I had hoped to update our blog with some more fun stuff, than being on the hard again.

So what has happened? Well after cruising around in The Chesapeake bay we transited the C&D canal and came out on the other side the Delaware River, rather late we got the hook in behind Reedy Island when it was dark. We got up early and decided to have breakfast on the move to have the tide with us going down the Delaware Bay towards Cape May. We just left after high tide so in a falling tide, we motoring south to pass a submerged breakwater very well visible on the chart. When chart showing deep water I crossed the submerged breakwater which showed to be a very bad decision. As the depth was fare from enough, we hit the breakwater with a speed of roughly 6 knots and came to a halt after maybe 3-5 meters bumping into heavy rocks. We got stuck on the rocks with a falling tide exceeding 1.5 meter. With the help and advice from my friend Mikael who was aboard with his girlfriend Gunilla, we reversed and off we came but as we were in the middle of the breakwater, we needed carefully but swiftly get off the breakwater before the water was falling too much. Slowly we motoring but several times we bumped into rocks sometimes we got stuck, but by turning port and starboard with full revs on the engine we managed always to get off. To be stuck would have been disastrous, we would have been laying maybe in half a meter of water or less on the side against very rough rocks, not a pleasant activity what so ever. It was with a great relief we got of the breakwater.

No one was heart beside Gunilla who fell and heart her shoulder, but after a few days she felt nothing. The other question how bad is the damage on the boat? No idea to dive down in the murky water as sight depth is measured in decimeters and not meters. Amels are very strong boats so I hoped only minor damages. We contacted the insurance company and they wanted us to haul out sooner rather than later and we agreed to haul out when we came to Long Island sound.

Delaware River where we anchored and hit the breakwater.

The spot where we hit the breakwater, as seen on this chart view the color of the water is white i.e. deep enough for us I thought, but wrongly.

The day before yesterday we contacted Brewer Capri Marina in Port Washington and yesterday we were hauled out. It did not looked good at all.

A direct hit where the ultrasonic speed transducer is, it was totally disintegrated.

The keel with the new copper coat took some beating as well.

Even the skegg got some close contact, quiet sure the damage would been a lot worse with a free hanging rudder.

The light color close to the bulkhead below the floor board indicates delamination. It can also be damage around the bulkhead below the mast and damage to the chain plates. A further investigation will tell how serious the damage is.

However after grinding it does not look that bad, but bad enough.

The yard will fix the GRP impact damage allowing us to continue the cruise without water penetrating into the laminate. The keel and the bulkhead had to be inspected and repaired later hopefully during our planed winter layup. just hope the insurance company act responsibly

So Kerpa on the hard again, but Monday morning at high tide we will be in the water again and hopefully we can proceed our voyage. We are very keen to proceed as my son Kristoffer and his daughter Virginia arrived a few days ago. Kristoffer do look forward to visit Nantucket Island.

Nothing fun to write about? What about The Chesapeake Bay?

Well The Chesapeake Bay, is a very different cruising ground compared to other areas we have seen.

Inland relatively sheltered water brackish rather murky water, it does not inspire to take a swim. Many creeks to navigate and anchor in  with many very large houses along the water front of the creeks, most of them looks empty? Very few boats except on weekends when the locals think it is crowded, but with a Swedish or a Mediterranean view not very crowded at all.

Kerpa at anchor in a creek with no other boat in the vicinity.

At this anchorage we saw one other boat this very beautiful evening.

There is a fantastic bird life with Osprey and bald headed eagles in abundance.

An Osprey nest on top of most markers and beacons

But also a lot of dead fish in the water

A lot of mosquitoes now and then, time to stay inside the boat suffering the heat and high moister content. We rarely run the genset for running the air-conditioning, but in Chesapeake Bay we made an exception, but it only stay cool for a short while, the water is close to 30 degree Celsius and the boat itself is probably at above 30 degree ( type bulkhead floor boards etc.) It’s a challenge to sleep.

The weather has been VERY hot and humid, and sometimes we have been hit with fierce squalls, the worst so fare was peaking at 50 knots.

Not a very good picture (St Michael), but the nearest sailboat is moored along the pontoon on the outside, and it looks as it was trying to climb over to the inside of the pontoon. We are very happy with our Roccna who kept us safe so fare even during the most violent squalls.

Another squall less fierce but still winds well exceeding 30 knots, but we had no problem and could admire the rainbow.

Old Fashion Bridge in a creek

One observation

All villages we were in had it’s on Polis station, one can have different views on that, but from my Swedish perspective with vast areas without a polis force especially during summer, I think we have some to learn from the USA.

This is a polis station in Oxford which is a very nice place indeed

A well-kept area

A long maritime heritage and some of the wooden boat tradition still remained

Saw this very nice Swedish Foalkboat in Cambridge

In the old days I guess one could clear in here.