SPOT track, and gear new and replaced

Here is the link to my SPOT track for the upcoming, slightly abbreviated sail in South Carolina.  I think all the sailing will be between Charleston and Hilton Head, with a little exploring in between.

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/2PV7/9N#history/assets

Based on suggestions from friends, particularly Chris Farr, I am switching to a new style of flotation vest.  In the past I have used the horse collar CO2 inflatable style vest.  The one I had used for 15 or so years wore out.  I replaced it with a similar vest from West Marine but was unhappy with it.  It was not comfortable and I did not trust the strap adjustments.  The one above should be more comfortable and safer.  Plus it has the zippered pouch where I can carry a strobe, whistle and PLB.

This vest was made by the same company that made my dry suit - Stohlquist.  I have found that, disappointingly, Stohlquist no longer exists.  Something to do with buying out companies by another company.  I am glad to have my dry suit, which will get a lot of use because of cooler temperatures, on the coming trip.  When I bought it a few years ago it had the best reviews and the lowest price of all the dry suits.  I bought the vest through Amazon, though I am not sure of their source for the item.  

Checking my GPS a few days ago,  a Garmin GPSMAP 79sc, I found that it would not power up.   It was only six months old, bought just before the Maine trip.  After 30 minutes of trouble shooting on the phone with Garmin, they shipped me a new one.  Good service.

I hope to start the new year on the road to Charleston, sailing on January 2.

 

last sail of the year, the next sail, Merry Christmas

The photograph above is from hauling out in Chestertown the morning after the Sultana Downrigging Festival.  The festival was a treat, and it was also the perfect conclusion to the Chesapeake Bay cruise.

It was an excellent year on the water.  I had a goal of four cruises and completed them all - the winter trip from Charleston, South Carolina to Palataka, Florida with visits to Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Georgia's beautiful Sea Islands; the spring sail on Pamlico Sound and the rivers of North Carolina that included visits to Oriental, New Bern, Beaufort, Cape Lookout and (my favorite) Ocracoke; the summer sail in Maine with 33 days on the water and I think 600-something miles of sailing as far east as Roque Island and as far west as Rockport, with visits to Sommes Sound, Merchants Row, Isle au Haut, Vinalhaven, Islesboro, Belfast, Stonington and Castine; and ending with the fall sail on Chesapeake Bay (which was an unusually social sail for me).  There are a lot of memories tucked away from all that time on the water.

Yesterday was the last sail of the year, a shake down sail in Elizabeth City to test out the new halyards - throat and peak halyards for the main and the jib halyard.  All worked well, which is what I had expected.  It was 35 degrees when I launched, maybe a few degrees warmer than that when I came in three hours later.  Nice wind and with some layered thermals I felt surprisingly comfortable.  Blue skies and sunshine helped.

Sailing in 2025 is not too far away.  Weather cooperating, I'll tow SPARTINA south on New Year's Day and launch the following morning in Charleston for the winter sail.  This will be an abbreviated sail, not the usual Charleston to Palatka cruise.  I've got some not-on-the-water traveling in February and have limited time.  I plan to sail south to Hilton Head, where I will visit with friend Webb.  From there I will turn back north and explore some of the places I typically bypass as I make my way back to Charleston.  There are a handful of rivers, marshes and islands that I think will be worth visiting.  

Merry Christmas to all my friends, I wish you a wonderful 2025.  See you on the water.  Steve

Chestertown: friends, the festival and about that Dark 'N Stormy party

Just another great Sultana Downrigging Festival in Chestertown, it seems to get better every year.  Tall ships, bluegrass music and friends, what more could you want?

Friday begins with small boats from the Traditional Small Craft Association putting their boats in the water.  I had seen both Pete and Jim a few weeks earlier in St. Michaels.

And Dave, a friend of many years now, came down for a sail.  

The Pilgrim, our oldest daughter and her new husband came in for the festival.  We grabbed an Airbnb for the weekend.  Friends Harold and Anna from the beautiful boat BELLA joined us for dinner at the house, then we joined them on BELLA for the fireworks.

A few Dark 'N Stormies on the dock, but more about that later.

How nice to wake up and walk down the waterfront, finding SPARTINA surrounded by tall ships and beautiful boats.

It seems everyone in town is out on the water.

Aussie friend Matt joins us for an early morning sail.  He is a new owner of a Pathfinder, still working on learning the yawl.

Good to have the Pilgrim out for a sail.

About that Dark 'N Stormy party on SPARTINA last year...  First of all, I wasn't even there when it started.  I was blocks away having dinner with friends, coming down to the docks with my daughter and her boyfriend to find SPARTINA full of Schooner VIRGINIA crew members with the party in full swing on my little boat and adjacent dock (How many people can you fit on a small yawl?  Many more than could have imagined.).  The fireworks are exploding above, a retired USCG admiral is pouring Dark 'N Stormies on the dock and everyone is having a great time.  At first they tried to turn us away, saying it was a private party. I'm getting strange looks from friends on neighboring boats, what is going on here??  Pointing out IT WAS MY BOAT - yeah, ok, they couldn't argue with that - got us into the party.  The story of that evening has been told and retold, getting better (as all good stories do) each time.  So this year I was gifted enough Goslings Rum to last me a long, long while.  Or at least until the next party.  My thanks to all who donated!

More visits to Evergrain.  Got to get there early before the long line forms.

Tall ships everywhere, and crews always busy in the rigging.

Lady Maryland, out for an afternoon passenger sail.

The KALMAR NYCKEL, at right, always dominates the water front.

Oldest daughter and new husband join us for a sail.

Friday through Sunday, tall ships, blue grass and sailing.  My thanks to the Sultana Education Foundation for organizing a great weekend.  Can't wait until next year.

 

Chestertown, arrivals

Midweek the tall ships arrive.  Classic boats, working boats, replica ships, it is quite a fleet.  KALMAR NYCKEL, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, LYNX, MARYLAND DOVE, A.J. MEERWALD just to name a few.

And of course another breakfast at Evergrain.

 

Chestertown, before the festival

Pre-dawn darkness in a parking lot by a bbq joint and a family dollar store, the MUST (Maryland Upper Shore Transit) arrives 6:00 a.m. like clockwork.  As a senior citizen, a buck-fifty gets me a 50-some mile ride down to my truck and trailer in Cambridge.  Most the way I'm the only passenger.  A second passenger joins us in Easton.  The bus route doesn't stop near the boatyard where I need to go, but the driver is kind enough to make an extra stop just to save me a couple miles of walking.

Standing along the Choptank, I think about the 30 days since I had cast off in Cambridge.  Great sailing, a couple of windy day and time spent with friends along the way.  It is difficult to remember it all.

I pause to look at my sailing track.  Yes, a lot of memories in there.  

I get a roundabout welcome from the festival committee, an instagram post noting our arrival in town.  How nice.

And then from Germany, an unexpected painting of SPARTINA.  Again, how nice.

So it is time for some daysailing on the Chester with the SULTANA out for a children's sail...

nights in the quiet marina...

blueberry muffins and iced tea at Evergrain bakery...

and quiet walks through town.

 

day twenty-nine - cold, tacking, the last day

I don't need an app to tell me it is cold, but my phone confirms it anyway.  Layered up with thermals, I get warm as I stow the sleeping gear and break down the boom tent.

7:45 sail off the mooring in the lightest of breezes just as the sun crests the horizon.  

8:10 round Ship Point, jibe, making 1.3 towards the Chester.  Listen to a symphony of birds.

8:45 the wind fills in.  2.7 then 1.3. 9:00 slip past Spaniard Neck to the Chester River.  Making 3.5.  Wind comes and goes and I am content with that.  Thoughts of anchoring in Southeast Creek go away, I realize it is the last day of the trip.  I'll be in Chestertown by late afternoon.

10:00 tacking up river.  10:45 pass Deep Point and the river narrows.  Sailing against the tide, tack, tack, tack.  11:15 shifting winds.  11:50 better wind, finally warming up.

12:05 making 3.0.  12:40 ghosting on calm water, a wind line ahead.

1.9, then back to 0.5, then 2.1.  Overcast slipping away.

Red marker "4" shows the tide has turned and now helps us up river.  

1:50 round Melton Point, 1.3 with the flood tide.  I hear a toot from a horn and see the skipjack IDA MAY.  And now I know why I saw her tied up on Reed Creek, she is heading to the Downrigging Festival too.

3:15 the wind fails.  Under power past Rolph's Wharf and up the Devil's Reach.  At Primrose Point there is just enough wind to make the last couple of miles to Chestertown under sail.  

Docked 4:25.  A few days ahead of the festival to relax before the crowds arrive.  

Monday evening and the town is quiet.  I am surprised and pleased to see an "open" sign on The Kitchen and The Pub at the Imperial.  A nice dinner, then a Dark and Stormy to celebrate a nice cruise.

 18.73 NM