Hot tea from my cruising friends, a weather check and cast off at 8:00. The weather has my attention. I've got good weather for the day, maybe rain by tomorrow evening and then a nor'easter. I want to get across the Bay to Solomons Island and then find some shelter.
Clear skies and a solid north wind. Wearing the dry suit and a double reef tucked in the main. 8:20 on the Tred Avon. Making 3.8. 8:50 choppy waters off of Oxford. 9:05 jibe an Benoni Point and sail onto the Choptank River. Making 4.6 and then 5.9 once out on the open water. Waves coming from after of starboard beam.
10:00 pick out the shallows at Cook Point which marks the southern edge of the mouth of the Choptank. I can see waves rolling down Chesapeake Bay beyond the point. 10:15 jibe while rounding the point. 11:00 making 4.7 off of Hills Point, wind over the port quarter. 11:20 less wind, shake out the second reef.
11:45 jibe to cross Chesapeake Bay, shake out the first reef, full sail. 12:20 making 3.6 downwind wing and wing.
12:50 see a car carrier coming up the shipping channel. Sail south just east of the channel. Once the ship is past, turn southwest to cross the shipping lane. See another ship, this one coming from the north. Plenty of room to cross the channel before it gets near.
1:15 jibe south, 4.0. GPS shows 6.7 surfing down a wave. 1:50 Cove Point Light in sight. 2:15 making 5.4 past the light. Crab pot markers show the tide has turned, now a flood (opposing) tide but with all the wind the tide is not a problem. 2:45 Little Cove Point.
3:00 making 3.1 along the cliffs to Drum Point. Less wind and much calmer water along the cliffs. 3:25 round Drum Point, sailing close hauled to Solomons Island.
There's a large, well-marked shoal joust outside the entrance to Solomons Island. I choose to go south the shoal, maybe a little more distance that way but better wind out on the Patuxent River. 3:40 tacking up the east side of the shoal and into Solomons Island.
4:10 anchor down just off the Tiki Bar & Grill. I exchange a few texts with Shawn. He is getting off from work and we agree to meet at the Tiki Bar. I have known Shawn for years, we have exchanged many, many messages, but I have never met him in person. Motoring into the dock, there he is ready to catch my lines.
We grab a beer and I order a basket of fried fish and French fries. We've got a lot to talk about, but my main concern is finding shelter for the nor'easter. I get out my phone and open Navionics, and Shawn methodically shows me sheltered spots in the area, beginning with the creeks of Solomons Island. Then he slides the chart up the Patuxent River past Patience Point to Mill Creek and then St. Leonards Creek. Shawn seems to know every cove and creek along the way, and makes several good suggestions. It is a fun evening with Shawn talking about all the time he has spent on there water there.
As the sun goes down I tell Shawn I am very glad to have finally met him in person, and I thank him for his advice. I look forward to seeing him again.
Shawn cast off the lines and I motor out to anchor for the night. As I am setting up the boom tent, Shawn sends me a nice photograph from leaving the dock.
33.91 NM
No comments:
Post a Comment