Fleet 10, Day 4

"South Paw" at the Francis Scott Key buoy
with the remnants of the Key Bridge
behind her.

From Captain Sean's FB post, Day 4:

"Fleet 10 Cruise Day 4:  Monday, we woke up at Hart-Miller with the raft-up still intact. We broke off at 0900 to make sure there was enough water over the Pleasure Island cut. No Stress followed us, while most boats went up and around the island. It got really shallow at mid-tide near the Craighill upper range mark, but we never felt bottom. Once in the Patapsco,  we were able to sail to nearly Fort McHenry. We wanted to wait for No Stress so we could all get photos by the Frances Scott Key buoy, so we sailed into Curtis Bay then tacked back to meet everyone. It was kind of eerie going by the supports of the old Key Bridge. We docked at Oasis Marina at Harbor East- Baltimore. Mason and I went to Inner Harbor and went to the aquarium. We met up with the Fleet 10 crew for dinner at Mo's, then dessert at Vaccaro's before heading back to the marina lounge to hang out and play some Tenzi."

"No Stress" cruising the Patapsco River
with downtown Baltimore behind her.

"Yes II" at the Francis Scott Key Buoy

Chuck steering his chartered sailboat up the Patapsco River

"No Stress" at the FSK Buoy

Mason at the helm on the Patapsco River.
The broken Key Bridge in the background.

"South Paw" in her berth in Baltimore.

A couple of these boats clear the harbor of trash.

Fleet 10 dinner venue

Fleet 10 at dinner

Fleet 10, Day 3

From Captain Sean's FB post, Day 3:

"Fleet 10 Cruise Day 3:  We left Fairlee Creek heading west to Hart-Miller Island. We didn't expect much sailing but it turned out to be a great sail, and the wind allowed us to point right to the raft up close-hauled as we rounded the northern end of the island. I ferried three rounds of people to the beach on the dinghy and got two groups back. Then the wind piped up over 20 knots and stayed there. Mason Rosier , Allen Murphy , and Floy Marie Pease were stranded on the island. My little electric motor never would have made it back in that wind- we all had to duck to reduce windage to get the last group back. We saw Solitude anchored close to the beach, so we hailed Pirate Lew and negotiated our crew's rescue for a bottle (partial) of rum. No Stress joined the cruise shortly after and we had them over for a piecemeal version of a low country boil- a DhBOSS tradition.  We usually don't stay rafted up overnight on the bay, but since we had already weathered 25 knot gusts in it, we figured we would be fine."

Elsa, Captain Sean, Captain Bill

View from Hat-Miller Island includes the rafted
Fleet 10 in the left of the center.

Rafted Fleet 10

Captain Sean's multiple
tracks to/from the island.

Captain Bill on the island

Keith, Guy, Mason

Fleet 10, Day 2

Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing Marina

From Captain Sean's FB post, Day 2:

"Fleet 10 Cruise Day 2:  Saturday, we left Bodkin Creek on a heading of 040 for an all-motor trip to Fairlee Creek, Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing Marina. This was a new destination for the crew and I. It has an interesting, narrow, shallow, busy entrance with a hard turn to starboard.  You know it is tricky when even powerboaters slow down, but we timed it near slack tide to avoid any drama. We greeted and helped some other Fleet 10 boats get into their A-dock slips, I finished installing the newly sewn dinghy seat cushion, and then we headed for the pool. We checked out Jellyfish Joel's, Mason Rosier and I bounced on some inflatable trampoline bubble thing at the park, and then we headed to the event tent for our opening Captain's meeting and Fleet 10 group photo.  Then I grilled up some chicken while Mason made a salad and we invited Heather and Carol over for dinner."

"South Paw" entering Fairlee Creek

Fleet 10, Day 1

From Captain Sean's FB post for Day 1:

"Fleet 10 Cruise Day 1:  Allen Murphy , Mason Rosier and I got down to South Paw late Thursday night.  I worked out of the Marina Friday (and from McDonald's since the internet was down on our whole side of Back Creek).  We set off at 1605 to start my 8th straight Fleet 10 National Cruise and my first as director. We put out all the canvas and sailed from just out of Back Creek, under the Bay Bridge and reeled them in around Sandy Point light as the wind died down. It was dark as we approached the entrance to Bodkin Creek in the mouth of the Patapsco River. Murph had the helm the whole way and I lit up the marks to the narrow and shallow entrance. We were anchored and shut down about 2230 and then watched the original Blues Brothers, which Mason had never seen."

(To see all these posts, Click thru the "Newer Posts" at Bottom)

Captain Sean, Mason, Murph

Murph steers "South Paw" under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The projected itinerary for the 2025 Fleet 10 cruise.

Sports Vintage Racing Association

 This was Murph's first chance to work the SVRA event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  In the past, the Fleet 10 Sailing Cruise of the Chesapeake Bay conflicted with this opportunity.

The oldest cars were called "Pre-War" as they were from before World War I.  That's correct, BEFORE WWI not WWII.  In fact, one of these older cars actually competed in the very first Indy 500 in 1911.

They did not actually race the Pre-War automobiles as these are true museum pieces and are very difficult to maintain.  As you would expect, none of the parts are still being manufactured so every part must be custom-built or -machined for these beauties.

There were many other vintage racing vehicles,
but I didn't get many photos of them.

My brother, John, also working as a Yellowshirt,
is standing to the left as these cars are staging
for their next race.  Unlike the Pre-War cars,
the other classes all race within their various divisions.

The Indiana Pacers were in the NBA Finals after a great season, so the track was honoring them with a flag flying from above the Pagoda and with special signage on the Pylon.