day one - breakfast with friends

On the road with SPARTINA in tow at 3:15.  At the ramp in Cambridge at 6:45.  Rigged at 7:45.  Gear and food loaded, launched at 8:45.  And then breakfast with Michael and Sheila, world cruising friends who are visiting Chesapeake Bay.  How nice.  It is a fun breakfast where we talk about all the times we have crossed paths over the years.  A few photos and then goodbye at 10:45, with plans to meet later.

Sails up on the Choptank 10:55.  Making 2.6 under a heavy overcast, a light haze hanging over the river.  A surprisingly warm northeast wind.  11:15 tacking towards Hambrooks Bar marker.  11:45 round the day beacon, fall off and doing 3.5.  Noon making 4.2 near Howell Point with Chlora Point ahead.  

Better wind and choppy water crossing the mouth of the Tred Avon at 1:25, making 4.7.  Past the river and in calmer water in the lee of Benoni Point.  A lighter overcast and patches of blue sky above.  2:20 I get an alert for overnight thunderstorms.  2:30 entering Broad Creek.  

My intended anchorage is Steve's Cove but I wonder if that will be too exposed to the forecast storms.  Decide to try Balls Creek instead.  

2:50 follow the winding channel markers into the creek.  Anchor down 3:10 where the creek splits to the north and the west.

 15.81 NM