It’s Patriots’ Day, which would seem an appropriate occasion for a fly-over by the three F-15s that roar overhead, seemingly just above the treetops. But celebrating the patriots of ’76 is not the reason these three fly in formation over the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. This is Virginia not Massachusetts. And these Eagles are northbound on a training flight, a near-daily if brief interruption of the usual quiet of Queens Creek.
Down here on the creek, a light southerly caresses the deck of Steadfast. Yes, she’s home. Finally. The vacant slip seemed so forlorn but it was a good year to have her out of the water, safe from the ice, snow and succession of nor’easters that punctuated winter.
But there’s only so much to be done under the cover that zips from stem to stern. When the chill finally abated–for a couple of days, at least–the scramble was on to polish and wax the hull. Big job in a short span.
Polished and waxed, the hull reflects neighboring boats in the late day sun.
The next morning, the ZMI crew had her back in the water and it wasn’t long before she was on her way ’round Stingray Point and back home.
Now the work begins in earnest, getting her ready to head back to New England. Today, the cabin bulkheads benefited from a good scrub. The cabin sole went back in place after lunch, dressed in a fresh four coats of varnish applied in the shop in weeks past. And then the full-length battens, which were underfoot in the cabin, were slipped into the pockets on the main. The longest, of course, seemed not to want to cooperate. This led to an inspection of the batten car at the mast, which meant lifting each flake in the luff rope, one at a time until a stowaway emerged. An angry hornet, hoping to find a home, made known his displeasure at being disturbed.
No harm done, though. He buzzed in a tight circle, then flew off.
Still, the earlier fly-over is much preferred.
Steadfast out.
At Sea with Steadfast 
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