Due to the rainy weather, we decided to play tourist locally in Annapolis until the weather cleared. All of us would raather be sailing, but Annapolis is a fun town to visit and we made the most of it, including the US Naval Academy, USNA Chapel, and the excellent museum on the USNA grounds, featuring a magnificent collection of half hulls and ship models created by prisoners. We almost didn't miss sailing, the tourist gig was so cool!
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| Jack and Bob, USNA Cathedral |
The forecast for Wednesday was excellent, so we departed Back Creek, had the sails up and the engine shut down within minutes. The 12 knot northwesterly breeze was perfect for sailing a port close reach to the Chester River. We dashed across the Chesapeake, splitting the small waves and ducking behind the dodger to avoid the spray. It is always fun sailing beneath the Bay Bridge and Bob got some good photos as we did so.
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| Bay Bridge by Bob Zimmerman |
The wind seemed to be challenging our efforts to sail directly to our turning mark just above Love Point, Kent Island. Every time we tried to pinch a bit higher to be certain of laying our mark, the air seemed to head us. Thankfully the little headers weren't much and an occasional lift would enable us to just lay the mark and fall off into the Chester River for an easy and very quiet broad reach, then a run as if we were making for the Kent Narrows.
Since Chestertown was our destination, the run sheeted into a broad reach, which became a close reach again as we followed the horseshoe curve that is the mouth of the Chester. Just as we approached our waypoint for turning east and into the narrower portion of the river, the wind died. It seemed quite alright with us as we had expected to motor this stretch due to the twisting, narrow channel that stretches to Chestertown.
It is a beautiful, pastoral scene as Kelly IV chugged past gorgeous homes, green fields, pleasant campgrounds and numerous copses of trees. As the day wore hot in the still air, we decided to take a swim before reaching our destination. Anchored off Devil's Reach, the mildly brackish water provided the cooling we needed to face civilization.
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| Schooner Martha White |
Our impressive neighbor at anchor off Chestertown was the bright green schooner, Martha White, who claims Chestertown as her home port. We spent the next day exploring the streets, homes and history of this tree-filled colonial village. A free concert was presented at the riverside park, so we enjoyed the concertina, cello and voices of the performers before returning to Kelly IV.
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| Martha White and Kelly IV by Bob Zimerman |
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| Skipjack headed to Chestertown by Bob Zimmerman |
A quick three hour motor tour (no wind) was all Kelly IV needed to bring her crew to Dobbins Island in the Magothy River, across the Chesapeake Bay from Swan Creek. Bob, Jack and I went ashore in the dinghy to join the hundred-plus revelers already enjoying the sun, beach and water for an afternoon swim. A light breeze kicked in as we raised anchor, so we also unfurled the jib and meandered across the Magothy dropping anchor in Mill Creek.
The return to Back Creek and the real world of work and responsibility took less than four hours but the motor did get a break for a couple of those as we sailed a port broad reach under the Bay Bridge. Our annual sail on Kelly IV took us 100nm around the middle bay. Not bad considering we lost two days to weather and one to wandering in Chestertown. It was, in fact, another wonderful week spent with great friends aboard Kelly IV.
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