day 15 - wind on the stern

6:55, sails up before the sun on a pretty morning.  The sand spit at the north end of the creek is easily visible as we skirt it out on to Daugherty Creek.  7:00 jibe to Tangier Sound.

Navionics shows a course of 320 degrees to Hooper Island Strait.  Out on Tangier Sound 7:30 making 5.1 with wind over the port quarter.  7:50 tuck in a reef, 5.7 in building wind.  8:35 tuck in second reef.  Much more comfortable. 

Deal Island to starboard, making 5.5.  Trees on the horizon to the north, maybe Bishops Head.  8:50 see a tug and barge to the north, make a point of keeping an eye on them.  It takes a few minutes to conclude they are anchored.

9:20 Bloodsworth Island to port, 4.9.  10:15 enter Hooper Island Strait, rougher water as waves roll up Chesapeake Bay.  10:45 off the south end of Lower Hooper Island, 4.3 in choppy water.  Less wind and waves than I had expected.

11:15 shake out the second reef.  11:25 shake out the first reef, full sail.  12:20 wind fades to a light breeze, motorsailing.  

With lighter wind on the stern rig up an extension for the main sheet so I can put the main right up against the shroud when headed downwind.  Seems to work well.

1:10 off Barren Island and the wind returns.  3.2 wing and wing.  2:00 with a helping tide, make 3.6.  

Stronger wind and making 4.8 at 3:10.  That main sheet extension lets me expose more of the sail to the wind.  

4:00, doing 6.6 sailing down building waves approaching Oyster Cove.  Jibe into the Little Choptank as we get a few stronger guests.  4:20 bring down the main, sailing under mizzen and jib.  

5:15 in Hudson Creek, my anchorage from just a few days ago.  I pass by a larger boat and they tell me they are stuck on a shoal.  I tell them I don't know what I can do, but I'm willing to help.  The sailor asks if I would kedge out a large anchor so they can pull themselves off the shoal.  I do, and with a wave they let me know they are free.  Anchor down in the little cove near the cemetery 5:45.

 45.23 NM