Perfect Weather for Sailing - July 4–6, 2013

After stowing our provisions for a couple days, Keith and Stephanie threw off the dock lines while Kelly and I took them away from Annapolis Landing Marina. Our first stop was Whitehall Creek for a community picnic and fireworks. It is a very short trip across the Severn River, Whitehall Bay, then up the creek, so we only unfurled the genoa for a little motor sailing. There are some notable doglegs piloting a deep draft vessel, namely Kelly IV's 5 feet of draft, to wind safely into Whitehall Creek, but that isn't any different than any other destination around the Chesapeake Bay. Keith steered Kelly IV like the experienced hand that he is and made a great crew mate as I worked the anchor deck.

With our craft safely anchored for the night, we nosed the Pudgy dinghy into the smaller tributary where we found the home of Don and Donna, who included us for their community picnic and fireworks viewing. The traditional crab feast was delicious as we renewed our skills at harvesting the meat from the multilegged, hard-shelled critters. It seems that we spend more calories digging the white gold from the shells and legs than we consume.

Evelyn Marie is the classic wooden Chesapeake Bay Deadrise that Don and Donna keep in a slip at their home. It was also our transport to Whitehall Bay where the fireworks presented by the city of Annapolis could be viewed without battling the crowds in the Severn River and Annapolis Harbor. Don found a radio station playing Sousa marches and we enjoyed a terrific evening of lightshow and camaraderie.

The next morning we departed Whitehall Creek and sailed under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Stephanie's first time doing so. Crossing under the massive twin spans is always an exciting event on a small boat. Although there were lots of small craft on the bay, there was no freighter traffic, so the bridge was not the challenge it might have been. A tack off the eastern shore of Kent Island took us back across the bay past the Sandy Point Lighthouse and into the mouth of the Magothy River past the southern tip of Gibson Island.

Keith and Stephanie

Although we were concerned about losing our breeze as we entered the enclosed waters of the Magothy, Kelly did fine sailing all the way to our anchorage in Cool Springs Cove off the southern shore. Although we had sailed 14 miles from Whitehall Creek, we were only four miles as the crow flies from our previous night's anchorage. Thanks to a sunny yet mildly breezy day, Keith was able to introduce Stephanie to the joys of sailing without the challenges of too much or too little wind.

Kelly IV with her genny poled out to port

Saturday morning introduced another perfect weather day as we set sail before even raising the anchor and sailed away without ever using the motor. This day produced more breeze when we exited the Magothy and Kelly sailed a long tack across the bay, then came about to cross under the bridge. Except for a lull in the lee of the bridge, the breeze maintained about 10 – 12 knots through the day. The motor was never required until it was time to drop the sails and return to the marina.

Kelly IV departs the Magothy River

What a wonderful weekend to share with great friends!