Housekeeping Day in Deltaville; Met New Friends Here

I was up at 4:30 a.m. and checked to make sure we weren’t dragging. Then back to bed and the alarm went off at 6:15 a.m., only to find out the skipper decided to stay another day in the anchorage. He needed to change the oil, change the zinc and the fuel filters and scrub the speed-over-water wheel.

Changing the oil and filters.

Chuck ran the motor to heat up the oil, while I made pancakes and bacon for breakfast. After breakfast, the work began. I looked at the charts and cruising guides to figure out our plan for the coming week. Chuck changed the oil, oil filter, fuel filter and water separator filter and checked all the hoses.

Changing the zinc.

Then he put on his wet suit, ran the generator, hooked up the breather and hopped in the water. He changed the zinc, and scraped the barnacles off the prop and back of the boat from our summer season. After he took a hot shower, we loaded up the trash and took the dinghy to Deltaville Marina and walked around the yard, looking at the boats. The marina is a popular place for cruisers. They have boat lifts and you can work on your boat in their yard.

Rowing around Jackson Creek.

We climbed back in the dinghy and Chuck rowed around the harbor. It’s beautiful back here. We passed Sheet Music and across from the marina, waved to a couple in their yard. The gentleman waved us over to his dinghy dock. His name is Bill Crump and he’s a captain and sailing instructor. He invited us into his entertainment room, an awesome dock room that used to be a marina store. He promptly poured us a glass of wine, told us to make ourselves at home and went inside to get his beautiful wife, Mary, and some cheese and crackers. What a wonderful couple!

Bill and Mary Crump

They have been married for just four years. They met five years ago while donating blood. He had neck surgery six weeks ago and is doing well (same as me!). We had a wonderful visit and great conversation (over a few glasses of wine with cheese and crackers) with them.

Mary told a story that blew us away. In 1981, she and her husband, James, (now deceased), had just purchased the home she and Bill are in now. A cigarette boat pulled in to Deltaville Marina, which was closed and saw her gas pumps. She told them they didn’t sell gas. That it had been laying there for years and the pumps were unused.

She saw guns lying on the seat and knew they meant business. There was a lot of drug running going on then. They demanded fuel. She ran in and got her husband. They explained it was old, but knew they were in trouble. So they gave them 100 gallons of fuel. The drug runners then threw charts on the dock and asked where they were. Then they told them not to call the coast guard or anyone or they would come back to kill their family. She wanted to move after that, but her neighbors assured nothing like that had every happened there. And she’s been happy here every since!

As a parting gift, they gave us a bottle of rum. They were awesome people and we will definitely have to make it a point to stop and visit on our way home! Thanks for your hospitality, Bill and Mary!

Tomorrow: Norfolk