December 2012

December 30, 2012

Finishing a bottle of Oban while playing the game Carcassonne. Simple pleasures. 

December 21, 2012

Lake Jean, Rickets Glen PA.

December 15, 2012

Early 19th century cast iron rod tensioner, an artifact from the industrial Roxborough Wissahickon Valley. For scale the oak leaf is approximately 4" (10cm).

Stone wall from the mill that is the source of the above artifact, demolished in the early 1800's to preserve the Roxborough Wissahickon Valley as Philadelphia's clean water source.

December 6, 2012

Sunrise on Wissahickon upper trail

Gates Meadow

December 3, 2012

Empty marina

December 2, 2012

Gorgas Run

November 2012

November 25, 2012

Firewood

November 21, 2012

Gorgas Run

November 18, 2012

Wissahickon Creek

Gorgas Run

November 14, 2012

Forbidden Drive

November 13, 2012

Wissahickon Spring House

Potential noreaster for next week.
Wind, snow, rain...?

November 12, 2012

Wissahickon Upper Trail

November 11, 2012

Wissahickon Creek

Common Milkweed on Gates Meadow

Wissahickon upper trail

November 7, 2012
1st snow of the winter from "winter storm Athena"

November 6, 2012
The strom forecast for Wednesday evening through Thursday morning looks like a typical noreaster. Low pressure will cause a small surge in sea levels, but the prevailing wind direction will not add to the surge as it did for Sandy.

November 5, 2012
Next storm a typical noreaster, that usually results in localized coastal flooding is more of threat to areas already devastated by Sandy.

The storm path and wind direction predictions do not pose a threat for the Delaware Bay and River but NJ and NY barrier island are again threatened.

A storm surge over 7 feet is predicted for Atlantic City early Thursday morning, which is about 3 feet above mean high water.

November 4, 2012

Outboard removed and stored.
Sail on roller boom and covered.
Cushions removed and stored.
Cabin lockers open.

Weather back to normal with forecast winter storm for later in the week.

Trailer launch ramp before low tide.

October 2012

October 31, 2012
Afternoon high tide Fox Grove Marina;

October 30, 2012
Sandy has now moved into central PA as a tropical storm, the Philadelphia area was lucky with localized damage and power outages, but major highways are open. The surge in the Delaware River while above flood stage produced very localized flood in areas that normally flood. River levels for the rest of the week are predicted to return to normal.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=phi

October 29, 2012
Sandy will make landfall near Atlantic City NJ this evening then cross South Jersey to Philadelphia early Tuesday morning.

October 27, 2012
Haul-out before the storm, the season is over.

Potential for stormy weather to end the month, no sailing this weekend.. If the projected path holds true then we can expect a potential storm surge in the Delaware Bay and River, followed by flooding later from heavy rain up-stream in the watershed. The storm is slowing its progress so tropical storm conditions will be present for more than a few days. Expect a large surge and flooding for at least a week.

Late October monday afternoon sail at Essington10-22-2012

Afternoon sun over Little Tinicum Island

Little Tinicum Island

West end of Little Tinicum Island

Lazzareto and float plane dock

Corinthian Yacht Club

September 2012

September 22

Philadelphia Navy Yard Basin

September 1st and 2nd
A sail to Delaware City with buddy boat TakeFive.

Depart Essington just after noon to fight the last 2 hours of flood tide before ebb.
Warp out of the slip to overcome the current grabbing the long keel and spinning the boat to the opposite slip. I may try warping out more often with a line to the opposite slip to counter the current driven spin.

Hot and humid with a gentle breeze from the southwest, some periods of nice sailing and dodging the crab pots between the Marcus Hook anchorage and Wilmington.

Tanker with fuel barge at Marcus Hook anchorage

Green can in ebb current off Newcastle

The breeze builds for a good sail Christiana River to Newcastle dropping to zero after the north marker on Bulkhead Shoal Dyke.

Motorsail Bulkhead Shoal to Delaware City, dock staff monitoring VHF 9 advise a strong current in the Delaware City Canal with shoaling at the entrance. Stay in the canal center from day marker to ferry dock.
The dock crew direct me to a floating dock and assist securing the boat against a current propelling the boat at 2 knot in idle toward the route 9 fixed bridge. The boat is secured at 6:30 PM

Tug at Delaware City Marina

Depart Delaware City 7:30 AM and ride the flood in increasing overcast skies with a gentle breeze out of the northeast that is not much help for a course that is predominantly northeast then directly east. A mix of sailing and motorsailing.
At Cherry Island Flats foul weather gear on as a front gusts in before the rain and set the 1st reef, The bimini was down with the overcast sky earlier but back up and tensioned to keep all but the gusting rain off and motor sail to Essington.

Dredge pipeline relocation off Claymont bound for Essington to Walt Whitman channel deepening

The rain stops as I begin the slip approach for a gentle dock still against the flood. The boat is secured at 1:30 PM.

Not the best two day sail but a good excuse for being on the water.

Uninspiring photographs, but not untypical.

August 2012

August 11,2012
Thunder storm for the past week, a gap appears in the storm fronts so time for a sail. Winds steady out of the south 5 to 10 knots with gust 15 to 20 knots and building storm clouds.

Set the main sail first reef before leaving the slip and set the head sail at 90%, and bimini rolled up as no need for sun protection. A speedy sail to Chester and back, the gusts die as I approach for a gentle dock.



August 4, 2012
Mid-day sail, low 90's F, 0 to 5 knot breeze out of the south, a controlled drift to Chester with the last of the ebb tide and return with the flood tide.

Autohelm and bimini produced a relaxing sail.

Secure the dock lines as thunderheads build with dry lightning strikes over New Jersey. Wind still near zero as I leave the marina but quickly gusts above 35 knots.

July 2012

July 25, 2012
Afternoon sail with new bimini. Need to adjust rear strap support so that it does not snag on the mainsheet.

July 8, 2012
It has been too hot for sailing this past week. Saturday was 101 deg F, but Sunday was a cool 96 deg F.

Sunday sail to Chester was hot and humid with less than 5 knot breeze falling to no wind, and smooth reflective water. A controlled drift out with end of the ebb tide and return with beginning of the flood tide.

July 12, 2012
Installed Walmart "paddle boat" bimini, more 90 deg F+ to come;

June 2012

June 30, 2012
Mid-day sail at Essington, 5 to 10 knot breeze out of the SW with some gusting at Darby Creek. Yesterday the temperature was 101 F at the Essington fire house so no sail yesterday, today it was a cool 97 F and felt more comfortable with the breeze.

Stern with Autohelm Mark II holding course

June 23, 2012
Day sail on the Delaware River



June 8 -June 11, 2012

Essington to Chesapeake City
Depart Essington at 7:00 AM and sail/motor sail with an ebb tide to Reedy Point and the C&D entrance early for the flood in the canal. Motor against the last of the ebb tide then ride the flood to Chesapeake City

Off Newcastle approaching Pea Patch

Fort Delaware on Pea Patch from main channel

Chesapeake City Town Dock

Chesapeake City

Chesapeake City to Maryland Yacht Club on Rock Creek Baltimore
Depart Chesapeake City at 5:30 AM, for a mixed gusty wind sailing and motor sailing to Rock Creek. Secure the dock lines at MYC at 4:45 PM after a short detour taking me to Bodkin Creek rather than Rock Creek.
Meet up with a group from Sailnet at the yacht club pavilion overlooking the Patapsco and Chesapeake Bay.

Leaving the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal at sunrise

Maryland Yacht Club on Rock Creek

Rock Creek to Delaware City
Depart Rock Creek 5:30 AM at sunrise on a long hot motor sail/sail in the upper Chesapeake to the C&D then ride the end of the ebb current through the canal to Reedy Point and dock at 5:00 PM at Delaware City.

Early morning departure from Rock Creek

Delaware City Marina, Hunter 27 with electric drive in background

Delaware City to Essington
Depart Delaware City 4:15 AM dark before twilight, on the last hours of a flood tide then ride a slack or minimal current to Marcus Hook just as the anchored tankers begin to swing, than against a building current to Essington. Secure in a flood tide at Essington at 10:45 AM.

Sunrise over the NJ side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, last pylon up river on the Pea Patch Dike

Deployed life boat on the MV Angus?

MV Angus anchored off Wilmington