It was too dark to see the daymarks, but we were in an area where missing the channel meant a high probability of running afoul of fish stakes, grounding or both. Not knowing where the channel was headed, it was hard for me to buoy spot. I pulled up the charts on Chris’s phone in […]
I was so excited to finally be starting the ICW, but today was not without its challenges. The wind was up, and it made getting off the dock and getting fuel difficult. That delayed us enough that we didn’t think we could make the 1100 lock for the Dismal Swamp, and missing that meant we […]
When we originally planned the trip, we considered only staying one night in Norfolk. Between it being a city and the surrounding area being so industrial, we figured we wouldn’t really like it all that much. But it turned out to be a really cool stop, and as I find myself saying over and over […]
After three or four days of sustained 20kt winds with 25kt gusts, yesterday was finally settled enough for us to depart mid-afternoon. While I was a little sad to leave Deltaville behind, I was happy to finally move on. Periods of rain and drizzle mixed with sunny skies, creating amazingly dramatic skies, including a few […]
“The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray,” and this weekend proved that out. Originally the forecast said yesterday would be rough but today would be more settled – and after we made the call to make a straight run to Norfolk today, the forecast changed. This morning was absolutely howling, cloudy […]
It was a quiet, clear morning as we hauled anchor in the dark, and I took the first watch as a stunning sunrise unfolded. We rolled out the jib and motorsailed, and our average speed during my watch was around 7.25kts over ground. Crossing shoals and at the mouth of the Potomac, we beat into […]
We got under way just before dawn on Saturday morning to make our run to Solomons. It was a beautiful morning, if chilly, and we had a gorgeous sunrise as we left. The trip was easy, and we got in relatively early – which was probably a good thing since the anchorages are tight and […]
I really enjoyed our time in Annapolis. Our mornings were spent taking dinghy cruises up Spa Creek, wandering various parts of town taking in the colonial architecture and blend of small town and city vibes, and sitting in the cockpit enjoying being in the heart of it all. I took a morning to tour the […]
We debated whether to make our next stop the Chesapeake or go offshore straight to Norfolk, VA. Skipping the Chesapeake entirely would save us a few weeks, but we had both really been looking forward to some Chesapeake sailing. Our original plan was to stay for the Annapolis boat show, but that would have had […]
Our time in Cape May was amazing. The old Victorian homes along the waterfront and Washington Street bring to mind a combination of Oak Bluffs and the New Orleans Garden District, but it truly has its own character. There’s a neat little open air market at the end of Washington Street, and along the inland […]