VIEWS FROM THE CREW-- SIGMACHI...End of Season and Repair Job on Some Broken Titanium Rods... and Next Year...

Salutations from Alan & Jeanne aboard SIGMACHI at Nabbs Creek Marina  (Near the mouth of the Patapsico River....northern Chesapeake Bay Country!).

We have been at our marina near Baltimore for a week now after a wonderful extended voyage to Crisfield for the annual Tawes Crab Feast and an "off of the beaten track" cruise up the Pocomoke River to Pocomoke City, for a night, and then to Snow Hill, Maryland.  All of those locations are located near the southern terminus of Maryland's Eastern Shore.

The portion of the Pocomoke River  from Pocomoke City to  Snow Hill saw Capt. Paul Daisey and two of his grand sons, Gavin and Cash, accompany us for that 12 mile stretch. The two youngsters fished the whole was.  When they ran out of bait..."Uncle Alan" provided cut up hot dogs.  Gavin caught his first Cat Fish using hot dog!

The prospect of foul weather cut our expedition agenda short; Starting at Crisfield's magnificent Somers Cove Marina...two long days of cruising and one  regular day.

First day headed North we wound up at Lake Cove on the Honga River, near the Blackwater Game Refuge.  Our first proposed anchorage, Tennacious Creek offered little protection from the southerly blow.  This was new boating territory for us.  OMG, I've never had an anchor set so fast and hard as SIGMACHI experienced in Lake Cove!

The second day's trip found us making about 66 miles to the protective solace of Cox Creek on the Eastern side of Kent Island...not but about an hour ( at 7.5 mph) South of Kent Narrows. 

On the third day, staying on the lee side of Kent Island in a "wind shelter mode," SIGMACHI went through the draw span, following another motor yacht, at low tide.  Just used the Garmin Chart Plotter and Navionics on my iPad and heeding both the permanent and temporary buoyage of the exiting channel into the lower stretch of the Chester River. 

 From Love Point ( northern end of Kent Island) to the mouth of the Patapsico River and Stoney Creek  was a comfortable "straight shot" to the NW. Visibility was so good that in addition to the Chart Plotters, Compass and buoys there were the twin smoke stacks at the mouth of Stoney Creek to give a "visual target landmark "...always a welcome to the captain!

  Since arriving at Nabbs Creek Marina Jeanne and I have gone home a few times taking stuff ...a little bit at a time...then returning to SIGMACHI at night.

We are winterizing the boat...we are leaving her in the water this winter.  The marina will put submersible propellers all over the dock areas to keep the water from freezing.  I have a boat engine room heater that will take care of the engines.  We will put other heaters in the  cabins set very low, oh yes, bring the dehumidifier  back to the boat Monday afternoon!

                         ----
My back has a repair operation scheduled Nov 3...to repair two I hollow titanium rods running up either side of my spine.   Slipped on the ice last winter and broke them....taking birdseed to our feeder in the back yard!

We will just have to see what border regulations and cost of fuel are next year before Jeanne and I commit to going to the 1,000 Islands and Canada's Georgian, Bay...A strong bond with Judi McLeod 
(editor of Canada Free Press) is even a greater incentive to point SIGMACHI'S bow northward in April of 2022.  There also is a fellow 40ft Pacemaker owner, Charlie Oliver, who navigates some of those pristine Canadian waters...have to see him!


After that the next future southern expedition , I'd like to  go to Florida,'s Dry Tortugas,  and the Bahamas before we hang up our long boating expeditions.

Oh, as a back-up cruising ground...there is always the " Mother of Waters", our own Chesapeake Bay, with its seemingly countless navigatable  rivers, streams, coves, sounds, and  destinations!

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Tight Lines!
Alan
Alan & Jeanne Cecil 
M/V SIGMACHI 
MTOA, AGLCA, RMHYC,  & LCYC

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