Crab Cake

Ware River sunset

Temperatures warmed a bit overnight. A welcome change in that the previous night in the North River had dropped to 48° (F). So the second sleeping bag found itself back under the fore deck. Mountain House Breakfast Skillet, strong coffee with a splash of Irish, plenty of feeding dolphins, and a watercolor sketch made for a swell breakfast.

By 9:30, with wind out of the ENE at 10 knots, we were heading southeast through the Mobjack. Rounding Guinea Marshes I decided to head south for the traditional boat building area of Seaford and Poquoson.

Crossing Mobjack Bay on a beautiful day

Light downwind run across the York River... resorted to motoring into the Poqouson River and north up Chisman Creek. There were boat projects in progress.

 

 

 

Being that there was no restaurants around and I was hankering for seafood, I turned Annie south again. Crossed over Poquoson River, entered Lambs Creek and tied up at York Haven Marina. Had been there a few years back and wanted to take more pictures of decaying work boats. Its a gold mine.

My friend Dave Rollins restored the buyboat Linda Carol in the yard. She was tied to the dock looking mighty fine. 'Spartina' Steve photographed the boat for the Virginia Pilot back in July.  See the images here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant Surf Rider was just across the creek. Dave had brought me with the crew of the F.D. Crockett buyboat here and I new there was a crab cake worth ordering... 

 

The Hokule'a was docked there. She is one of Hawaii's outreach vessels that travels around the world. The crew are young folks that seemed to be off traveling.

 

It was dark when dinner was over and a good anchorage was close by wasn't apparent. I decided to stay on a finger pier as an outlaw. Oh well.

 

Friend's Day

An up and down night. First nights are like that... needing to find the new 'early to sleep' rhythm of being alone on the water. Steve was meeting me at 9:30 so I resorted gear and savored my coffee. As time grew near we headed toward the marina, and as Annie came alongside Steve appeared with gear bag and soft lunch cooler. And then we were off down the North River toward the Mobjack with a north wind shoving us south.

Mobjack Bay Marina    North, Virginia

The wind held through the morning as we plowed through the short chop. Steve took the helm and I kicked back in the cockpit. Turning up the Ware River we found a small cove in the lee. Dropping anchor we enjoyed the lunch Steve brought... fancy cheeses, salami, apples and French wine! Not the typical fare aboard, but no complaints.

 

We started up the Ware River but decided that we would return to the marina planning to get back before five. Tacking and motorsailing got us back and I again retraced our track to anchor overnight at the 'lunch spot'.

A Later Trip

With the sting of opting out of an early October sail and missing the Chesapeake Small Craft Festival waning, another opening emerged. Repacking Annie I set off early on Thursday the 13th for Matthews. Putting in at the Town Point Ramp south of town we motored south toward Mobjack Bay on glassy water. Clear, cool and beautiful. I had called my friend Steve the Yodeler telling him to meet me at Mobjack Bay Marina the next morning for a day sail  up the North River. Anchored off Blackwater Creek to the first autumn moon rise.

 

A Lot to Do

These pictures really show the devastation at the St. Augustine City Marina and around. Photos: FishMonster Magazine

Hoping the Best

St. Augustine, Florida was our home for twenty-five years. We moved to Virginia four years ago but still keep close contact with our friends there. The storm surge of Hurricane Matthew has flooded this beautiful little city. I hope everyone is safe and they get back home soon.

This picture shows the Bridge of Lions from downtown yesterday. We lived just over the bridge.

This earlier post shows a lot calmer days...  click here

Postponed (!*#!)

I cancelled my fall sail to St. Michaels. The weather had deteriorated to the point that it looked like a lot of sitting at anchor with the tent up. Friends did participate in the MASCF but with scheduled times after I decided to postpone until mid-October hoping that there will be a window of nice weather... for the most part.

Steve on Spartina is winding up his trip that included the festival. Looking forward to reading about his adventure.

Mid-Alantic Small Craft Festival, 2013    Maybe next year...

Preppin'

Annie and I are leaving for a fall sail early next Wednesday. Have started to pack gear ... tested  motor this morning, running well. Planning to make it a work/pleasure trip. Need new sketches for studio paintings.

Found a marina in Shady Side, south of Annapolis on the western shore to launch from. Weather is looking pretty good. Steve is heading out of Cambridge on the Eastern Shore this weekend. I'll be watching out for three sails on the horizon. Plan to sail over and attend the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival in St. Michaels, Maryland on the weekend.

While in Solomons, Maryland on the buyboat cruise a few weeks ago, Vera and I noticed an old photo of John England and me from a small craft meet we attended years ago. See them and many more old friends soon...

John (with ultralight) and I, St. Marys City, c. 1990

"Once I dream it, I can build it"

That's a quote by Frances Goddard, storied boatbuilder from Piney Point, Maryland. He has built untold Chesapeake workboats over the last 60 years. He told me there are well over a hundred documented vessels. They include the skipjacks Connie Francis and the Dee of St. Marys, the latter has recently joined the preserved in-water craft at the Calvert Marine Museum. A few weeks back I had the pleasure of talking with Frances at Calvert where I curated in the late 80s and early 90s. I have long had a photograph of him from '83 over my desk.

At Calvert

Frances Goddard and the Connie Frances

Almost

Annie has been in the backyard for several months in Richmond. That's an hour's drive to our sailing waters. I have been quite busy with other projects but have found time and very much enjoyed working on her. Since we left Florida four years ago her maintenance has been on the fly, mostly quick repairs wherever we wherever- be it Urbanna, Mathews, Gwynns Island our on a sail in the Chesapeake or the Outer Banks. And she's turning ten this year... I want her looking young and fresh.

Here are some of the work done:
- prepped and repainted decks
- revarnished exterior brightwork
- built and finished new sculling oar
- cleaned and re-oiled interior
- replaced roller reefing line
- repainted boarding ladder
- replaced trailer tire
- built a new whisker pole to stiffen mainsail foot
- relaced mizzen sail
- replaced jiffy reefing lines on main

Soon the fence will be taken off again and it will be back to the Bay...

New Work

New in the Maritime Heritage series... Red Boot (after S Brown), acrylic on canvas, 18"x18"
More at CurtisBowman.com        ©2016

Buyboat Reunion

I joined the northern leg of the 2016 Chesapeake Buyboat Reunion Tour. It was be my third time crewing on the F.D. Crockett out of Deltaville. She had worked her way up the Bay from Cape Charles and I jumped on at Solomons Island, Maryland for six days as we crossed over to St. Michaels. At the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons we opened the boat for walk-on tours along with other restored boats. Having been a curator at Calvert in the late 80's and early '90s it was fun to talk with old friends and see the changes in the museum's extensive exhibits.


The next morning we set out across the Bay to rendezvous with buyboats from the northern Chesapeake. We headed toward the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland. There we docked with 12 other boats, gave tours, ate a steamed crab feast, and participated in the annual Waterman's Festival. Four days later we returned to Solomons and I jumped off to return to Richmond. Really enjoyed the time on the water, the comraderie and the chance to be a part of an incredible preservation activity!

 

 

Solomons to St Michaels Maryland

1924 Buyboat F. D. Crockett

96 Degrees in the Shade

Finished painting Annie's decks. Started at 0800 when the dew dried and walked away at 1130. I'm toasting myself. We are going to take down the fence and break out soon. Sun baked enamel... mighty fine I'll say.

In Progress

Seeing if I Still Have It
acrylic on canvas, 24"x24" © Curtis Bowman 2016

New Home

This morning I received a note from my good friend Vera England...

John and I think of you often anyway, and are looking forward to having you crew from Solomons to St. Michael's and back. But now we think of you every day when we look at John's new painting, a retirement gift from a grateful client who had already purchased your "self portrait" for his own collection.  

May need to do some rearranging,  but it has center stage right here.

We're loving it.

best to Eleanor. 

Vera

John (restorer and captain of the F.D. Crockett) installing

F. D. Crockett (from Walker), acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"  ©Curtis Bowman 2013

It is where it was always meant to be.

 

Painting Boats

My friends Steve and Barry are great champions of my paintings... you may have seen a few here on Barry's site
Here is a bit more you may be interested in...

I started painting in the early '80s not long after learning to sail. I was trained as a marine biologist and sketched to interpret my observations in the field. For years I put most of my career efforts toward interpreting natural and cultural history, finding some time to paint- both for my exhibit work and as a fine artist.

The maritime world and adventure sailing always informed my work. I would visit different places and do my best to bring out the feeling that that place, that boat, that natural environment brought up in me. Four years ago we moved to Virginia and I started painting full time. It has been a continuing learning experience and a great reason to rig up and explore the Chesapeake Bay and the Outer Banks.

If you are interested in seeing my current work check in on CurtisBowman.com   I update the available work often. And if you would like a painting of your boat I enjoy the challenge of commissions. If you are as tight as I am- like two coats of paint- maybe your wife or daughter aren't. And the holidays are just around the corner. Ho, ho, ho.

Recent work...

Schooner Reach

Turning In

Blue Sweater

Images above  © Curtis Bowman 2016. All rights reserved.