day seven - the sail repair

Sail off anchor 6:25 with a bright pink sun.  Full sail and a steady north wind, 3.5.  One crabber working his pots, a tug pushing a barge up Tangier Sound to the east.

Off Port Isobel 7:25, tack away from the island.  See the Tangier Onancock ferry coming out of the channel.  8:00 making 4.0 headed north to Smith Island.

8:40 making 4.3 on a long single tack east of the little islands and shoals that lead from Tangier to Smith Island.  There are three villages there at Smith Island.  I'm heading to Tylerton, the southernmost and the home of the Drum Point Market.

10:05 come about Peach Orchard Point to sail into Fishing Creek and the narrow channel that leads into Tylerton.  

One more tack and in the channel, main and jib down and under power at 11:25.

Noon motoring along the town dock I ask a man working on the dock if I can tie up at the far end.  He nods his head.  

Just around the corner is the Drum Point Market.  I am surprised and pleased to find it open.  There's a man sitting in the chair inside, maybe a retired waterman.  And a woman behind the counter.  I order a crab cake and chips for lunch.  

The crab cake it excellent.  Smith Island, for me, has always been home to the best crab cakes on the Bay.  A text from the oldest daughter reminds me to get a Smith Island seven layer cake.  Cost for the lunch with cold tea and the cake, $25.00 and happy to pay it.

Cast off 12:50 and begin motoring up the channel that cuts through the island and leads to the Big Thorofare.  After a few my outboard sputters to a stop.  This gives me reason to pause.  I have had trouble starting the outboard in the past, I have never had it quit on me once running.  Hmmm.  A few pulls and it starts up again.

1:10 turn to starboard and enter the Big Thorofare that leads to Tangier Sound.  Full sail at red marker "8", making 4.0 across Tangier Sound with excellent north wind.  2:30 light wind, 1.8.  2:40 no wind and under power, the tall modern turbine has stopped turning.  3:10 the wind swings around and fills in out of the east. 

3:45 enter Jenkins Creek south of Crisfield.  I explore a little creek but decide it is too shallow for an anchorage.  Back out around the point I set the anchor south of Hammock Point.  As I bring down the jib I notice there is a tear in the seam of the leech.  I patch it with some sail tape as best I can.  I text friend Kristen in St. Michaels and ask her to pick up some more repair tape for me.  Just one roll? she asks (a subtle hint that I should get two, one for repairs and one for later).  Two will be fine, thank you.

Plenty of north wind forecast for tomorrow.  My repair job will get a good test.  Dinner, then I dig out my seven layer cake.  A nice way to end the day.

 30.34 NM