High Winds and Rain in Cape May

Thursday, September 25th

Up until now, we've been so fortunate with the weather. It's been warm, sometimes hot with a few crisp but sunny days - but now - here we sit with winds gusting to 37 even as high as 40 knots and driving rain. We're tied up to the dock (and how - we're tied and tied some more in every possible configuration) but still the boat feels as though it's being tossed about on high seas.

Bob has been out to check the lines several times and this afternoon, he added a snubber to one - that means he threaded the line through a rubber tube made for the purpose - the line goes in through and around the outside of the tube so when there's a lot of pull, the rubber and line provide some give and don't continually snap as the wind pushes the boat suddenly up and away from the dock.

In defense against the weather, Bob has put on a Stan Rogers CD and turned it up very high. He's singing along and tapping his foot. Nevertheless, I think that we'll both heave a sigh of relief when the winds are no longer howling and vibrating through the rigging.

Friday, September 26

When we woke this morning, it was warm again and the winds had fallen to a manageable 15 knots. Lines on a couple of the boats on the dock had pulled out metal bars attached to pilings next to them, and the boats were left rubbing up against the dock. Bob was out with a dock attendant yesterday afternoon devising a way to throw a new line from one of the boats over the top of the adjacent piling. The high winds made this a challenge. I was glad that we were on the boat and able to monitor our lines.

Reports for Sunday weather are encouraging and we hope to leave this dock and fair city! This morning Bob hoisted the measuring tape up the mast again so as to double check our height from the top of the mast to the water line. Since we have lost so much time waiting out the weather here, we would especially like to avoid the long trip around the outside of Cape May. Sea Change should be OK to clear the two bridges along the Cape May Canal especially since we will be careful to travel at low tide.

We're in town again today to connect electronically (again) and then we plan to visit a period home open to the public. Tonight or tomorrow night, we'll go to one of the local seafood restaurants for our first sampling of seafood from the area.

I don't expect to be writing any more blog posts until we're on the move. I've written enough about streets we've walked on and menus aboard Sea Change. Here's hoping we get away as planned.