Calm night, heavy dew in the morning. Anchor up and idling down Queenstown Creek 7:00.
A light breeze and all sails up just inside the mouth of the creek, baitfish snapping at the glassy surface of the water, the sun peeking through the trees.
Just over a knot making our way out on to the Chester River. The sun catches a deadrise working in the distance. Another deadrise comes out of the creek, no name on her stern, diesel rumbling and blowing black smoke straight up in the air.
Out away from shore more wind as we sail by the fish weirs. Two knots, then 4 knots, by 8:30 making 5 as we approach the winding, tide rushed Kent Narrows. I call for the 9 a.m. lift, the tide rushing south to north and SPARTINA the only boat passing through.
No rush today and a pleasant morning. We duck into a cove with condos to the north and a wildlife refuge to the south. Deadrises work trotlines. Anchor down and time for a nap.
At 10:30 sails up and out past the wildlife refuge quickly tuck in a reef with the south wind building.
Still plenty of time to reach Tilghman Creek, my planned destination, so I take the long route and sail west over the top of Parsons Island then tack back east. I find myself in lumpy, confused water. The south wind travels up to Tilghman Point, each side of the point creating waves that cross each other north of the point and south of Parsons Island, exactly where I am. The wind is good and strong and SPARTINA powers through the chop but I soon find I've got a headache from the jumbled motion.
We tack southeast to the far shore, then come about towards Tilghman Point, the water on the the Miles River now calmer and less confused.
At 3:00 I near Tilghman Point and tack back out on the river for an approach in to Tilghman Creek. Looking south I see a set of sails rounding Deepwater Point. Tom, aboard his Pathfinder FIRST LIGHT.
Video by Tom
I had cast off about 12 days earlier, he had trailered 1,200 miles up from the Florida Keys. What are the chances we would be sharing tacks into Tilghman Creek. Tom lets me take the lead into the creek and of course I make a cut to close to the point on the south side of the creek. The centerboard touches bottom, I round up, tack out and then turn back into the creek. After dropping anchor Tom comes along side, we shake hands and smile.
Tom came bearing gifts - cold beer with slices of lime and a wonderful stew. We sit and talk about our trips, the coming weekend in St. Michaels and the fact that two Pathfinders are rafted side by side. A great evening on Tilghman Creek.
Then Tom brings out dessert, a couple slides of Pecan pie he had picked up on the road up the Eastern Shore. Life is good.
