Jun 20
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Jun 19
Jun 18
Similar wind conditions prevailed on Friday as we headed on north and into the Baltimore Harbor. It was an early run, as the Coast Guard imposed a ‘closure’ on the entrance over which the Navy’s Blue Angels would be performing low level maneuvers. We made good time, again motor/sailing, and were secure in our marina slip by 0930, a full half-hour before the closure.
Friday afternoon provided a preview as the Blue Angels were making practice runs – lots of pictures with the camera set on action settings and with a long lens. Dinner and a fun happy hour aboard another club boat made for a full day.
Navy’s Blue Angels
Saturday offered time to walk the board walk that followed a twisted path to the Inner Harbor where the Tall Ships were berthed – also provided good exercise! That afternoon we watched the air show, enjoyed happy hour (again) at the marina’s sailors’ lounge, with an evening fireworks display to cap off the day. It was special to see the Elf – a restoration project by a fellow SOS member —
Elf
Sunday morning we made an early start for home. – again, to slip out of the harbor before the closure was in force. We raised the main sail heading down the Patapsco River SE into the wind. Once clear of the closure and past the Key Bridge, we turned south and managed to sail with reduce engine speed and soon shut it down. Although the wind was variable in speed and direction, we sailed most of the way to the Bay Bridge then motor/sailed across the Magothy bay. With sometimes 10-12kts 45os off the port bow, we sailed at 5-7kts, and then drifting as the wind died to a 2-3kt breeze.
By pure chance, as we approached the Bay Bridge, the USCG Barque Eagle caught up and we got this nice view as she cleared the bridge – a fitting end to a great four-day sail.
USCG Barque Eagle
Click of the link to see the SPOT track
https://www.findmespot.com/spotadventures/index.php/view_adventure?tripid=307691
Jun 12
It was a great three days on the water. Sunday morning after the post-wedding breakfast in Williamsburg, I drove to the boat in Annapolis and headed out to find the Catalina Club folks at their destination in Shaw Bay a bit north of St Michaels. It was a pleasant sail/motor down Bay and I caught up with them just in time for dinner – adding my boat to the four-boat raft. The day was hot and very little wind, but as the sun went down it became comfortable to sleep in the cockpit. A wake disturbed the raft in the early hours or I’d have missed a spectacular view of the starry night sky! Morning came soon enough, and I watched the work boats head out.
Sunrise at Shaw Bay
Crabber heading out
A plan was made to break the raft at 0930 and head north, through Kent Narrows draw bridge, then on up the Chester River taking the branch up the Corsica in hopes of finding a jelly fish- free area. No brag, but my smallish 30ft managed to keep pace with the other 40ft boats
Resolve just astern
– although I found the view more often of their sterns…..
CCYC fleet heading for Knapp’s Narrows
We found a pleasant setting to raft for as swim and dinner. The weather forecast was calling for possible thunder storms and rain over night and on Tuesday. Caution suggested we break the raft before dark and anchor separately. That worked well for me since I needed to leave the group and head back to Annapolis for a Wednesday appointment. After a great meal and fun conversation, we drifted apart and anchored for the night.
Brunelle at anchor
As it turned out, no rain during the night, and I slept again on deck till early morning. The day’s forecast remained ‘wet’ with thunderstorms spaced through the day. I picked an early window, hauled anchor and headed down river against a south wind. After rounding the bend, the run up the river, downwind to Love Point was a great motor sail making 6-7kts. Turning down Bay at the Point was another story………
As I headed down toward the Bay bridge, several miles off, the seas grew quickly to 2-4ft with consistent 18-24kt wind just off the port bow. It was a great ride! Dodged the bigger waves and made 3.5 to 6kts depending on small changes in the wind and waves. I still carried a reefed head sail for stability, and when I was not head to the wind, got a good lift. Approaching the Bay bridge and crossing over to Annapolis was a challenge. By then I had life vest on and tether at hand. The boat bucked and dived into oncoming waves, but kept about a 5kt pace. Sorry, no pictures as I was pretty busy………
The sea calmed and wind died down a bit as we got in the lee of the land, and it was an uneventful coast into the slip in Back Creek – even had a friend on shore to lend a hand with the lines. Just as I finished adjusting the dock lines, the rain started. As I write this, it is a steady, heavy rain. But I’m in the slip with boat secured, good music on and a glass of Williamsburg Winery’s finest in hand! All in all, a great trip!
And there’s more to come — a day as sailing intstructor for a corporate group and then a cruise north to Baltimore for the OpSail event with the Tall Ships – later posts!
May 29
(Pix from off Annapolis June 2011)
May 23
As one who lives quite far removed from the waters he sails on, I connect to the local sailing community mostly by a common love of things nautical. Because of geography, only intermittently do I wander the Eastport streets and hang out in the marinas and watering holes frequented by my fellow sailors and local denizens. Those normal routines for local folks help define a sailing community. Us sailors who live some distance away seek other connections.
When friends share a day’s sail or a longer cruise – or just the telling of it, there is no distance between us. Community ties are strong, and the fabric of the community is strengthened by our common experiences. These connections are typically ingrained and pervasive such that most of us give it not a bit of thought.
I think about this because a sense of belonging is a fundamental human need. Perhaps it has its origins around the fires now distant in time, when being part of the clan meant survival. Absent a connection to community, even today, we often feel some subtle unease. So, I wonder about ways in which the sailing community in particular fashions ties between us that benefit both the individuals and the larger community.
Many interconnections and commonalities draw us together. We join local clubs – often several. We participate in organized activities both on and off the water. Some spend time on internet forums where we can share stories and information. Our leaders provide examples to follow (or not), and we share goals such as the creation of a sailing hall of fame. All give form and substance to our community. The dividends are apparent when we unexpectedly find old (or make new) friends at distant anchorages, receive help online to some puzzle with our boats, or guidance for a difficult passage or harbor entrance, or just a helping hand with dock lines. How close a community it feels when a marina manager remembers you from one overnight there two years previous. Some wander singly around the globe to test skill and endurance or feed the soul, but most of us find our satisfaction in the company of other sailors.
Important, and woven into those many ways in which we nurture our sense of community, is how we treat our fellow sailors – friends and strangers alike. If we are welcoming, helpful and respectful we nourish our connections. If otherwise, we create tensions that weaken them. The courtesy with which we treat others is anything but common. Even the small wave to a passing boat is part of the glue that keeps us together as a community of sailors, and feeds that fundamental need to belong.
While I’m not a fan of bumper stickers, I do smile at some, sometimes curse at others, but always nod in agreement with the one that says ‘Choose Civility’. At a minimum, that is good advice for how to treat others on and off the water – should I say ‘even power boaters’? 🙂
May 22
What a great reason to sail to the DNR camp on the Wye River – good music, good food and good company! And, it was an outstanding sail over. We slipped the dock lines about 0900, had the main sail up before we left the creek and did not drop sail till we were within a few hundred yards of the anchorage.
Teri Lyn just astern on Eastern Bay
What started as very light NE wind, slowly built to 8-14kts giving us SOG of 5 – 6.5Kts on a comfortable point of sail down the Bay and up Eastern Bay around the point back south to the entrance to Wye River.
Wye River DNR Camp
After a bit of a shuffle with anchor boats, we built a 6-boat raft nose to toes and had lots of great company.
The on-shore festivities got under way with a pig roast and all the fixing along with live music. Some of the revelry extended well into the evening making for a slow morning to follow.
A great treat!
We paid for the trip down with a hard slog against adverse tide and wind.
After a long beat across the Bay and a tack back, making little progress north we fired the engine and motor-sailed north past Thomas Point until we cleared Tolly Point. Then it was an easy run to home.
Click on the link to see the SPOT track
https://www.findmespot.com/spotadventures/index.php/view_adventure?tripid=304629
May 14
Forecast: winds 5-10kts from the south with increasing clouds and chance of rain.
What we got: 10-18kts SE and blue sky. A near perfect day for sailing!
With good crew (Dane), we left the slip about 10AM and had sail up before clearing Back Creek and headed across the Bay in a steady 10-12kts. Winds gradually strengthen to 15-18kts prompting a reef in the main and shortened head sail – still making 5-6kts – occasionally faster.
About an hour out we sailed through one of several on-going races getting some vocal direction from one of the young participants. She clearly wanted us out of her way! We cleared her course and didn’t cause her to slow down. It was a pretty sight to be surrounded by a dozen or more small one-design racers.
About that time we spotted the Sultana headed in from the Bay Bridge and changed our course to sail by. For the next hour our course crossed the Sultanas making for some nice picture opportunities.
After a pass through Spa Creek anchorage about 3PM we headed back to the slip. On approaching the turn into my branch, we encountered two young men stretched out on a dingy paddling their way up the creek. We drifted alongside to see if they were OK – seems they ran out of gas. So, we took their line and towed them the rest of the way to their dock, then returned to the slip.
All in all a great sail and interesting day, but not quite over. As were finishing getting the boat secured and everything stowed. Another crew from the SOS club joined us for ‘happy hour’ followed shortly by my slip neighbor and his crew. A pleasant end to a great day!
Click on the SPOT link to see the days course…….
May 11
Here’s a GREAT STORY and a look at all the technology behind watching off-shore sailing/racing! You won’t want to miss watching the videos! $10 million boats just for a start — click on the link…….
PUMA 1st on leg to Miami (VOR pic) 
CAMPER 2nd (VOR pic)
May 1
chesapeaketidings & more.. 