Return to Seasons

Even before we bought Bear, Margaret and I had discussed how we needed to take a marine diesel course. Neither of us had much of any experience with diesel engines beyond encountering a few issues during a charter. Once we became boat owners, we recognized that our Yanmar was the single most expensive piece of equipment and that performing preventative maintenance would be the best way to protect that investment. But, because of limited time and money, this past spring we did little more than look into the marine diesel course offerings across the country. Consequently, we went into our first summer aboard Bear hoping for the best and committed to trying to understand the diesel and get comfortable performing basic maintenance on it.
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Heading ashore from Fogg Cove in St. Michaels, we had to round the point into the main harbor, which was a real treat. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum stretches on either side of the point, with skipjacks, bugeyes, and other old boats lining their docks and the reconstructed Hooper Strait lighthouse lording over the whole scene. As we came around, we drooled over all the wooden boats and seemed to be constantly waving at folks along the bustling waterfront and harbor. As we made it further into the cove, we passed the iconic Crab Claw restaurant, busy with Thursday night diners, before finally pulling up to the well-maintained, public dinghy dock.
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After our long stay in Annapolis, we found it difficult to drop the mooring ball. Even after all our friends had left the town, Margaret and I decided to stay just one more day so we could get the boat organized and enjoy a last night in Annapolis, planning to leave the next morning. Bringing our dinghy on deck the next day, we realized it had picked up quite a bit of growth during our two-week stay in Spa Creek. And, by the time we had cleaned it off, got a pump out, and refueled, it was afternoon, and Margaret raised the possibility of staying on yet another day. But despite the allure of another Pusser’s painkiller and morning coffee from City Dock, I steered Bear out onto the Severn after pushing away from the fuel dock.
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