We spent some time on the boat as various small projects were tackled. One that required some improvisation by the boatyard folks was redesigning and reinstalling the name boards on top of the pilothouse roof. These also contain the navigation lights for port and starboard, and the original design leaves the possibility of water intrusion as time and wear occur. A number of boats have lamented similar problems, but I decided to tackle a redesign, and the DBY technicians did a great job of devising a solution. With that, and several routine maintenance items well in hand, Kay and I returned to Texas to visit kids and grandkids, and do various projects at home and in Houston. We also kept the grandkids for a weekend while their parents escaped to take in a Baylor football game in Waco.
On September 22, we drove to Houston, and the following day flew, via a long layover in Atlanta, to Richmond. Everything ran on schedule, all bags arrived with us, and we were soon picking up a number of items at Sam's Club en route to the boat. The following morning we made a major grocery store run, and then returned the rental car. The plan was to depart on the next day, but a low pressure area stalled off the East Coast is providing lots of wind and rain. Since the strong winds are predominantly from the north and northeast (our direction of travel), the fetch of the waves all the way down Chesapeake Bay would make for a very uncomfortable ride. We, along with a lot of other boaters, many of whom are already headed south, have elected to wait for calmer seas. I have used the time for several projects, including changing oil and transmission fluids. When better travel conditions arrive in a few days, we will head for Solomons, MD and the annual Krogen Cruisers Rendezvous. It is obviously no longer summertime in the Chesapeake!
