day twenty-three - the creeks of Kent Island

Cast of 6:55 with a light south wind, slipping between the museum's classic 1889 sailing log bugeye EDNA LOCKWOOD to port and a high-end yacht to starboard.  Just outside the cove sails up just as the sun comes up across the Miles River.  I tack quickly to get out of the way of a waterman working a trotline.  Sailing at a pleasant 1.9, cool, no clouds.

Lemon Rx bar, buffalo bar and mixed fruit for breakfast.  Round Deepwater Point at 7:30, making 3.0 and Tilghman Point in sight.  Birds diving on schools of baitfish.  Not quite sure of where I am headed.  Consider working my way south to the Choptank River.  Instead decide to explore the creeks of Kent Island.   

Tilghman Point at 8:50.  Making 5.1 on Eastern Bay, wind building and water very rough with waves rolling up from the south.  At 9:10 pick out the green entrance marker for Cox Creek.  9:10 in the lee of Bloody Point, the southern tip of Kent Island, wind still strong but water a bit calmer.  Turkey Point at 9:30, in Cox Creek at 9:45, making 4.2 wind on the beam.

Sail as far as I can up Cox Creek, sharing the final stretch with a deadrise working a trotline.  I give them plenty of room, they are out here working and I'm out here playing.  Up ahead I can the the highway that leads to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  Turning back down south it is a series of tacks in the narrow creek with some shoaling.  Touch bottom a couple of times as we make out way to where the creek widens.

With wind building we turn up Thompson Creek, not going too far as the trip back down would be directly into the wind.  Explore the shore a little to find a small cove that might be a good anchorage with wind out of the north.

We follow the marshes along the west side of Cox Creek, hard sailing at 5.5 with gusts that shake the boat.  Probably have too much sail up.

Soon round the marsh and turn west northwest into Warehouse Creek, a favorite anchorage for over a decade now.   Sailing at 5.3 we head up the creek and duck into the first cove to port.

Then back out and a little farther up the creek.  I see homes lining the shore up ahead, not much privacy there, so turn back to the first creek, making over a dozen tacks up the only structure I can see on the cove, an old boat house next to a farm field.  I drop back down the creek a ways and put the anchor over at 1:25.

21.13 NM for the day.

It is hot and sunny, too hot.  I put up the boom tent to escape the sun, checking the weather for the next few days.  The remnants of Sally are on their way.  Wind swinging around to the north tomorrow.

Sausage and rice with a cup of peaches for dinner.