Renee – MV Simple Life

We scooted off the Chesapeake City town dock in the AM and made our way south down Chesapeake Bay towards Annapolis. We dodged lots of floating objects along the way most of which turned out to simply be seaweed.

The trip down the Chesapeake was uneventful and looked something like this…

W05L008 to from Chesapeake City, MD to Annapolis, MD

Soon we were dropping anchor in Annapolis’s outer harbor just as the sun was setting.

In the morning we opened all the doors and windows and enjoyed what was a great day on anchor.

In the harbor we watched as Navy ships and passenger ferry boats glided by.

We could not wait to drop the dink and head into downtown Annapolis. I snapped a quick photo of Simple Life as we motored away from her.

Simple Life a Bruce Roberts TY57 Aluminum Hulled Motor Yacht

Annapolis allows free dinghy dockage at the end of “Ego Alley” as it’s called right in the heart of downtown Annapolis.

Once we tied up the dinghy you are right at the Alex Haley Roots statue.

Children Listening to the Story of Roots

We spied a Starbucks and Teresa smiled and took off like a shot to order her favorite espresso drink.

As we wandered around the city we snapped random photos of the sights we saw.

We walked to my Apple Watch declared I had set a record for outdoor activity. I think we need to get off the boat a little more often 😉 Hungry is what we were. We stopped at so many different restaurants to check the menu and finally settled on The Federal House for dinner. My “Hangover Angus Burger” and “The IPA When the Earth Stood Still” from Cult Classic Brewing were both AmaZinG!

We finished up our dinner and raced back to Simple Life to prepare for our good friends Buddy & Renee. There is nothing better than pulling into a distant port and getting to spend time with your cruising friends. Soon Buddy & Renee were tying up their dinghy on our stern and we enjoyed a sunset together.

Sundowner on the Flydeck with Sailing regatta going on in the background

Somehow a bottle of moonshine came out and Buddy said he could make a flamethrower… Teresa and I were thinking… we had never heard of this drink until Buddy lit up the night with his flamethrower.

We got to spend three memorable days enjoying dinner & laughs with Buddy & Renee. We look forward to when we are reunited again…

We ended last winter season in the Abacos, Bahamas. It was an amazing experience to be able to spend so much time exploring the Abacos. When we heard that category-5 hurricane Dorian had made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abacos we feared for the safety and well-being of the Bahamian people. Worse yet… Dorian seemed to stall out over Freeport in Grand Bahama Island.

Category 5 Hurricane Dorian over Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas

Treasure Cay was our favorite spot in the Abacos and we were stunned to see that little more than the concrete bar top where we sat was left standing.

Destruction of all but the Concrete Bartop at Treasure Cay in the Abacos, Bahamas

Condos lining the shores of Treasure Cay, Abacos

I have been reading all the Bahamas Facebook group posts and find it inspiring to see how many US boaters are making their way back to the Abacos to help with the reconstruction efforts. If it works out, I would be proud to join the Abacos support group.

This summer was very busy for me and I only got to take the boat out for a couple of weekend trips to Newport, RI. Thanks Preppy for convincing me to stop working on projects and get out there. The rest of the summer was spent on boat projects and family matters.

My sister got married to her boyfriend of many decades, Michael. They were kind enough to let me officiate their marriage. Just call me Father Mahty 😉

Seeing my family after being away all winter is something I look forward to.

Spending the summer on the docks means lots of nights spent with friends.

Preparing to spend all winter cruising somewhere warm means having the boat hauled and put on the hard for new bottom paint, zincs, and hull waxing. This year I was managed to get all that done is only 4 long days. Each night after the working long days under the boat, it was time to walk over to the marina fire pit and relax.

After being under the boat all day a fire & IPAs are just perfect

There is nothing like a clean bottom.

Now it was time to use the marine travel lift and splash her back in the water.

Fall 2019 Splash Down

I got back into my slip just in time for a nor’easter that blew three moored boats in my marina ashore.

I will start off this winter’s cruise with friends and fellow cruisers, Buddy & Renee. They are long-time sailors and just fun to have aboard. They put their beautiful Tartan 44 on the hard and came aboard but before casting off. … we set out to celebrate!

Now the time has come to cast off the lines so stay tuned for the next post detailing the first leg of our odyssey.

Tag: Renee

Annapolis

MV Simple Life – Summer 2019