Salad and fast sailing
With a draft of only just over 3′ (that’s how much water we need or we touch bottom) it is only natural that we end up in the shallowest part of the marina. Along with the shallow water though comes weeds, or what we like to call “salad.” Plenty of salad!
Near the end of last season the weeds were so bad that even we, with our 3′ draft, needed to move to a deeper area of the marina. I’m sad to report that we think the weeds are as bad now, or even worse than they were in September 2009. On our previous two trips out sailing we have had to stop our boat at the mouth of the bay and dive underneath to clear the weeds from the engines and the rudders. The first time this happened we didn’t realize how bad it was until we got the sails up and had difficulty steering. Yesterday, while taking a couple of friends out for a day sail, we decided to play it safe and dive down to check before messing with the sails. Good thing we did. There were so many weeds I actually came out of the water laughing and asked Rebecca to go get the camera so I could take pics. The following photo shows only a small fraction of what was down there. Crazy! I think it’s just about time to head south.
Yes, we turned off the engines before I got in the water!
Just a fraction of the “salad” that was trying to go for a ride with us.
Changing the subject, the following video is a montage of clips from our fast sail from Presqu’ile to Waupoos on July 17th. You might want to take some motion-sickness medicine before watching the clip as it was a pretty wavy ride! 
If you’re looking for even more in the way of pics and videos, there is plenty on our Facebook page, including over 80 photos from our recent circumnavigation of Prince Edward County.
When you get to the Chesapeake and see the color of the water you will understand why we would love to have some of your weeds down here.
Oh?
The Chesapeake is a little — uh — opaque. But the beauty of the shoreline and gunkholes make it all ok. I’ll point you in the directions of some sweet spots.
LOL @ opaque.
Thanks Cindy.
Yes, unfortunately plantlife needs oxygen (as does most sealife) to survive and the Bay suffers from depletion of dissolved oxygen. I won’t bore you with the science (especially since I am no expert), but we would love to see the grasses and “salad” come back.
And while some areas do border on “opaque” I would rather say “murky”.
Let’s just say that you probably should not plan to dive your anchor each time you set it and be prepared to wash off the sticky black muck when you pull it up.
On the otherhand, the bay is still a wonderful cruising ground and not to be missed.
Maybe Cindy was trying to be PC when she said opaque.
I don’t see the video?
No? It is embedded.
Try this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8FKetpF-B8
O.k…is this the new field-expediate liquid expungement device?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6496099&id=179781141420&l=4f0642a434#!/photo.php?pid=6496134&id=179781141420&l=4f0642a434&fbid=447460421420
That link didn’t work for me but I bet I know which pic you are referring to.
A touch off subject here Mike, but I love your outboard! So shiny and new…I am enviouse…lol….Allan
It’s nice when it runs.
What a lovely sailing video! I like the music, too, although, given the salad, maybe “The Golden Vanity” might have been a more appropriate choice! It’s about sailing in the Sargasso Sea.
I’m not familiar with that song, Helen. I’ll have to look it up.
Nice video! And a very nice job of production – starts with Mike’s hands, and ends with Rebecca’s waving hand.
bob
Oh yeah, that was all planned.