Lower Chesapeake

Cambridge (10/17 Thursday to 10/21 Monday)

We left Annapolis for Cambridge on the Eastern shore. Took a “short” cut via the Knapps Narrows separating Tilghman Island from the eastern shore. 

 A Bascule Bridge connects the Island and opens on demand for boats via VHF radio. Fortunately the current was on our nose so we would not be pushed towards the bridge while wating, which turned out not to be a problem since it opened promptly. Leaving the eastern side of the Narrows is a very narrow dredged channel that goes for a couple miles. Stray outside the Narrows channel and you will be aground since the depths outside the channel is between 1 and 3 feet. Exiting on other end of the channel, the “Red Right Return” rule put the red buoys on my left. Since the chart plotter showed the red buoy in the middle of the channel I decided to pass it on my right side. WRONG !

A couple fisherman behind us started yelling and I realized my mistake, but we were moving too fast, to swerve, to past the buoy on the correct side without possibly running into it, so I hugged it real close on the wrong side. Got lucky and stayed off the bottom. I'm sure there were some locals shaking their heads behind me.

Lesson learned, navigation markers trump chart plotters. Looking up is more important than looking down.

We found a remote, quiet anchorage off La Trappe Creek, behind a sand spit with 360 degree protection and lots of wild life. We liked it so much we stayed there for two nights and got some work done. The next morning I took the dinghy which we have been towing for the last two weeks over to the sand spit to clean. Flipped it over on the sand and son-of-a-bitch, there were barnacles starting to grow all over the bottom. After an hour the bottom was clean again. I put the dinghy back on the davits out of the water and stopped towing it.

The next day we did a short motor, continuing up the Choptank River to the small Cambridge harbor to the free “dock” a long bulkhead, cement wall, in front of the county offices, which is long enough for 4 or 5 boats.

 Had to put chaffing gear on the dock lines and fender board over the fenders to protect them from the cement wall. We arrived on Saturday for the Oyster Festival and had our first oyster taco. When we get back to the boat we help another couple Dan & Dawn Ritter tie up their Catalina 38 “Gertie” behind us. That night the winds were 25 knots out of the north, but we were quite protected in the harbor. The municipal marina which is outside the small harbor on the Choptank River is exposed to the north winds and we later talked with another sailor who had a rather sleepless night bouncing around on the docks. Sunday morning we had breakfast at Snappers, a restaurant on the water in the Cambridge harbor. Snappers appears to be a summer hot spot, but business is slow now. There is only room for two or three boats to anchor in the harbor outside of the channel. Another couple anchored on an Island Packet 45 “Sanderling”. In the morning they tie their dinghy to the cement wall and pull out their folding bikes. We seem to be the only cruising boat here that does not have folding bikes. Well, shoes we got and we head off for a walk to Walmart about a 5 mile round trip to do some food shopping with cart in tow.

 Linda and I buy Watch Caps and Gloves at Walmart. She won't let me get this hat, damn.

 The next day everyone leaves, but us, we walk to a couple museums and have dinner at “Snappers”. We are becoming regulars.

Solomons (10/22 -10/23)

In the morning we leave for the Solomons on the west shore. “Gertie” headed over there the day before us and we thought we might meet up with them there. We get there late in the afternoon and anchor in the north end of Back Creek away from the marinas. Another two blanket night, burr. The next morning we head to the Maritime Museum, not as big a St Micheals, but still quite interesting.

Run into the French Canadian couple from “Lea-Lou” at West Marine. After we go for a walk through town we dinghy back to the boat and come across Dan & Dawn “Gertie” on a mooring. We have not decided where we were heading the next day. They said they were heading to Chrisfield on the Eastern Shore with Roger & Chrisy the owners of the Island Packet 45 “Sanderling” and said we should all sail over together. So we all plan to head out at 9:00 AM. I get on the web and find the State marina dockage is half price at 75 cents a foot, can't pass that up.

Crisfield (10/24 – 10/25)

As we sail south the winds build up to 20-25 knots out of the north with small craft warnings. We are all sailing with just our mains. Towards one of our final legs under what I thought was a controlled jibe we break the top 8 sail lugs.

none of the lower lugs break so I turn on the engine to hopefully ease the load on the remaining lugs. We all head into the Marina in Crisfield, a very protected basin. With dock power tonight we have heat and the next two nights are suppose to be in the high 30's. End of season in Crisfield, so not many restaurants are open, but we all head over to the Watermans for dinner and that hot crab soup we have all been thinking about on our cold sail down. That evening we all congregate on Manana, mainly for the heat. We stay a second night and get laundry and some provisioning done and wait for the cold front to pass. Again we head to Watermans, the only restaurant open, in walking distance in Crisfield.

Deltaville and Fishing Bay Yacht Club (10/26 – 10/29)

We are planning to head to Fish Bay Yacht Club at Deltaville, VA. We met the commodore of the club at Crisfield, they were tied up next to us in a Catalina 36. We had fun checking out the differences in each others boats.

After two days and nights of high winds it looks like we are going to have a nice sail back to the west shore. We wake up to a very calm waterfront. Unfortunately, we did not realize it was calm because of a wind shift between changing weather systems. Once we got out to the open water the wind and waves kept building. Sanderling and Gertie were sailing on just their mains, but we only had a functioning head sail so we were not able to point as high. 

 

Sanderling and Gertie

 

We all were taking quite a pounding. With short steep waves we were burying the bow and taking water down both rails to the stern. The up wind boats claimed they could see our whole keel as we all were hobby horsing across the Chesapeake. About half way across I decide to bare off and run for protection and stop beating ourselves up. We head towards Reedville and I head for Mill Creek, we need someplace calm and without wind. We get in and anchored and just sit there quietly for an hour or so and soak in the lack of wind and motion and enjoy the last hour or two of sunshine.

Meanwhile our compatriots slog on to Deltaville. Gertie gets separated from their dinghy, in tow, and can not find it. Sanderling makes it into Deltaville just before sunset. Gertie got there after dark and had to anchor out in another Bay because the narrow channel with a 90 degree dog leg is impossible to safely negotiate in the dark for a first timer. Next morning Gertie heads for the guest dock at the FBYC and starts looking for a used replacement dinghy. We show up around noontime and tie up behind them. Sanderling is anchored just off the Yacht Club. Linda and I walk to Worst Marine to buy sail lugs to repair the sail. And true to West Marine form, every hook on the isle has only one package on it or is just empty. The hook with the lugs I need is empty, Idiots ! A pack of 4 is $10, but they have none. Since it was Sunday the local Sail loft was closed.

Sunday evening we have a pot luck supper at the new club house with a number of other cruising boats that are heading south. 

 Crews of Sanderling, Gertie and Manana

Monday we walk to the sail loft and I get all the lugs I need for 70 cents a piece, West Marine you suck ! I pickup some extra webbing, because Catalina in their wisdom decided to sew the lugs to the sail with webbing through the brass sail grommets. Fortunately, I did bring a sewing machine and I get the lugs and webbing sewn together, but final assembly, on the sail, involves using a hand awl and heavy gauge thread. I manage to finish sail work without impaling myself with the big awl needle.

Tuesday (Oct 29) we leave for Sara Creek with Gertie, Sanderling headed to Hampton, VA the day before. We anchor next to the York River Yacht Marina, with the thought of renting a car and going to Jamestown. York River has a good restaurant and Marine store, unfortunately both were closed for renovations. Checking the weather we decide to head to Hampton the next morning before the next low comes through.

Hampton (10/30 – 11/2)

Wednesday we sail into Hampton Roads and head up the Hampton River and anchor near the Virginia Air and Space Museum. Next morning we stop by Blue Water Marina and check out the Salty Dog Rally boats gathering to leave in a couple days for the BVI's. That evening we have dinner with Sanderling and Gertie at the Taproom.

Thursday we get up late and head in town for some good WiFi at a local coffee shop. Hampton has public WiFi, but it is not very good. That evening Sanderling and Gertie and us go see the movie “Gravity” at the Imax at the Air and Space Museum. Imax and 3D can't get much more immersive than that.

Friday we catch the Van to West Marine with the Salty Doggers.

Full Van

Walked to Lowes and Walmart. We catch up with Rock and Diana as they are finishing food preparation for the sail to Virgin Gorda, BVI. They have added a couple fuel blatters on the deck to extend their motoring range.

Saturday we make another trip into town to pick up a small propane heater at Lowes, “Mr Heater”. Dan and Dawn on Gertie have had one for a couple weeks and Sanderling and us have been wanting to pick one up. The last couple days and evenings have been warm, but we know it will not last.

Dismal Swamp (11/13)

Sunday morning we pull anchor and start to head south for the Dismal Swamp and out last day in Virginia waters.

 Leaving Hamton

Passing by the Norfolk Naval Base, we get to see the line up of impressive warships and further south we pass the General Dynamics shipyards and see even more ships undergoing retrofits and upgrades. Impressive seeing an aircraft carrier in a floating dry dock, almost in the middle of the channel.

My calculations were off and we just miss the hourly opening of the Gilmerton Bridge. 

Apparently, I'm not the only sailor who sucks at math, because a circulating line of boats quickly forms as we all count down to the next bridge opening.