The Journey Begins!

Two days after our captain friends arrived, we were ready to set off.  We had returned their rental car, provisioned and picked up my SCUBA tanks that were being filled.  I parked the truck in a spot out of the way and left the keys with the office manager at the marina.  Lippincott agreed to store my truck while we were on the water.  I was very appreciative and although this is a small marina, if you can get out there it might be worth a stop for a quiet low key stay.  They were all very friendly and the Marina is within a short walk of some decent restaurants.  

One of the restaurants on the waterfront in Kent Narrows.

More restaurants only a short walk from Lippincott.

While staying at Lippincott, our days were very busy.  I normally started the day by taking Tank for his morning walk on land.  I would then return to the boat and Karen had a pot of coffee brewing.  I would check on the diesel situation and change out the pads. We would have our breakfast shake, then I would head out to work with the previous owner on his burger over in Annapolis repaying him for the hours he spent helping us get Tropical Horizons II in the water and over to Lippincott.  Karen would spend her day cleaning, organizing and looking after Tank.  When I returned back to Lippincott; I would stop by West Marine, Western Auto, Safeway, and or Ace Hardware to pick up supplies as Karen would text me a list of what was needed.  I would return to Tropical Horizons II and check the diesel situation again, change the pads and for a few days I would pump out an additional amount of fuel into the jerrycans that I had purchased.  Finally it would be time for a cool shower to clean up and have some supper before relaxing for the end of the day.

Lippincott Marina.

Once I had repaid my time to the previous owner, I spent the day, cleaning the outside, going through lockers and carting off so much junk that we would find as we discovered more storage spots while going through the boat trying to clean up the diesel that had found it's way under the floor boards.  We must have thrown out about 8 cubic yards worth of junk and still we were finding items that should have been destined for the garbage.

After spending 6 days cleaning scrubbing, sorting, storing and mopping up diesel, the boat was finally looking like she was ours.  We were finally feeling at home on her and I had been exploring all of her spaces.  Still there were more spaces to be discovered and more secrets that would cause us grief in the days to come. 

We had launched her on a Tuesday, our captains arrived on the following Tuesday, Wednesday, we returned their rental car and provisioned on Thursday morning and were off to St Michaels that afternoon as a quick shakedown cruise and to begin our journey.  First we would head south on the Chesapeake heading from St. Michaels to Solomon's Island; from Solomon's, back up north to Oxford, then up to the C&D canal and Schaefer's Canal House before we continued to the Delaware Bay and beyond.

Loaded up and ready to go!

This would be my first time taking command of Tropical Horizons II and operating her in the Chesapeake Bay.  With the boarding ramp stowed, engines started and warming up, and all unnecessary lines removed, we said goodbye to the friends we made on the dock and pushed ourselves off as we aimed her bow towards the channel leaving Lippincott behind us.

St. Michales, here we come!