2017 Fall Crusty – 2 Vessels participating: Cappy-Ta – with crew of 3 Painkiller – with crew of 3

Wednesday – loading of vessels and a fantastic dinner prepared by Crusty Chef Sharon at Chez Chuckie’s in Deltaville.  Allison and Charlie Maresh and Tom White joined the sailing crews for dinner.

ComCrusCru IV brought out the new Crusty flag he had made by US Flag on the internet.  The crew of Cappy Ta was present for dinner but the new owner Chip Huling could not make dinner but did show up on Thursday to take his vessel out.  Bill Vaughn sold Cappy Ta and he and Russell invited the new owner to join us on the Crusty with them as crew.  What a great way to get to know your vessel by going out for 4 days with the previous owner and his lead mechanic.  I think we may see Chip again on a crusty.  Chip did a good job in putting together a video on You Tube of Fall Crusty 2017: 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDdYlYIxt6g

 

Dinner and dessert were great- Thank You Sharon

 

Thursday – Off to Tangier Island   We had very light air and Painkiller did not raise the sails and had an uneventful motor across to the island.  We arrived right at peak current flowing through the channel at Parks Marina but Capt. Chuck did a great job at backing Painkiller into the slip.  It was so impressive that he got a big at-a-boy from Milton Parks the 86 year old owner and dock master of Parks Marina.  Milton is still riding the piers on a moped after breaking a hip two years ago and he spent a great deal of time hanging with us and telling Tales of Tangier.  We helped other vessels coming in for the evening as the current was causing quite a bit of excitement.  One vessel kept grounding on the mud flat in front of the slips and the captain was afraid to kick it hard to get over the flat and into the deeper water of the slip so Mr. Parks sent them to the Tour Boat dock to tie up for the evening.  We did get a group picture of Mr Parks with our new Crusty Cruise flag in the background.  We all had dinner at Lorraine’s as the other eateries on Tangier have closed for the season. 

Friday – we started out with light winds and headed to Reedville to tie up at the Crazy Crab.  Painkiller ended up motor sailing across the bay as the winds never really provided enough force to sail us across.  The weather was just great the entire weekend with cool nights and warmer days and no rain.  Arrived at Crazy Crab in time for cocktails and horderves in the cockpit of Painkiller.  There was a big wedding rehearsal dinner on the outside patio and the inside was loaded as well.  We all had a great meal.

 

 

Saturday – We left Reedville and went across the creek and up into a small creek where Bill Vaughn’s new house is located and tied up at his dock and did a walk through tour of his place.  Nice home with great views and low maintenance yard.   On leaving the pier we promptly ran aground but were able to free ourselves without assistance and started our motor down to Little Bay.  We were heading into Little Bay and I followed the same route that we had used before but learned that either the pound net was moved or there has been some shifting of the sand bar and I ran aground but once again used the muscle of the engine to get free and after getting tied up, I updated the chart on my GPS and put in a No-Go Waypoint to stop us from doing that again.  We enjoyed the scenery and had a wonderful yoga demonstration by a petite young lady on the foredeck of a sailboat anchored nearby.  Watched the Va Tech game and then enjoyed Chuck’s famous Crusty Cruise Pot Roast.

 

Sunday – Back to homeports for both boats.  An uneventful motor back to Deltaville as there was no wind for sailing once again.

 

Note:  I am sure that we will have Chip Huling joining us on a Crusty in the future assuming he can find crew as I expect Bill and Russell will go back to sailing on Snack Bar.  Be sure to go out and watch the video on Youtube and enjoy the attached pictures.

 

Note 2:  OK Guys, we all say that we need to expand the Crusty fleet but then you come up with lame excuses not to come out and participate.  What’s with that?

 

Spring Crusty 2018 is April 25-29.  Write it down, tell your family, and be there – no excuses…..

 

See you on the water – Capt. Penn

 

 

Captain Penn Burke  (See you on the Water)

 

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane"      J. Buffett

 

Spring Crusty Cruise April 20-23

Here is a journal from the spring Crusty and attached are a few pictures.  If you have any good pictures to include on the blog site please send to me and I will get them to Mike for posting.  Thanks

 

2017 Spring  Crusty – 4 Vessels participating:

• Gadfly – with crew of 3
• Cappy-Ta – with crew of 2
• Painkiller – with crew of  2
• Windora – with crew of  2

 

Wednesday – loading of vessels and a fantastic Rib dinner prepared by Allison and Charlie Maresh at their home on Scott Road in Whitestone.  These ribs were the best I have had with the meat literally falling off the bones and so tender and moist (I had to get the recipe) the side dishes and dessert were also superb.  Following dinner we had a formal presentation of Crusty Burgee to Craptain Bill Vaughn as he had met the requirements to earn the right to fly these colors from Cappy Ta.  -  Kudos to Allison and Charlie.

 

Thursday – Off to Cape Charles with 3 vessels coming down from Rappahannock and Windora coming up from Norfolk.  This decision was made at dinner on Wednesday so the boys from Norfolk could easily join up with us for the rest of the weekend.  The day started off like it would be a delightful sail down and across the bay and then ending up being a motor assisted sail into Cape Charles.  All vessels arrived in time to tie up and have a beverage or two before heading up to the dockside restaurant known as the Shanty.  After hustling around to several tables we finally got a seating arrangement that we could live with for dinner.  Decision was made to head to Onancock on Friday as the weather forecast promised good winds for the trip up the bay.

 

Friday – we started out with the winds that were forecast and looked like we would have a great sail up the bay but then the wind died out and those pesky tiny flies filled in.  The cockpits of all vessels became killing zones and we had a miserable time fighting the flies and trying to get up the bay.  I spent most of the day practicing marlinspike skills and making a mooring clothesline rig for use off the end of a friends pier.  Of course when you look at attached picture you might think that I was working on a concert dress for Madonna or some other kinky device.  Notice the new dodger on Painkiller made by Sharon, she is getting real good with that Sailrite sewing machine. Upon arriving we got nice slip assignments and no one rested on the bottom over night.  They will be doing major work in Onancock at the docks and this work has been put off until after the summer season.  The crews of Gadfly and Windora dined on board Gadfly and the rest of us went over to Mallards for our meal.  Mallards always does a good job and we enjoyed our meal.  Breakfast included pastries from the Onancock bakery

 

Saturday - With the nasty forecast that we were looking at for rain and wind we decided on heading to Jackson Creek in Deltaville which would make an easy trip on Sunday for Gadfly and Painkiller and allow Cappy Ta to tie up in home slip on Saturday evening.  This would give Windora an interesting but long sail down the Bay on Saturday but they have good strong wind from the North pushing them down the Bay.  We missed the heavy rains while underway and motor sailed mostly across the bay but had a great sail once we hit the western side of the bay and into Jackson Creek.  Gadfly and Windora dined on Gadfly and Cappy Ta crew joined us on Painkiller for Chuck’s famous Chuck Roast.  We had some heavy rains during the dark hours Saturday night but no problems as we were tied up in a wind shelter provided by the boat house at Deltaville marina.

 

Sunday – Back to homeports for all boats.  On the way out of Jackson Creek and Fishing Bay the wind was definitely against us but once Gadfly and Painkiller made it around Stringray Point it was a great broad reach back to home ports.  Windora had following wind once they rounded Gwynns Island and had a great rock and roll sail down to Norfolk.

 

Note:  Tom White was unable to join us on Plugger for the Crusty as he was hosting a “Burning of the Socks” event at his house in Urbanna for the Urbanna Yacht Club but he did come up to Whitestone to join us for dinner on Wednesday.  I wish we had thought to bring him some “Crusty” underwear to toss in the flames.

Bill gets his Burgee

Calm waters

Penn practicing Marlin Spike technique

Excellent BBQ ribs  recipe

 

 

See you on the water – Capt. Penn

 

 

Captain Penn Burke  (See you on the Water)

 

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane"      J. Buffett

Rear Admiral Thomas Russell - R. I. P.

 

I am sad to share the news that Tom Russell died this past Thursday.  There will be a visitation in Norfolk this coming Saturday from 3 to 5.  I always enjoyed talking with Tom on the Crusty Cruise and listening to his stories from his time in the U. S. Navy.  I understand that he will be buried later at Arlington National Cemetery where his wife is buried.  See below for his obituary.

 

THOMAS RUSSELL Jr.

THOMAS B. RUSSELL, JR.   Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired)  Passed away peacefully with his family by his side at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, VA on May 4 2017. He was 93 and a resident of Norfolk, VA. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, the former Lee Blair, to whom he was married for 58 years, his brothers John Russell and William Russell; and sister Sue Russell. He is survived by sisters Jane Jackson and Mary Osborne; daughters Karen Sue Dring (Steve) of Potomac, MD and Robin Ann Smith (Leonard) of Bremerton, WA; son Thomas B. Russell III (Susan) of Chesapeake, VA, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. RADM Russell was a decorated Naval aviator and combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. His Washington assignments included the Joint Staff, National War College, and Navy Captain detailer at the Bureau of Navy Personnel. While in Washington he completed a Bachelor of Science degree at George Washington University   He was born December 18, 1923 in Charleston, Missouri to Thomas and Frances Russell. He entered the Navy as an Aviation Cadet in 1943. Prior to earning his Naval Aviator wings of gold in 1945, he carrier qualified on the side-wheeled freshwater aircraft carrier USS Wolverine in Lake Michigan.   He commanded Navy attack squadron VA-155, carrier air wing CVW-14, attack cargo ship USS Tulare, and aircraft carrier USS America (CVA-66). His final assignment before retiring from the Navy in 1978 was as Commander, US Naval Forces Japan. A viewing for family and friends will be held in Norfolk on Saturday, May 13, from 3 to 5 p.m. at H D Oliver Funeral Apartments, 1501 Colonial Ave, Norfolk, VA.

 

 

Captain Penn Burke  (See you on the Water)

 

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane"      J. Buffett

 

 

2015 Fall Crusty Cruise

2015 Fall Crusty 

  4 Vessels participating: 

   Gadfly  with crew of 3
   Plugger  with crew of 2
   Painkiller  with crew of 3
   Windora  with crew of 3

  Wednesday -  loading of vessels and a delightful bacon wrapped steak dinner
  at Chuck's in Deltaville with Chef Sharon preparing side dishes, salad,
  sauces, and dessert