There is Nothing Quite Like Old Friends

Our friends Tracy and Dianne came for a long weekend from Austin, Texas. Tracy and I were college roommates and traveling buddies. We built sand bag jetties on the southeast coast and, with Dianne, did a lot of backpacking in the '70s. Last Saturday Tracy and I lit out for Urbanna and put Annie in for an overnighter. Vera was home and went with us for a short sail before crossing the Rappahannock to head up Corrottoman River. Fair wind ESE carried Annie north on easy tacks. We reached a protected area behind a sand spit on the Eastern Branch that Vera had described before leaving us and we anchored for the night. Beautiful evening with a clear starry sky.

Tracy took the 'aft cabin', as I call it. It is the cockpit covered by a hooped cover that zips to the dodger forward and ends with a hooped batten in a sleeve aft. The tent is hauled aft and tied to the mizzen mast and snapped outboard to the rail. A filler board adds width and forms a pretty nice berth on the port side. I sleep below on the starboard side and it all seems to balance out.

Tracy at the helm

A beautiful Frances 26 by Morris overtakes us

Zooming in

Tracy said "Turn around"

Turning in early

The next morning we worked south and were met by an increasingly brisk wind from the north. Under reefed headsail and mizzen we quartered 2-3 ft. tightly-packed waves, plowing WSW. Got a bit wet and made headway until the last 1/2 mile where I cranked the kicker. We prudently opted to make for the Urbanna Creek entrance... just south of Robinson Creek where we launched.

Plenty of wind

After tying up at the dinghy dock Tracy treated us to a massive breakfast at the Virginia House in town. As we were waddling down the hill, John England happened by and gave me a ride back to his place where I retrieved the rig. When I returned we hauled out, washed down and after taking Annie back, set off for a tour of Deltaville and Mathews before returning to Richmond. It was a great time... we were long overdue for a shared experience.

Good friends... good times

The Last Weeks

Eleanor and I are in full swing readying for a 2-person show in St. Augustine, Florida opening November 7. My new work is, for the most part, on steel using oil, transfers, veneers and two-dimensional found objects gathered in boatyards. I am striving to convey moments of sailing... non-objective 'stills frames' that reflect my love for the water world. It is all coming together and a road trip is on the horizon.

QuayGlyph #19
24"x 24"
© Curtis Bowman 2014

Down the Bay

Just back from a long weekend on the restored log deck boat F.D Crockett out of the Deltaville Maritime Museum. We attended the Poqouson Seafood Festival and served as committee boat for the annual workboat races. Beautiful weather, great crew and generous hosts. Here's a few photos...

The 'Crockett' was built just up the river from Poquoson

A turn at the wheel

A commercial fisherman drops off the morning's catch

Ship traffic

John England, the Crockett's skipper and restorer

Sunset

Chasing Reds
Acrylic on canvas, 10" x 20"
©Curt Bowman 2014

Fall is Here

My friend Eddie and I sailed Annie in the Rappahannock Tuesday. It was quite cool and the wind was fresh. We shared a lot about our past times on the water, his plans for his new boat Una, and the possibility of taking her to the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival in a couple of weeks. I'm going in another direction this year but I hope Eddie will be there. They'll love seeing his work.

Eddie at the helm

Trading off

Still a bit wet

Early to the Oyster Beds
Acrylic on canvas  30" x 40"
© Curt Bowman 2014

The Last Weekend in August

Left out last Saturday for Urbanna to work on Annie's gas line. The section that connected to the outboard was thin-walled and was twisting and crimping. With John's help, we replaced and after a bit of retightening she held prime and fired off even after sitting for an hour. Success.

The day had worn on and Vera invited me for dinner. Sailors don't usually turn down home cooking... I wasn't going to be the exception. London broil, baked potato and FRIED OKRA. Whoopee!

I 'trailer camped' aboard Annie and the next morning I was served eggs, bacon and coffee and a good discussion about the maritime museum exhibit we are planning together. Later as I lit out for their neighborhood ramp. The wind was fresh and even with a mess of jet skis buzzing around the entrance to Town Creek like a bees around a hive I found some nice quiet reaches out into the Rappahonnock. A small wooden sloop tacked back and forth on the edges. Pretty cream-colored sails.

Forward to Sunday...  Back at home it was time to party. Our daughter is moving to San Francisco this week and her friends were invited to a send-off. Harkening back to our 20 years of living on an island in Florida, we decided to get our 'tropical back on'. So I set up a make-shift cooking station and we cranked up our 'go to' Mexican and Cuban treats. It was all really fun, but bitter sweet as well.

Still in the Studio...

Pullin' Pots
© Curt Bowman 2014

In the Studio

Checking Pots Off Freeport Landing
© Curt Bowman 2014