day twenty-two - under a crescent moon

Under a crescent moon with Venus nearby, I tuck away the sleeping gear and break down the boom tent.

6:45 under power and motoring east into the coming dawn.  I hope to make it out of Kirwan Creek and be in position for the 7:30 lift at Kent Narrows bridge.

I'm at the south approach day beacon with time to spare.  Drifting at the mouth of Marshy Creek, I top off the fuel tank.  There is a steady tide running north to south as I approach the bridge.  On channel 13 I request a 7:30 lift, and also hear three boats - two sail and one power - requesting the same lift from the north side of the bridge.  Boats going with the tide, in this case the southbound tide, have the right-of-way.  Once the opening begins, I circle off to the west side of the channel to clear the way for the southbound vessels.  Once they are through, I power through the tide and pass through the bridge opening.  

The marked channel heads north, then bends northeast and then to the northwest onto the Chester River.  Once in deep enough water, we slip out of the channel and raise sail just and the morning breeze fills in.  How nice.    

It is a steady wind out of the south.  7:50 sails up, wing and wing, making 4.3 to the north.  8:40 4.8 off Eastern Neck Island.  Easy, steady sailing on a pretty morning.  A bit of white appears in the treelike to the north, showing me the marinas in Rock Hall.  At 9:15 5.4.  Even better wind at 9:50 with Huntingfield Point to starboard.  

10:00 a little less wind and we slip through the stone jetties into the harbor.  

Round up and bring down the sails.  Steady wing and wing from Kent Narrows, I try to remember if I have ever had a run quite like that.  I don't think so.

I walk up to the marina office and get a slip for SPARTINA and a room at the Mariner's Motel for two nights.  

Sitting at a table at Waterman's for lunch, the waitress pulls out the chair opposite me and sits down like an old friend.  We talk about the weather, we talk about football.  I mention my favorite lunch, the fried oyster po'boy, is no longer on the menu.  She tells me oysters are on special and she can get a po' boy for me.  How nice!

Dinner at the Harbor Shack with friends Fred and MaryLou in the evening.  

 11.65 NM