Annapolis (Part 4) MD USA

Fog!

Monday 14 October saw the start of the exodus from Annapolis after the boat show weekend.  Ruby Tuesdayheaded off first thing and we had intended to follow but instead decided that we would make one more visit to the show, on its last day, to try to get Nicky some new sailing boots.

It was beautifully still in Weems Creek and quite a magical autumnal morning with a mist swirling around the anchored yachts.

The old capacitor that had failed (left) and the voltmeter reading 240 volts again – haven’t seen that level of output for quite some time!

As well as being beautiful, it was also a very productive morning for us.  Nicky set about converting the aft cabin back into a storage area whilst I worked on the generator, swapping out the old 30uF capacitor to replace it with the new one that Phil and Lesley had kindly delivered to us.  Fingers crossed, we pressed the start button and were most relieved when the voltmeter sprang into life and showed 240 volts, back where it should be.  It’s amazing that this one large capacitor is such a critical component in the system, in fact is the key component that regulates the voltage.  Happily, replacing it did the trick and far more economically than replacing any other components; we’ll be picking up a spare that we’ve had delivered to Bill and Lydia soon, just in case of future failure. [Ed: In our worst-case scenarios we had been anticipating replacing the generator windings or (shudder!) perhaps even the whole generator if that worked out to be more economic than a repair, so $20 spent on a new capacitor is the perfect result for us!]

Randall Street where we left our bikes for the day

Chores completed, we cycled our now well-travelled route back to Randall Street where we left our bikes so that we could visit the boat show again.  We got a few bits and pieces but there were no boots of the right size for Nicky so that buy will have to wait for another day.

The view over the show form the Fleet Reserve Club roof top bar

As we were there, we did another short stint on the OCC stand and then made our way up to the Fleet Reserve Club’s roof-top bar to meet up with other OCC friends.

Our crowd at the Fleet Reserve Club (left to right):  John Yanick, Peter Farkas (Serendipitous), Jeanette, Rob Kuijper (back, Bojangles), Bill Burry (front, Plover, OCC Port Officer for Mathews), Patty Moss (Serendipitous), Cathy (Five and Dime), Baudine Kuijper (Bojangles), Chris Burry (Plover, OCC Port Officer for Mathews), Nicky, me.  Kurt (Five and Dime) is behind the camera

Patty and Peter had told us about the spectacle of the rapid break-up of the boat show.  At 5pm a cannon is fired to mark the end of the show and then a team of tugs and workers set about completely pulling apart the pontoons and tents over the next few hours.  We watched the shenanigans from the bar whilst also chatting to Chris and Bill Burry the Port Officers for Matthews and Deltaville (Plover), Scott Berg the OCC Port Officer for Washington DC (Chardonnay), Don and D Wogaman (Southern Cross), a Dutch couple Rob and Baudine Kuijper on Bojangles, John Yanik who had so kindly let us come ashore on his private land in Weems Creek and several other locals who just liked our English accents.  The yachts scattered quickly as soon as the sections of the pontoons were removed to release them and then, for us too, as the sun set it was time depart and make our way back for our last night anchored in Weems Creek.

Weems Creek, Annapolis, Maryland, USA