Although it started a little late, thanks to opening-day of the kid-pitch baseball season early Saturday morning, this was finally the relaxation-weekend planned for the Christina Rose since before this years’ launch. Winter and early-spring are times spent dreaming-up all the boating activity plans for the coming season; grandiose ideas of taking the Rose to the Bahamas or even attainable thoughts of cruising Christina through the New York State canal system turned out to be absurd whimsical fantasies. However, planning for “just a nothing-to-do weekend” finally came true; sadly it came after the traditional end-of-season calendar-mark. But, at-least it came.
This weekend didn’t have any exciting plans. The marina’s parking-lots were half-empty. No friends came out with us. There was no be-seen tie-up destination. The weather wasn’t overly-bright. Nor overly-warm. Nor overly-calm. We didn’t have crazy-meals planned. The marina’s pool wasn’t open. Not many miles were put on the Rose.
But, when averaged together, the score for this weekend topped most-every other (if not all) weekend to-date. Not for what was accomplished, but for what wasn’t. Although it started late, this weekend also ended late, using the First Mate’s school-holiday Monday as an excuse for the Captain to take a work-holiday… though 4-5 hours of telecommuting was accomplished and provided further proof that a floating-office must become a life-goal.
Captain and crew arrived at the marina Saturday afternoon. A trip to the tackle-shop for bait. A trip to the market for food while junior fished. A little fuel, a pump-out, with a gentle-cleaning followed by a short-cruise then a dropped-anchor at Christina’s favorite anchor-location. Both Captain and First-Mate showed off their kayaking skills, accidently flipping their rides into the drink at separate times. Tilapia and dogs on the grill. Gorgeous sunsets and gorgeous sunrises.
The requirements of new crew member Nitro’s several trips to the beach for relief afforded sights that never would have been realized if not for this pup… fluorescent nettles pulsating along the beach in total darkness was enough to remind the captain with how spectacular everything related to boating can be.
This time, less words, letting the pictures telling the story.
First Mate fishing Saturday afternoon from the docks, a great pastime on a great day
The Captain, cruising-out 16SEP12
Sunday for Christina, the Admiral, and Nitro on the Chester
A look at Christina’s ample behind, on the Chester
Captain and Nitro headed for shore, on the Chester
First-mate catching fish, Sunday on the Chester
More kayaking on the Chester, 16SEP12
Swimming in late-September, the Chester’s still warm!
the Christina Rose, anchored in the Chester 16SEP12
Another beautiful evening on the Chester River, 16SEP12
Nitro, at the Helm after a dip… HE SWIMS! (good thing!)
Dinner on the Rose, Tilapia and dogs on the Magma… 16SEP12
Another gorgeous sunset on the Chester, 16SEP12
The following morning was as-beautiful as the sunset, a Monday-morning commute better than any other…
The Admiral on her Monday-morning commute
The First-Mate on another shore-excursion, Monday 17SEP12
Manual dinghies, Monday 17SEP12
Pretty-sure these are called “nettles”, though they don’t seem to sting like a jelly. Note the wiggly / colored lines… that’s what pulsates/glows at night!
Teleworking from the Rose, 17SEP12
And, that story ends with a refreshed-crew leaving the water late Monday afternoon, arriving at the docks just before dusk and before another storm’s arrival that put the period into this, as-most sentences written this season.
Either the weekend was tough on the crew, the Christina Rose is too smooth a cruiser, or the Captain is too-boring of a driver/navigator, as this always seems to be the result:
A view of travel-info. Fuel-consumption includes around 16-hours of the generator at 0.3gal/hr… a great ending to a great weekend
48-hours onboard with 24.6 nautical-miles underway, averaging 0.66nm/gal… though a good-portion of that (probably 5-gallons) was the result of a perfectly-running generator producing enough power to keep the coffee-hot, the popcorn-bags full during movie-time, plus keeping the batteries of both the Rose and her crew recharged.
Happy Wakes! Feel free to drop me a note anytime, ChristinaRose@edickent.com