Cold, cold, cold. The app says 40 degrees. It takes some convincing to climb out of the warm sleeping bag. I start layering on gear. I'm already wearing my base layer polyester long sleeve t-shirt and pants plus mid-weight merino wool shirt and pants plus my wool socks. I add a pullover that is 30-some percent merino wool, shirt and pants, rag wool sweater and.....the drysuit. Feeling a bit like the Michelin man, I decide that might be enough to keep me warm. Soon on slipping my lined waterproof gloves.
Not a breath of wind, under power 7:20. By 8:00 I am motoring against the tide, dolphins swimming along the marsh grass to starboard. At Red 64 a hint of wind.
At 9:15 at the top of Wadmalaw Sound, I see the tide is now with us. 9:25 sails up, motorsailing. 10:05 swirling waters where the sound curves to the west and then back south, more wind and finally sailing.
More dolphins off Toogoodoo Marsh. Blue skies and getting a little warmer, or maybe just a little bit less cold.
Red 100 shows a strong ebb tide. Turning into the Dawho River the ebb is now against us. Round up, bring down the main and jib, motoring agains the tide. 11:50 pass under the bridge and strip off the drysuit. Swirling, confused waters where Fishing Creek pours into the Dawho. As soon as we reach calm waters on the far side of Fishing Creek the ebb tide is with us, we've just crossed the head of the tide.
Light winds and motoring sailing at idle speed the gps shows 5.9 kts, most of that coming from the rushing ebb. The wind comes and goes all afternoon but the tide stays with us. Sailing, motor sailing, sailing again. With light winds make 2.7 as this clouds move it. Fenwick cut at 2:00, the ebb briefly against us, then suddenly slack tide and the water is glassy and calm at the Ashpoo River Cutoff.
On Rock Creek can feel the tide again, 5.0 as the water carries us northwest with marshy Hutchinson Island to starboard. Anchor down 3:15.
No comments:
Post a Comment