The essence of cruising is being able to change your mind, is it not?
When I stuck my head out the companionway in Chesapeake City this morning, Ray and Heather were all dressed up and ready to leave and just waiting to say goodby. They shouted over that they had decided to make up for the time lost in Cape May and push on to Annapolis and southward. I was sorry to see them go but I would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes. In fact, I had woken up thinking that was what they should do. If I want to see them again, I’ll have to sail to Panama. Hmmm, …
My leisurely breakfast was interrupted by a cloud of migrating birds such as I haven’t seen since a child in Ohio. Two flocks were coming together and swirling around trying to maintain their two groups but merging and separating. They were so thick in places they would have blotted out the sun if it were high enough.
I was out in the canal not long after, alone again, the few boats I recognized from Cape May seemed sound asleep as I passed. Out on the canal, I got to enjoy the autumn colors I mostly missed this year. There was a hint of their beginning when I was up in the Saint John but I was too busy in Portland to notice and just haven’t been near many forested shorelines since. The colors were about at the height they were when I left Portland. Seeing two eagles and the incredible ship “Kalmar Kyckel” coming up the canal put the icing on the cake.
Emerging from the lee of Turkey point brought me into a gentle beam wind, Strider’s favorite point of sail. I set the sails and the self steering gear and was soon sliding down the bay on a warm and beautiful day. It was just a month ago today that I left Portland. I was feeling much like someone who had crossed an ocean and arrived in Maine. Behind me are the long days, the cold dawns seen after hours at the wheel, and the commitment to long legs that must be completed before any shelter can be found.
I’d planned for this to be a short and easy day but the conditions were so pleasant that I kept sliding by one place I’d planned to stop after another. It ended up being a 44 mile day but there is a big difference between being compelled to do a 40+ mile day and doing it because it is just too pleasant to stop.
The wind veered into a dead run and died but I watched the knotlog drop to lower numbers than I have often seen before throwing in the towel. You one tank of fuel a season folks would have been proud of me.
I eventually ended up in Swan’s Creek, shared by the two towns of Rock Hall and Gratitude. I looked at the row of marina moorings and thought, This is supposed to be an easy day. so I picked one up and called Swan Creek Marina to ask if I could give them a credit card instead of rowing ashore. The woman said they didn’t take cards but I could mail a check. I said I would but it might be a while before I got to a post office. “Are you just passing through?” she asked.
When I confirmed that, she said I should just accept the use of the moorings with their compliments. I thanked her and she said, “After all, this is Gratitude.” Nice folks. I’ll make it a point to stop here on the way back.
Sitting at the mooring watching the sun go down, I saw a deer swim across the mooring area. That’s a first for me.
So far, I’m finding the Chesapeake to be magic.
When I stuck my head out the companionway in Chesapeake City this morning, Ray and Heather were all dressed up and ready to leave and just waiting to say goodby. They shouted over that they had decided to make up for the time lost in Cape May and push on to Annapolis and southward. I was sorry to see them go but I would have done exactly the same thing in their shoes. In fact, I had woken up thinking that was what they should do. If I want to see them again, I’ll have to sail to Panama. Hmmm, …
My leisurely breakfast was interrupted by a cloud of migrating birds such as I haven’t seen since a child in Ohio. Two flocks were coming together and swirling around trying to maintain their two groups but merging and separating. They were so thick in places they would have blotted out the sun if it were high enough.
I was out in the canal not long after, alone again, the few boats I recognized from Cape May seemed sound asleep as I passed. Out on the canal, I got to enjoy the autumn colors I mostly missed this year. There was a hint of their beginning when I was up in the Saint John but I was too busy in Portland to notice and just haven’t been near many forested shorelines since. The colors were about at the height they were when I left Portland. Seeing two eagles and the incredible ship “Kalmar Kyckel” coming up the canal put the icing on the cake.
Emerging from the lee of Turkey point brought me into a gentle beam wind, Strider’s favorite point of sail. I set the sails and the self steering gear and was soon sliding down the bay on a warm and beautiful day. It was just a month ago today that I left Portland. I was feeling much like someone who had crossed an ocean and arrived in Maine. Behind me are the long days, the cold dawns seen after hours at the wheel, and the commitment to long legs that must be completed before any shelter can be found.
I’d planned for this to be a short and easy day but the conditions were so pleasant that I kept sliding by one place I’d planned to stop after another. It ended up being a 44 mile day but there is a big difference between being compelled to do a 40+ mile day and doing it because it is just too pleasant to stop.
The wind veered into a dead run and died but I watched the knotlog drop to lower numbers than I have often seen before throwing in the towel. You one tank of fuel a season folks would have been proud of me.
I eventually ended up in Swan’s Creek, shared by the two towns of Rock Hall and Gratitude. I looked at the row of marina moorings and thought, This is supposed to be an easy day. so I picked one up and called Swan Creek Marina to ask if I could give them a credit card instead of rowing ashore. The woman said they didn’t take cards but I could mail a check. I said I would but it might be a while before I got to a post office. “Are you just passing through?” she asked.
When I confirmed that, she said I should just accept the use of the moorings with their compliments. I thanked her and she said, “After all, this is Gratitude.” Nice folks. I’ll make it a point to stop here on the way back.
Sitting at the mooring watching the sun go down, I saw a deer swim across the mooring area. That’s a first for me.
So far, I’m finding the Chesapeake to be magic.
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