Home Port; on the Delaware River at Fox Grove Marina Essington PA.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

June 2011

Late June sail Essington to Cape May, some sailing, some motor sailing, 3 gal fuel used over 80nm (93 statute miles)


Friday June 24, 8:00 AM Essington Departure, ride the ebb tide to Reedy Point/Delaware City 25nm; Motor sail most of the way, gentle breeze from the south.
Friday June 24, 1:30 PM at Reedy Point, overnight at Delaware City;Delaware City Marina and meet up with Rick and Lori at Crabby Dicks, and many friendly conversation dock side. The marina staff are very professional and helpful. Clean modern bathrooms and showers.
Saturday June 25, 7:00 AM ride the ebb in the upper bay to the Cohansey River 26nm.The breeze has a more northerly component and start out motor sailing but as the breeze builds with a westerly component I have a pleasant sail past the Salem nuclear power plant to the Cohansey. Closer to Cohansey the flats outside the shipping lanes are fully stocked with crab pots. The Cohansey has a small entrance with a bar but water depth at low tide is greater than 17 ft at the entrance and 20, 30 ft to 40ft all the winding way to Hancock Harbor.
Saturday June 25, 1:30 PM;  at Greenwich on the Cohansey overnight at Hancock Harbor.
Nice relaxed atmosphere with older but well maintained facilities and an excellent restaurant open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 
I had broiled soft shell crabs with a fellow sailor, and great conversation dockside.
This is a must return to marina and maybe stay a few days with day trips out into the bay.

Sunday June 26, 7:00 AM ride the ebb to the lower bay and Bidwell Creek 28nm
Bay sailing with a 5 to 10kn breeze out of the NW swinging to NE. Typical 2 to 3 ft bay chop, short period square waves (distance between crests equals height trough to crest), sail at a bearing of 150 magnetic to egg island flats then a bearing of 120 magnetic to Reeds Beach until I identify the rock jetty at Bidwell Creek and the narrow entrance channel.


Sunday June 26, 2:30 PM overnight at Bayside Marina on Bidwell Creek.
A working marina, not the best facilities, but well managed and friendly. 3 mile walk to the nearest food shops, so make do with soup and eggs with salsa on board.

Monday June 27, 10:00 AM out to the bay and sailing under headsail alone in 10 to 15 kn breeze out of the ENE in long lazy circles around oyster beds in the shallow water of this part of the bay. 9ft water depth and a breeze produces the typical square waves. Return to the marina at noon and wait for Vicki to pick-up for the ride back to Philadelphia. I will return to the boat on Saturday or Sunday for the return trip.



Sunday June 19, 2011
Low 80's overcast, about 5kn breeze from ESE. morning sail to Green E1, Banacol container shipping docking under tug assist.


Saturday June 11
Low 80's overcast,thunderstorms forecast. 5 to 10 kn breeze from east. Morning sail with Alex and Vanessa to Harrah's. 2 foot short period swell, too gusting for the head-sail so main-sail only. 




Friday June 10, 2011
Low 90's pleasantly cool, but less than 5kn breeze. Slow sail to the coal dock buoy and motor sail return.



Thursday June 9, 2011
100 F 5 to 15kn breeze out of the west, gusting 20 to 25. Afternoon sail to PHL, to gusty for the headsail, or rather I was to lazy to keep adjusting the sheets and tacking.


Monday June 6, 2011
Low 80's F, less than 5kn breeze out of the SW. Midday sail to Eddystone coal barge channel marker at a relaxed 2kn SOG.

Ballyhoo at Corinthian mooring

Homeland Security on patrol

Coal barge preferred channel buoy


Return past Corinthian with tide change


Compac cat boat June 4

Ulladh

Ulladh pronounced "ul-la" (null lad).





Uladh the gaelic spelling for the territory of the U-Nail chieftains in the ancient Irish province of Ulster (English/Norse), originally the counties of Down and Antrim, but now including Derry, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, also referred to as Ulidia (Greek/Roman),.



Uladh was the home of a pre-celtic, cruithne (crew-en-ya) pictish tribe, who may have been descendants of prehistoric tribes indigenous to the British Isles since the retreat of the last ice age.



Evidence from cut marks on deer bones from more than 30,000 years ago found in the karst formations of the Burren probably from hunters suggest a homonid precence. Archeological finds date first inhabitants (DNA evidence suggests dark or black skin and blue eyes) to about 6,000 BC and trade goods from Rathlin Island, County Antrim off the northeast coast of Ireland made from porcellanite stone appearing in Egypt and Crete by 2,500 BC.



The early tribes of Ireland where displaced by later waves of migrants from mainland Europe; about 1700 BC by bronze age tribes, celtic tribes about 500 BC, and in the past two millenia; Roman trading posts, Viking settlements, English plantations... and in the 21st century a welcome increasing diversity from the European Union and the world.



SV Ulladh (for vhf clarity I use "sailing vessel ul-la") is named for the territory of the first peoples to settle in Ireland after the retreat of the last ice age.



Fisksatra

Since 1949 Fisksatra Varv in the coastal town of Fisksatra Sweden, built fiberglass boats from dinghies to a 300 ton minesweeper for the Swedish Navy.

The Havsfidra 20's were built between 1968 and the late 1970's to Swedish Navy and Lloyd's certification standards.

The Havsfidra 20 and a larger version the Storfidra 26 where sold in the United States by Continental Yachts and Trawler Agency of Atlantic City NJ.

Havsfidra; sea-feather?
(fidra; to touch or tickle with a feather -Icelandic-English Dictionary, Clarendon Press 1874)