day five - a fast crossing

Awake at 5:30 after a wild night.  Went to sleep in the storm.  Woke at 1 a.m. for an anchor check.  By dawn the GPS track shows a complete circle around the anchor as the storm came and left.  The anchor held. 

Sail off anchor at 6:45, gusty and both reefs tucked in the main.  Two waterman work the oyster farm nearby.  They look in our direction and I imagine them wondering if I spent the night out there.  It's not as windy as I had imagined, the second reef comes out right away.

Just after 7:00 passing the tip of the sand spit at the south end of Tangier where a waterman is out working his pots.  Morning clouds begin to break up.

In Tangier Sound and full sail by 7:20, 3.7 to 4.2 knots across the rough water.  Past the protection of the island waves roll from the south, 4.6 to 5 kts down the front of the waves.

Just after 8:00 the water smooths out, better wind, 6.3 with a nice bow wave.

More wind and rough water at the entrance to Onancock Creek, 7.7 kts past the markers.  Outgoing tide against the wind, water very rough and wind building.  I sail to the edge of the channel, round up into the wind to bring down the main.  I'm irritated with myself when I see a trawler coming into the channel behind me, occupied with the wind and the water I had been completely unaware of the boat.  I sail back to the southern edge of the channel to give them plenty of room to pass by.  I'm soaked by the spray and the chop, the people on the trawler smile and wave.

We sail up the channel under mizzen and jib, wind over the starboard quarter and making 5.9.

Shifting winds sailing up the winding, tree-lined creek.  Mainsail back up at Marker 22, sometimes catching the wind, sometimes drifting past the tall pines.

Just after 10:00 Onancock in sight.  Docked at 10:20.  Time for laundry, lunch under the shade at Mallards at the Wharf, a walk through the pleasant little town that dates back to colonial times.  I catch up on my notebook, seek out the air conditioning and iced tea at the Blarney Stone Pub.  A shower, straighten up SPARTINA, back to Mallards for dinner, then the evening at a picnic table on the waterfront.  Back to SPARTINA, the boom tent up, I crawl into the sleeping bag for the night.