2nd Annual Sail Fish'n Trip

I picked up my brother Steve and friend Paul from BWI at 09:30 on May 17th and headed for Port Annapolis where Domingoman was fully provisioned and ready for our four-day trip. Her sails were up before 10:15 and we headed South. For the first couple of days, the winds were great for sailing, but not so good for fishing. We need to be sailing below 3 knots if we want to catch fish. Since we had 15-20 knots of wind, we were sailing way too fast. We dragged two lines anyway.

Whenever the wind is up, I am always thinking…I hope nothing breaks! The only thing that broke was the genoa furler. Actually, it was the furler line that pulled out of the drum so we had to furl the headsail by hand.

We made our way to the mouth of Slaughter Creek (about a 40 NM sail), but we could not get through the channel as the water was too shallow. After running aground in 2.9’ of water (should have been 7’) we decided to head to Solomon’s Island, another 20 NM sail South, a 5-hour proposition. We cooked steaks on the grill while underway and reached Solomons around 22:00, tired and pretty much ready for some sleep.

The first matter of business on Friday was to have coffee and fix the furler. Steve headed right to the bow and got to work and had his coffee delivered. A half hour later, the furler was fixed and we were ready to shove off.

On the way out of the Patuxent River, we foul-hooked a cownose ray. These are potentially dangerous as they can sting you with their poisonous tail. As we were about to bring the fish on board, the line snapped and the ray swam away with a $15 parachute rig in its wing.

We made our way North, undecided as to where we would make next port. We thought we would stop at Herrington Harbor or Knapps Narrows which was another aggressive sail, beating into 15 knots out of the North. Steve checked the Chesapeake Bay guide book and found Chesapeake Beach, just south of Herring Bay on the Western shore. We made port there at approximately 18:00 hours, had dinner and then shot some bean bags (cornhole toss) until Paul lost 7 six-packs to Steve. Steve called Paul “Seven” for the rest of the trip! Chesapeake Beach was an awesome port. Our $50-ish slip fee gave us access to a resort hotel and its facilities (sauna, swimming pool, showers, continental breakfast, etc.). Great find Steve!

We left port around 08:30, raised a glass for Eileen’s birthday, and headed for our planned stop at Pirates Cove on West River. We started out with great wind, but around 12:00 or so, the wind started to taper off to 4-5 knots. This slowed us down to 1.8 to 2.2 knots, which is perfect for fishing. Within one hour, we had a 29.5” Rockfish on the boat. We iced it down and planned dinner around this fish! In another 45 minutes, we had our second Rockfish on the boat! This one was 34” and weighed about 25 lbs. We had to make room in the cooler and get creative to get this thing on ice. Since we were now out of cooler space, we hauled in the lines and made our way to West River.

West River is absolutely beautiful. Another great place to stop. Paul did a nice job on the fillets and the restaurant manager gave us some Cajun spices. The fish being only hours old and cooked out on the grill was fabulous!

Our last leg of the trip was from West River to Port Annapolis. We again encountered North winds 16-18 knots, so it was another beat home. Steve and Paul had a 15:30 flight, so we had to get back by 13:00. We made it with time to spare.

This trip was absolutely fantastic, sailing 151 NM in 3 1/2 days. It was really a pleasure to get to know Paul a little better, and it is always a joy for me to be with my brother. I look forward to our “third annual” trip! It was difficult narrowing down the photos to 10 when I started with 250+.  Here are some highlights of our trip...

On a beat 

 Sunrise at Chesapeake Beach



Steve working on the furler 

Paul fighting the ray 

Way too fast to fish! 

 "Fish-on"...again!

This fish was a slob! 

 Cajun Rockfish

 Headed back to Port Annapolis

Back safely in her slip, the crew having blue yummies!

Thanks Steve and Paul for making the trip up here.  I had a blast with you guys!

Annual Maintenance

Each year, it takes a lot of effort to get a sailboat ready for the new season. I maintain a commissioning list of all the things that need to be done. Most of the things can be done with the boat in the water, but there are a few things that have to be done on land. Many dread these annual chores, but for me, it is a labor of love. It is such a departure from my daily grind in the office to get out in the fresh air and work.

Last year, I had the old bottom paint ground down to the gelcoat, added three barrier coats and then two coats of ablative antifouling paint, which will make the annual maintenance easier. I only have to rough up the bottom with 80-grit sandpaper and re-apply one coat of Micron Extra with Biolux. This paint is designed to wear away like a bar of soap so marine growth, algae and slime can't really attach to the bottom, which makes for faster sailing! I had the boat hauled out on Wednesday, with a plan to tackle the bottom on Saturday, the better of the two weekend days weather wise. I also waxed the hull which is much easier to do on land, but can be done in the water. Yes, every muscle in my body hurts, but it is a good hurt! She is all shiny and ready to be re-launched on Tuesday.

1st Day of Spring 3.20.2012

The first day of Spring brought with it another day off from work and another day out on the water! I invited a work colleague Eliot to go sailing. We enjoyed our time together, even though the sailing conditions were not optimal. We started out in heavy fog and no wind and ended up under a brilliant blue sky with no wind! In between, we found 5-7 knots of wind which were still on the light side. We dragged a spoon around for 14.1 NM but didn't catch anything. You pick...bad day of sailing, bad day of fishing, or going to work. I will take the first two all week long and twice on Sunday!

Early Start to Sailing Season 2012

Captain's log March 19, 2012...Abundant sunshine, winds SSE at 8-10 kts, waves less than one foot and air temp 62 at Thomas Point Lighthouse. A great day to start the 2012 sailing season and a good use of a day off from work! This is the first time we ever sailed in March! We added 10.5 NM to the permanent log today averaging 4-5 kts of boat speed on a reach across the bay and back. Just a lovely time together! Guess the total nautical miles that we will clock on Domingoman this season...prize to be determined!

First mate all bundled up!

The Captain, not so bundled up!


Looking forward to more days like this!

Let's have a party...

We have been blessed with a visit from out daughters and grandkids this week. Not sure how this whole tea party on the boat started, but Abby, my almost three year old granddaughter kept asking me each night (when I got home from work) "Cappy, can we go to the boat tomorrow?" Saturday is a difficult concept for a youngster when it is days away! Well, we made it super special. It was a beautiful afternoon so we headed to Port Annapolis for our tea party...just the two of us. I had the heat cranked up so it was warmer on the boat then at home! I made hot cocoa and we had fancy tea cookies. We listened to Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" (the clean version) and sang let's have a party!

Abby chose the snail cookie and I got the butterfly cookie!

Abby being silly with the Captain's hat! After hot cocoa and cookies, we went for a walk to the end of B-dock to check out the other boats.

Thanks for the date Abby!

An amazing quote...

"I've always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all - in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by.
The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience.
Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.

Where, then, lies the answer?
In choice.
Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?

- Sterling Hayden (Wanderer, 1973)

I am pondering in amazement, and questioning...
What are your thoughts?

When you travel...

Eileen wrote this poem down and placed it in my briefcase. Two years later, it is still in my briefcase. I read this before I travel...Every. Single. Time. Not sure if you realize it, but I have the best wife in the world.

When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
And if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.

A journey can become a sacred thing:
Make sure, before you go,
To take the time
To bless your going forth,
To free your heart of ballast
So that the compass of your soul
Might direct you toward
The territories of spirit
Where you will discover
More of your hidden life,
And the urgencies
That deserve to claim you.


May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathered wisely into your inner ground;
That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.


May you travel safely, arrive refreshed,
And live your time away to its fullest;
Return home more enriched, and free
To balance the gift of days which call you.


~ John O'Donohue ~