We have spent the last couple weeks at one of our regular stops: Burt Jabin’s Yacht Yard in Annapolis. We got the usual list of boat maintenance and repair projects completed,

The Trip Down

Most of the trip down from New England was uneventful—mostly.

Just as we were coming up on the northern entrance of the Cape Cod Canal, the engine overheated. A few minutes found the problem, and an hour had the offending part replaced, but by then we had missed the tide window for getting through the canal. A rather rough and rolly night was spend anchored waiting for the tide currents to switch back again. Where is King Canute when you need him?

We have sailed Harmonie for more than a decade in the waters of the Chesapeake, and New England, waters infested with crab and lobster pots. Never once have we tangled with one. We were motoring up the Delaware River, with a strong tide current behind us. In fact, the current was strong enough that the floats on the widely scattered crab pots were mostly dragged underwater—so I never saw it coming. A series of thumps, the engine suddenly struggling, and a dramatic reduction in boat speed announced that our decade long lucky streak was over.

Karen’s first question was, “Do I need to call SeaTow?” Not just yet… the engine was running, although it was struggling to reach a useful speed. I shifted from forward to reverse a few times, and the sharp round cutter on our prop shaft for just this purpose did its job, cutting through the line until the propeller was free. Our sincere apologies to the hardworking waterman who lost his trap.

The diver who cleaned our bottom in Annapolis removed the rest of the mess. Fortunately, no damage was done.

And Now…

We are headed south down the Chesapeake. The underwriter of our insurance requires us to be north of Norfolk, VA until November 1. When November 1st comes, we will take the first available weather opportunity to jump to Southport, NC. Karen will stay there on Harmonie while I deliver an Amel55 from there to Martinique. Then we are south to Brunswick, GA, and early January we move to Fort Lauderdale to have Harmonie hauled for her bottom paint, then we are off to the Bahamas.