There is Nothing Quite Like Old Friends

Our friends Tracy and Dianne came for a long weekend from Austin, Texas. Tracy and I were college roommates and traveling buddies. We built sand bag jetties on the southeast coast and, with Dianne, did a lot of backpacking in the '70s. Last Saturday Tracy and I lit out for Urbanna and put Annie in for an overnighter. Vera was home and went with us for a short sail before crossing the Rappahannock to head up Corrottoman River. Fair wind ESE carried Annie north on easy tacks. We reached a protected area behind a sand spit on the Eastern Branch that Vera had described before leaving us and we anchored for the night. Beautiful evening with a clear starry sky.

Tracy took the 'aft cabin', as I call it. It is the cockpit covered by a hooped cover that zips to the dodger forward and ends with a hooped batten in a sleeve aft. The tent is hauled aft and tied to the mizzen mast and snapped outboard to the rail. A filler board adds width and forms a pretty nice berth on the port side. I sleep below on the starboard side and it all seems to balance out.

Tracy at the helm

A beautiful Frances 26 by Morris overtakes us

Zooming in

Tracy said "Turn around"

Turning in early

The next morning we worked south and were met by an increasingly brisk wind from the north. Under reefed headsail and mizzen we quartered 2-3 ft. tightly-packed waves, plowing WSW. Got a bit wet and made headway until the last 1/2 mile where I cranked the kicker. We prudently opted to make for the Urbanna Creek entrance... just south of Robinson Creek where we launched.

Plenty of wind

After tying up at the dinghy dock Tracy treated us to a massive breakfast at the Virginia House in town. As we were waddling down the hill, John England happened by and gave me a ride back to his place where I retrieved the rig. When I returned we hauled out, washed down and after taking Annie back, set off for a tour of Deltaville and Mathews before returning to Richmond. It was a great time... we were long overdue for a shared experience.

Good friends... good times