The day begins right with a breakfast sandwich and iced tea at Java Rock. Cool and overcast I carry the gear down to SPARTINA. With the last load, the battery box and the clothes duffel, a woman sitting with her friends on the waterfront tells me she recognizes what I am doing - traveling in a small open boat. She says she used to see people like me when she went down the ICW to Florida. "We always thought they were crazy," she says, "but we kind of admired them too." I tell her I can live with that.
Cast off 9:15, past the jetties 9:30. Off Huntingfield Point watermen in both a deadrise and a skiff work their pots. An unexpected east wind arrives 9:55, all sails up and making 2.3, slow, pleasant sailing with the leather of the gaff jaws creaking against the mast.
At 10:20 a light chilly rain, put on foul weather gear and boots, 2.7. Soon more of a breeze, 3.3. Rain moves on and there is a crack in the overcast sky, 1.6. Sun breaks through at 11:00.
Soon hardly a breeze off Wilson Point as the sun breaks through, motor sailing. Another deadrise passes by loaded with crabs pot. Off Cabin Cove chilly and overcast again. Hail Point just after noon, round up to see if I can find some wind. There is none.
Drop main and jib at 12:30, sun coming out and it is getting warm. It is a beautiful day, just no wind. At 1:40 wind arrives out of the southwest, sails up and it is excellent sailing. I put out the trolling line and tack back and forth across the river. The fish, if there are any, don't seem interested.
Dark clouds come out of the west, temperatures cool. Looking back downriver at 2:50 I see the distinctive rig of SULTANA below Piney Point. She's headed to her home port for the Downrigging Festival. A mixture of clouds and blue skies as I tack off the marker for Langford Creek. A few more tacks and the SULTANA passes by with a wave from the captain and a crew member at the helm.
Enter Corsica River at 3:55, a puff of wind on the calm river and making 5.0. Anchor down at the mouth of Emory Creek 4:20.
I check the weather radio to hear there is a small craft warning for two hours on the upper Bay and the Chester River. Usually small craft warning are for an afternoon or a day or maybe two days. Two hours? I check my storm app to see there is a small lines of storms passing to the north. The app says rain at 5:15.
Like clockwork the rain comes and then goes, the sun shines all the while. I dress for a cool night.
Beef Stroganoff for dinner, a cruising favorite.
20.45 NM
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