Yorktown, VA - 5/1 thru 8/7
We really enjoyed our two plus months back in Cincinnati.  Our months on land found us traveling some in between visits with family and friends.

Cincinnati!

 - Some of our travel destinations were:
        + Connecticut (Fred) for Ryan's First Communion
        + Indianapolis to visit Paul, Whitney, Katlin, Davis and Quinn
        + Wapak to visit Debbie's relatives
        + Steubenville (Debbie) with dad to help build a garage apartment for the Sisters
        + Outerbanks (Fred) to go windsurfing with Ron, Marla and Sophie
        + Traverse City/Elk Lake for Fred's family's annual get together at his dad and mom's place (The Love Nest)
        + Mid Michigan to visit the Dave, Chris, Stephen, Rachel and Danielle
        + Ann Arbor for a reuben at Zingermen's and tour of the U of M Campus
        + Brookville Lake - great catching up with everyone.  Thanks Max & Roberta and Dave & Kim for the great sails!
        + Trip to YRYH to get warranty work done on Early Out

We arrived back at the boat late on 7/18 and it feels great.  We really missed Early Out.  Unfortunately our first sightings of her weren't so pleasant.  She was very, very dirty from sitting in the boat yard.  But the first order of business was to unload the car full of items brought from home and then return the car to the airport.  We spent a week while the boat was on the hard doing projects - cleaning, teak work, bottom painting, re-pitching the prop, etc.   Then went back in the water the 24th.  What a great day that was.  Now we'll be working on the diesel, adding additional insulation to our ice box, converting our staysail to roller furling, having a rigging inspection done for the upcoming rally, etc.  Being back on the water is terrific!

We did manage to have some fun in between all these projects.  Met a great couple - Don & Nancy who also own a Caliber.  They live in Williamsburg and were kind enough to show us around as well as invite us to stay at their home a couple days.  We really liked Williamsburg and will definitely go back again.  Thanks again Don & Nancy for your hospitality and the terrific sail!

Don & Nancy

And talk about small worlds.  While at the marina, we met two couples that had been members of Brookville Lake Sailing Association which is where we sailed for many years before we had Early Out.   Tom & Barb on Ridge Runner from Ft. Thomas, KY and Denny and Sharon on Turning Point from Ohio.   We had lots of terrific evenings enjoying some cocktails and good food while trading Brookville Lake stories.  Tom - hope your still enjoying that buzz cut I gave you!

Barb & Tom on s/v Ridge Runner   (before Tom's hair cut)

Denny & Sharon on s/v Turning Point - Denny provided the dinner entertainment

Fred & Tom - after their buzz cuts done by hair dresser, Debbie

We've also met some terrific people at the marina and boat yard.  Everyone here is so friendly and we've especially enjoyed the Saturday night parties put on by the folks on pier one....the best pier in the marina by far!

Its been pretty hot during our stay - several days in the 100+ category.  So we've taken advantage of the pool here and have really enjoyed our stay.   If all goes well with putting the refrigeration back together, we should be leaving here on the 8th and heading offshore up to Stamford, CT.

Well adding extra insulation to the ice box was not an easy task by any means.  But the yard (Mark in particular) did a great job installing it.  After a few glitches with re-installing the plumbing for the refrigeration, etc. we were back up and working.  whew.  Did suffer a slight heart failure when not long after we turned it back on for the first time, it stopped running.  Come to find out a jelly fish decided he wanted to take up residence in our strainer and clogged things up.  We were relieved when that was all it was.  Those darn jelly fish!   We said good bye to all our new friends at the marina - hopefully we'll see them again in October when we pass thru - and took care of all the last minute things before leaving in the morning.
 
 

Early Out showing off her new navy colored bottom paint just before going back in the water
 

Facilities we found at the York River Yacht Haven Marina:
* They provide a courtesy van you can borrow for short trips.
* Laundry - marina has several machines for $1/load.
* Pool - right by the laundry so you can cool off while doing your laundry.   Not bad at all.
* Restaurants - two at the marina.  One inside; one outside.  Other choices a short drive away.
* Groceries - Food Lion close by.  Further drive away on Route 17 is a couple of our favorites - Walmart and Sams.
* Hardware Store - Ace Hardware short drive away; Lowes and Home Depo further away
* Marine Stores - West Marine - one in Hampton, the other in Deltaville and Boat US in Deltaville.  Stores about 30 minutes
       from the marina.  There is a great marine store right at the marina that carries most items you may need.
* Car Rentals - Enterprise, National, Hertz
* Taxi - Tony (who lives on his boat in the marina) is the best deal around
* Entertainment - Williamsburg is close by.  Definitely worth a visit
* Church - Saint Joan of Arc about 10 miles away - Mass times:  Sat. 5:30pm, Sunday 9:30am  (summer hours) - 898-5570