Story - July

Kalandia Web Diary
Bill Peach
Tue 3 Aug 2010 14:13


July 2010

23 July we came back to the boat at Hampton, Virginia accompanied by friends Julie, Tony and son Ben. My goodness it was hot ! over 100 fahrenheit in local speak. Bluewater Yachting Centre (sorry Center) had looked after Kalandia very well indeed during the 6 weeks she was alone.

Since then we have visited Yorktown parking just under the swing bridge which we saw opened for a warship – otherwise no traffic under it.

From Yorktown we took a free bus to Williamsburg. Both have been rebuilt or restored as they were in the 18th and 19th centuries. They just stop short of being museums by the fact that people can rent the houses and live in them. We decided that it had all been done very well. I believe it was J.D Rockerfeller jnr who got it going in the early 50s. The range of shops was interesting, from the expected souvenir shops to a great cook shop and a very good bookshop. We didn’t stay long and we hardly went into any of the museum pieces because it was so hot. We have found the heat has kept many people away and generally marinas and tourist places have been quiet.


From the York River we sailed to Deltaville and anchored in Jackson’s Creek. The first half was a sail and then we motored the rest because the wind dropped. It was still baking.


We touched bottom going into Jackson’s. The trick is to not go too near the marker posts and keep to the middle even though at times you only have a red or a green marker. Ospreys were nesting in nearly every one of them.

If you anchor in Jackson’s creek, dinghy to the Deltaville Marina to go exploring. Otherwise you face a long, long walk. Pay $10 and use the facilities which includes a courtesy car, or bicycles, the use of a pool, an air conditioned lounge with books and telly and free coffee and nice chats with Tom who used to be a gardener before and has planted a herb garden which you are welcome to harvest.

Whilst there, we had the privilege of meeting Michael Taylor. Michael is 82 and lives at Jackson’s creek alone on his catamaran for 6 months of the year. In the first week of October Michael sails solo to the Bahamas where he winters off Georgetown. If you meet Michael ask him about his experiences working in Singapore, raising a family single handed when his wife died young, his time in the British Army (he is English and speaks mainly with an English accent even though he has lived in America for over 50 years). Michael contracted polio when he was younger but neither this nor his age prevents him doing anything. He rows a dinghy from his boat to the shore to use the laundry, gets into his car to go shopping and visits one of his sons in nearby Richmond every couple of weeks. What a man! He really is an inspiration. I will never be able to plead age or infirmity to avoid doing anything in the future. My lack of height will now be my only excuse.

We then left to cross to the eastern shore. Plans to go to Tangier Island were changed as our draft will not allow it. We sailed into Crisfield, Maryland on the eastern shore and took a ferry to Tangier instead. They speak (or rather the older ones do) with an English accent of sorts as they are quite cut off from the mainland. They don’t have a resident doctor, but of course communications have improved so much now. Secondary school is on the mainland for which, I overheard, they kids are taught to speak American before they leave so they don’t stick out. That is such a shame as it means that a part of their culture will die out. Tangier Island started with 5 families. Someone once answered that they raid Maryland when they want a wife in order to maintain a healthy blood stock. Crisfield is 1.5 hours by ferry.


The Jones family returns to UK on Saturday from Dulles airport, so we zig zag to Solomon on the west side and take a slip in Somers Cove Marina which is up Back Creek off the Patuxent River (as with the Potomac it goes up to Washington DC). We have enjoyed their company very much.

Engine serviced at 674 engine hours. We di the fuel, oil and replaced three of the five salt water cooling anodes. If anyone knows where the other two might be on a Yanmar 4LHA-DTP engine please let us know. Bill searched high and low and could not see where two are supposed to be located.


We did our own black head pump out at Spring Cove Marina where every dock has a facility. This is a really good stopping place but at $130 a night for our boat size it was a bit expensive – however the facilities are really good if you want to spend the time and use them. The pool was quite long, the lounge had lots of books and walking distance is a West Marine and a brilliant whole food supermarket with a meat and fish counter and everything.


2 August started with heavy rain but cleared to a great day for sailing to the Choptank on the east side where we now lie off Oxford. Cambridge is not far away.


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