Spunky Update

Life has settled in pretty much to a summer pattern. After surviving the storm of June 29, we had a great time in DC for the 4th of July. Kids arrived from Goodland Ks. and came out to Spunky to watch the fireworks which were spectacular from our vantage point but seemed to be a shorter event than we recall from the past. Probably due to cost. It was Hot!! The entire 2 weeks we were here in DC have been record breaking. We went over to the Smithsonian one afternoon to escape the heat. Took our books and read in the cafe under the National Gallery of Art. Stopped in to see the George Bellows exhibit which was wonderful. He is famous for his paintings of boxing events but his works depicting New York City and the working class are really worth seeing. John went to a Nationals game with sons John and Mike and granddaughter Savannah and they won. He was thrilled but I had mixed feelings as they beat my San Francisco Giants.

We bid farewell to DC and motored in heat and humidity down the Potomac "racing" for cover late in the day to avoid another huge (on radar) lightening storm right on our stern. It was traveling right down the river toward us as we motored against the current going about 3 knts. We put on life jackets and I put our computer and handheld gps in the oven where I have read they would be protected in a direct hit (who knows). It was very tense as we slowly made our way up into Breton Bay to our anchorage past Protestant Point. The lightening was sky to water all around us with loud thunder following. What a relief to finally drop anchor in the rain.

The following day the heat broke with the cold front coming through and we had a wonderful sail up to Solomon's Island and again the next day to the Rhode River. Finally got to enjoy our SAILBOAT. We had forgotten that is what she is with all the motoring we have done on these windless days. There is usually either no wind or it is right on our nose.

Now we are back in Annapolis awaiting our haul out date to get work done on Spunky at which time we will empty our frig/freezer, pack our backpacks and get ourselves out to Reston, VA-a long way without a car-where we will stay in our friends house for the work week.

We are still trying to arrange a road trip in Sept. to FL and New Orleans but it is proving to be complicated trying to find a place to park Spunky, arrange a car rental and be back only a few days before we start work at the boat show.

I know everyone is having a hot summer but hope you are enjoying the long lazy days as we are.

Elyse and John

Derecho - we are fine

Well here we are in the midst of a record breaking heat wave anchored out in Washington Channel. We arrived on June 22nd hoping to find a nice spot to anchor before the boats start arriving for the 4th of July. We have a nice spot with a great view of the Washington Monument. The temps had been high as we traveled up the Potomac with the heat index over 100 degrees and continued to rise after we arrived.  On Sat. we had a great dinner with our DC/VA kids all who have June birthdays as does John. By Tuesday we finished applying the final coat of Cetol gloss to our brightwork and began to remove tape and replace the stainless pieces that we removed for the work. It looks so much better.

This past Friday June 29th the heat was intense and registered a record of 104 degrees at National Airport quite close to where we are anchored. We had heard there may be some t-storms during the evening so we made sure we were back on Spunky by early afternoon. Around 8 pm or so Mike, our son who lives in Ashburn, VA west of DC, sent us a text warning that he had heard of a line of storms heading east that were pretty strong. We pulled up radar and started watching the long wide line of reds and yellows move east. While we were waiting we let out more anchor rode (line/chain) so our anchor would have a better chance to hold. We tied down anything loose on deck and closed up all of our hatches and ports. Then we waited. We ask Mike to text us when it hit Ashburn, VA. He sent a text that winds were very high and scary. We had our VHF on and there were consistent warnings of a line of high winds approaching.

Then it hit. We rode out 60 mph winds in Marsh Harbor, Abacos last winter, but this was somewhat different. Spunky laid way over. We put the engine on as a backup if our Rocna 73 lb. anchor did not hold us in place (although a friend said it could hold the Queen Mary). I tried to get our Tacktick wind speed guage up and running but it took a few minutes or more while everything else was going on around us. By the time I got it turned on it only registered 44 mph. National Airport registered 70 mph so we assume we were higher at the beginning of the storm. The rains followed and poured down on us so we could not see too well. It was dark but there was lightening all around us with loud claps of thunder and we watched the 40 ft. sail boat anchored just in front of us start dragging down toward us. John pulled out our horn so we could warn them if they got close. Fortunately their anchor finally held and they stopped short of us. The storm moved through very quickly and we sat up past midnight watching the remaining lightening. The next morning the boat that dragged pulled up their anchor and anchored back in their original spot.

Today we hear that a Derecho is a rare event and we should not see one again for some time. Folks are saying that it hit with no warning but we had Mike watching the weather and had ample warning to prepare. Over 1 million folks in this area are without power and the heat continues to be oppressive. Lots of homes are without a/c. We live without a/c so we are hot but more used to it. Several metro stations were closed over the weekend without power. The power companies are saying it will be Friday before they have 90% of repairs completed. We rode to Pentagon City Mall on Saturday to buy a new US flag as ours was shredded in the storm.

The weather reports are for above average temps for the current week coupled with high humidity it feels like it is in the 100's. We will be here to visit with our Kansas kids who arrived in DC today for their vacation and we plan to depart on Saturday or Sunday to return to Annapolis.

Hope those of you in the area are safe. Check in and let us know how you did in the storm.