shout if you see us out there!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Pictures?

 

[OBXTucker]

I'll be the first to admit that I'm terrible about pictures! We did get a few going thru the Great Bridge lock and some bald eagles just south of of Atlantic Yachts....and a few of some porpoise in in Currituck around Coinjock, but thats about it.

I'll post them tomorrow. I am in the process of building a website that chronicles our trips, but it's pretty basic at this point.

 

[Diver Down]

Jeff, we will be at the Hampton Public Piers Saturday. Where will you be docked?

 

[OBXTucker]

We'll be at Bluewater from late Friday to early Sunday.