Arrival USA

So much has happened in the last forty-eight hours! I should be sleeping off the exhaustion, but if I don’t write down some of it, I know I will lie awake worrying about what I will forget! Technically, Gerty arrived in Baltimore on MV Saimaagracht on Saturday, September 23. However, there is a process for entering Baltimore port, docking large ships, getting civilians through security and unloading personal sailing vessels into the harbor. Unbeknownst to us, these processes take about two days! We used the extra time exceptionally well by visiting both of our sons, Zachary and Joshua, at their respective schools. The days were filled up miraculously fast with long walks, good conversation and good food.

At 7 am on Monday the 25th we arrive at the Baltimore shipping terminal to meet our TWIC escort (those without a background check cannot enter the terminal without a TWIC escort). It looks like nothing I’ve ever seen. At first, it is desolate with a “district 12” Hunger Games atmosphere. There is lots of barbed wire. We need to show ID, as does our TWIC escort to get through the first border control booth. The second attendant requires only that our driver show ID. As soon as we approach the water front, things change drastically. There are men, lots of them, talking, smoking, and working on the docks. They seem to be waiting for us. There is a ship, big enough to hold Gerty and at least twenty other very large boats on its deck.

This is a massive orange ship- Saimaagracht. We are ushered up the metal boarding ladder, immediately given hard hats and bright red pinafores labelled, “Visitor.”

Of course, we snap a photo because we look ridiculous, but I am secretly very happy to have both the added protection and the status of a person who needs extra guidance in this environment. However, the Saimaagracht crew does not give us too much guidance. In fact, a young, weathered man politely says, “OK go to your boat.” So we start hunting for Gerty. After we follow the masts and wind up at a navy blue sloop, we back track carefully across the industrial deck, filled with wire and rope supports attaching at every angle, until we arrive at Gerty. She looks great!

We board via an unsteady 10-foot painter’s ladder that must be held by one of the crew. Michael put on the running backstays to brace the mast and then detached the regular backstays, which needed to be removed to make room for the crane’s beam. I did the engine check to assure that we would be ready to rev up once we were deposited in the water. (Stop here if you need to re-read the previous line. Yes, I did the engine check- oil, raw water filter and all.) There was much hubbub for about an hour while workers clambered around Gerty, securing her for lifting. To me, it was what I would imagine the scientists at Sea World do when they are preparing a whale to re-enter the ocean once he has been nursed back to health.

Gigantic straps are secured under Gerty’s belly and she magically rises off the deck, into the air and over the side of Saimaagracht. In this instant, Gerty, our 30,000-pound, aluminum boat reminds me of the baby bird who is lifted by a crane and deposited unharmed in his nest, after falling out of a tree in the children’s book, “Are you My Mother.” It is that graceful!

We scurry down a “monkey ladder” onto Gerty and prepare to release into the harbor. Alas, she is here and we are off!

It’s 97 degrees and the wind speed is 1.5 knots. Perfect for rigging the boat! We rig it up in the harbor. We get hot. We stop to think. It’s now 12:30 pm. Our provisions are peanut butter and jelly, 2 diet cokes and the water we have left in the tank from France.

We motor to Horn Point Marina in Annapolis, passing EXIT, Gerty’s Garcia relative along the way.

Slip 302 is in a corner, with large motor vessels to starboard and port, and a sailboat at our bow. We are out of practice, but we go slow and successfully dock Gerty. Again, no wind today is a good thing! We have some special guest waiting for us on the dock. Grandma E and Papa John have made their way up from Potomac for a sunset sail.

Of course, at this point, it’s 5 pm and we are so dehydrated and overheated that the grandparents insist on an emergency Gatorade run. This is smart. We need it!

One of the great traits of all mothers is that we bring food to our children. Thankfully, Elaine showed little restraint and we dined like royalty aboard Gerty during our sunset sail. The wind picking up out of the North-Northeast at about 7 knots for a steady broad reach. I do not remember a single thing that happened after dinner!

Tuesday September 26th, we provisioned some more with perishables and dairy. We filled the propane tanks and water tank. Then it was bath time! I rummaged through three of four bottles of boat waxes and cleaners that Michael had bought and picked the one that looked the easiest. We rinsed, scrubbed and rinsed again. We vacuumed and cleaned ‘er up inside as well. Voila’!

We were only about four hours behind schedule. On our way out, we filled our gas tanks at Annapolis Landing Marina and a lovely gentleman suggested we anchor in a Rhode River cove, instead of our planned Wye River cove. This way, we could be anchored safely by dark without having to motor. So we thoroughly enjoy our second sunset sail on the Chesapeake.