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

Crab Cake

Ware River sunset

Temperatures warmed a bit overnight. A welcome change in that the previous night in the North River had dropped to 48° (F). So the second sleeping bag found itself back under the fore deck. Mountain House Breakfast Skillet, strong coffee with a splash of Irish, plenty of feeding dolphins, and a watercolor sketch made for a swell breakfast.

By 9:30, with wind out of the ENE at 10 knots, we were heading southeast through the Mobjack. Rounding Guinea Marshes I decided to head south for the traditional boat building area of Seaford and Poquoson.

Crossing Mobjack Bay on a beautiful day

Light downwind run across the York River... resorted to motoring into the Poqouson River and north up Chisman Creek. There were boat projects in progress.

 

 

 

Being that there was no restaurants around and I was hankering for seafood, I turned Annie south again. Crossed over Poquoson River, entered Lambs Creek and tied up at York Haven Marina. Had been there a few years back and wanted to take more pictures of decaying work boats. Its a gold mine.

My friend Dave Rollins restored the buyboat Linda Carol in the yard. She was tied to the dock looking mighty fine. 'Spartina' Steve photographed the boat for the Virginia Pilot back in July.  See the images here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant Surf Rider was just across the creek. Dave had brought me with the crew of the F.D. Crockett buyboat here and I new there was a crab cake worth ordering... 

 

The Hokule'a was docked there. She is one of Hawaii's outreach vessels that travels around the world. The crew are young folks that seemed to be off traveling.

 

It was dark when dinner was over and a good anchorage was close by wasn't apparent. I decided to stay on a finger pier as an outlaw. Oh well.

 

Friend's Day

An up and down night. First nights are like that... needing to find the new 'early to sleep' rhythm of being alone on the water. Steve was meeting me at 9:30 so I resorted gear and savored my coffee. As time grew near we headed toward the marina, and as Annie came alongside Steve appeared with gear bag and soft lunch cooler. And then we were off down the North River toward the Mobjack with a north wind shoving us south.

Mobjack Bay Marina    North, Virginia

The wind held through the morning as we plowed through the short chop. Steve took the helm and I kicked back in the cockpit. Turning up the Ware River we found a small cove in the lee. Dropping anchor we enjoyed the lunch Steve brought... fancy cheeses, salami, apples and French wine! Not the typical fare aboard, but no complaints.

 

We started up the Ware River but decided that we would return to the marina planning to get back before five. Tacking and motorsailing got us back and I again retraced our track to anchor overnight at the 'lunch spot'.

A Later Trip

With the sting of opting out of an early October sail and missing the Chesapeake Small Craft Festival waning, another opening emerged. Repacking Annie I set off early on Thursday the 13th for Matthews. Putting in at the Town Point Ramp south of town we motored south toward Mobjack Bay on glassy water. Clear, cool and beautiful. I had called my friend Steve the Yodeler telling him to meet me at Mobjack Bay Marina the next morning for a day sail  up the North River. Anchored off Blackwater Creek to the first autumn moon rise.

 

A Lot to Do

These pictures really show the devastation at the St. Augustine City Marina and around. Photos: FishMonster Magazine

Hoping the Best

St. Augustine, Florida was our home for twenty-five years. We moved to Virginia four years ago but still keep close contact with our friends there. The storm surge of Hurricane Matthew has flooded this beautiful little city. I hope everyone is safe and they get back home soon.

This picture shows the Bridge of Lions from downtown yesterday. We lived just over the bridge.

This earlier post shows a lot calmer days...  click here

Postponed (!*#!)

I cancelled my fall sail to St. Michaels. The weather had deteriorated to the point that it looked like a lot of sitting at anchor with the tent up. Friends did participate in the MASCF but with scheduled times after I decided to postpone until mid-October hoping that there will be a window of nice weather... for the most part.

Steve on Spartina is winding up his trip that included the festival. Looking forward to reading about his adventure.

Mid-Alantic Small Craft Festival, 2013    Maybe next year...

Preppin'

Annie and I are leaving for a fall sail early next Wednesday. Have started to pack gear ... tested  motor this morning, running well. Planning to make it a work/pleasure trip. Need new sketches for studio paintings.

Found a marina in Shady Side, south of Annapolis on the western shore to launch from. Weather is looking pretty good. Steve is heading out of Cambridge on the Eastern Shore this weekend. I'll be watching out for three sails on the horizon. Plan to sail over and attend the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival in St. Michaels, Maryland on the weekend.

While in Solomons, Maryland on the buyboat cruise a few weeks ago, Vera and I noticed an old photo of John England and me from a small craft meet we attended years ago. See them and many more old friends soon...

John (with ultralight) and I, St. Marys City, c. 1990

"Once I dream it, I can build it"

That's a quote by Frances Goddard, storied boatbuilder from Piney Point, Maryland. He has built untold Chesapeake workboats over the last 60 years. He told me there are well over a hundred documented vessels. They include the skipjacks Connie Francis and the Dee of St. Marys, the latter has recently joined the preserved in-water craft at the Calvert Marine Museum. A few weeks back I had the pleasure of talking with Frances at Calvert where I curated in the late 80s and early 90s. I have long had a photograph of him from '83 over my desk.

At Calvert

Frances Goddard and the Connie Frances