Heading West

Day 6

I woke to calm at first light. Motoring out the cut at King's Creek the wind had picked up to 15 out of the SW. The water was a a mottled mix of grayed olive and muted mix of cobalt and ultramarine flicked with bright white sparkles. High tide was scheduled for 1100.

As I studied the chart it seemed that continuing to head south was over cautious. It was 0900 and Annie was making good way toward Plantation Flats. With two feet charted over the bar I threw her to port and, with the board down, held the take up line to feel the bottom if needed. Moving along on a close reach, ready to hard a lee.

No bumps. Nothing, just fine sailing. So we headed toward the 'parked' ships and on across the Bay to the Mobjack. I tightened the headsail and slacked the main and mizzen a bit, and Annie self-steered with a loose tiller all the way across.

 

The wind dropped to 5-7 at GC 'INP' off New Point Comfort. Again, somewhat like the trip over, we had worked a half mile or so too far north. Several tacks south led to a west turn at the lighthouse and a long afternoon of sailing across the Mobjack to the Severn... the westernmost feeder river. Anchored off Bar Neck for the night. Perfect day I'll have to say.

New Point Comfort Light

Up the Cherrystone

A Later Trip continued...
Day 5

Awoke to a beautiful, crisp day. What a week for sailing.

Enjoyed cleaning and organizing before heading up King's Creek for a look. Took it slow for there were lots of tight curves and suspected shoals. Very quiet. The track on the 'ole Garmin 76 insured a quicker return.

Up King's Creek

I then set out north for the entrance to Cherrystone Inlet. The run up the creek isn't well marked and an incoming tide not only pushed us along but added water underneath and afforded a bit of time to escape a grounding. Using the 5 foot bamboo pole we progressed slowly sounding often.

No yachts or recreational vessels in sight. Several watermen came and went in the oyster farming rigs laden with equipment and traps.

Setting piles for clip line to secure traps. The cylinder is a sorting tube.

I expect extra wraps were for shallow water

Crew of three taking in scow-type working boat with oyster traps

Using the track we returned to King's Creek for the night awaiting a return crossing.

Crossing Over

The outlaw dock

I awoke before light and sculled down creek through glassy water, setting sails just as dawn broke. The weather forecast was perfect and I had decided the night before to head east for Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore. There had been talk about a fantastic harvest moon. That news was accurate.

Getting out early for a Bay crossing seems to be best choice. Just don't know what you might come up against and daylight is key. It didn't really matter this day for it could not have been a better sailing day. Wind SSE at 5-8 knots.

4 1/2 hours later we crossed the shipping channel. There were five large ships anchored along the channel. More about that later. SE wind had put us north of the approach that ran inside the bar just south of Cape Charles harbor. Futile tacks against incoming tide. Motored south to Old Plantation Light and caught wind north inside the bar and rock breakwater that protected the harbor entrance. 

Abandoned rail spur, Cape Charles

I tied up at the city pier and walked into town to look for possible galleries to represent my maritime paintings. Found two that may have promise. One gallery owner said that the tankers and container ships have been anchoring off Cape Charles because the Navy in Norfolk closed off the staging area for ships waiting to pick up cargo. Seems that the locals, especially those recently purchasing large retirement homes on the shore, are not at all happy about the new vista. Oh well.

Sultana from Chesetrtown

SY Meteor, George Town, Bahamas. 100+ footer!

As the afternoon wore on Annie and I headed just north of town and anchored in King's Creek. Peaceful evening with another amazing moon.       27.3 nm