Plans Change

Memorial Day, 26 May

Meander of Marblehead lay at anchor, her 47-feet of flag blue, a small round bright red ball floating to windward fifty-feet off her bow. Smart. The clever cruiser ties such a float to the anchor on a light line, marking the anchor for retrieval in the morning and, perhaps more important, letting the next crew into the anchorage know “Here’s my anchor. Stay away.”

The gentleman aboard steps aft to the swim platform, give the lady a nudge to set her swinging—she’s perched in a hammock suspended from the dinghy davits—then coaxes a mature Yellow Lab into the inflatable.

Ah, of course, it’s going on 1800 (six p-m, to you lubbers) and high time to give the pooch some exercise, eh? Or not.

At anchor in Solomons, MD, the crew of Meander prepares to check the catch of the day.

They motor toward the shore, sure enough, but–instead of going on to the beach–stop at the red float. He tugs on the line. The Lab leans over the gunnel and together they inspect the contents of a crab pot was planted in Mill Creek, one assumes, some hours ago. Go figga.

After another interesting, unplanned day, Steadfast lays close by in this creek just east of “downtown” Solomons, Maryland. ‘Cause we all know, plans change. As does the wind.

It was thought she’d head back across the Bay this day, to anchor in some creek off the Choptank River. Instead, there was the little issue with the 12-volt sockets, the ones used to charge iPads, iPhones, laptops, various batteries, etc. When a suspect phone charger was plugged in yesterday, it tripped breaker that killed those sockets plus the marine VHF radio AND the stereo. No tunes!

Quintan to the rescue!

Well, not physically, of course. But via the phone, George talked your electrically-challenged correspondent through the diagnosis process, confirmed some suspicions and, most important, provided moral support. The one remaining such socket in the ship’s store at Zahniser’s was procured, installed, tested and s’all good! Another thirty-minute boat project squeezed into a mere three hours.

At which point, roughly noon on a stunningly gorgeous day, it was determined to get underway and test the winds on the Patuxent. Oxford beckoned.

But the day’s wind being what it was—so’west at 8 or so—Oxford must wait ‘til another day. Instead, having motored to Cove Point, the tidy little ship turned windward, raised all sail and had a rousing three-hour romp back up the Patuxent to share this spot on Mill Creek with Meander and a couple of other sailcraft.

It’s been a good visit to Solomon’s—after motoring 45 NM or so north from Reedville yesterday—hanging with Butch and Eric and our new best friends on “K” dock. A most helpful and congenial group and it is hoped we’ll see them again on the return trip in the fall.

Meantime, we may see Meander and crew in Marblehead. Who knows?

Steadfast out.