Tuesday, November 9, 2021

day three - downhill run to St. Michaels


A cold front comes through in the middle of the night.  Some distant lightning and thunder but not too much.  The temperature drops about 30 degrees.  I stay warm and comfortable in my bivy and sleeping bag.  Just after dawn there are a couple of brief but heavy rainfalls.

Sail off anchor under mizzen and jib.  It is calm and just light wind on Dividing Creek, I expect more wind from the back side of the front when I get to the Wye River and Miles River.  Morning comes with a mixture of dark clouds, clear sky and golden light.  


I sail down the creek at 2.6, wave to Nick and Megan on their catamaran.  Out on the Wye River it is a beautiful morning.  Raise a double reefed main at 7:45, soon round up to shake out both reefs.  All the wind is blocked by tall trees on shore, making 2.9 under full sail.  


8:30 tuck both reefs back in the main, I can see rough water out on the Miles.  Soon shake out the second reef, Making 4.4 with a single reef and wind over the starboard quarter.  


Out on the Miles River the wind is almost exactly on the stern.  Soon I see Nick and Megan's catamaran on my stern.  I make a few jibes and angle off the wind so that the main doesn't block the jib.  A less direct route than heading straight for St. Michaels but I think we make better time with wind in all the sails.  GPS shows a couple runs at 5+ kts as we slide down the waves.  Calmer water past Deepwater Point.


Main and jib down outside of Fogg Cove, docked a little after 10:00.  A few small boats already in place for the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival.  Time to clean up the boat, catch up on the log, relax and get a nice lunch.


7.99 NM

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