day two - a pink sunrise

Slow drift off anchor in light airs at 7:00.  Forecast is for light, shifting winds all day.  A flutter in the air, I look up to see a flock of small birds overhead.  There's a think marine layer to the east, a grey haze that obscures the sunrise.  The sun emerges above the horizon, at first orange and then suddenly bright pink.  It looks like I'm going for a daysail today.

Hardly a breath of air, then a teasing wind, 2.8.  A peanut butter/mixed berry Rx Bar for breakfast, rounded out with a Tanka buffalo bar and a cup of diced mango.  1.5 kts tacking up Broad Creek.  Birds diving at the water just off the starboard side.  I cast a shiny gold lure and bring in a small, much too small, striper.  First catch of the trip.

Tacking into Leadenham Creek at 8:30, 2.7.  A couple more tacks and the wind dies.  Main and jib furled we motor around the corner to an isolated creek that, according to the charts, has no name.  A waterman in a small green skiff with a collapsed sun umbrella is working a trot line on the creek.  He motors over and I call out "We've met before, haven't we?"  He smiles and nods in agreement.  We talk about how windy it was that day six years earlier.  He tells me he came over to make sure I was ok.  I tell him I am fine, just enjoying the day.  I thank him for checking on me.  And then I ask if the creek has a name.  "We call it Blades Point Creek, but I don't know why."

It is a perfect day to sit and relax.  I have plenty of time, no rush to go anywhere.  Two eagles fly over the creek as I prepare an OMEALS brunch of self-heating maple brown sugar oatmeal.  I read for a while, then fall into a deep sleep, waking up not knowing where I am.  

Anchor up 12:30 with a little breeze.  The waterman wishes me a good day as he motors past.  1.3 in a barely detectable wind.  At 2:30 it feels like we are moving fast.  I check the gps to see we are making 2.3.  I guess it is all relative.

Heading back to Steves Cove at 3:00, making just one knot.  Overcast is moving in and everything seems grey.  Anchor down 3:40 in the same spot we had left this morning.  9.3 NM for today's daysail.

I check the weather and it is not good.  No wind tomorrow, rain in the afternoon.  Heavy rain tomorrow night and Friday with gusts in the low 30s Friday morning.

Alpinaire Spicy Sausage Pasta and a cup of peaches for dinner.  I set aside thoughts of the weather and do some reading.  It was a good day on the water.