Daily Archives: 1 28 May 14

Wednesday, 28 May

There are banshees about tonight.  Many.  Their screams pierce the dark as they fly through the rigging, the trees, anything that stands above sea level.  One after another they rant, minute after minute, ’til inexplicably they fall silent.  But just for a moment, then they’re back at it.  Banshees.

Or it could just be the wind, kicked up by what NOAA tells us is a “back door cold front.”  Gusts are up to 27 knots.  They feel like more.  Whatever, it’s blowin’ here in Oxford, dead out of the east and Steadfast is less than still.

Yesterday’s sail up to Cambridge turned out to be a fun trip.  More than the fact of moving smartly under sail was the experience of sailing the Choptank beyond the mouth of the Tred Avon River.  The Chop narrows considerably as she turns eastward past Castle Haven but the channel remains deep and wide enough as to be easy to pilot.  Deep enough, in fact, that shallow draft craft like Steadfast may slip outside the zig-zag channel in several places to head more directly to her destination.  And each way one turns, the reward is a scenic Eastern Shore view.

After a good soaking last night, then brief shower this morning, there appeared to be a dry if hazy window at midday when Steadfast could safely slip out of Cambridge and move north–a little, at least, about 10 NM–to re-visit the quaint town of Oxford.  There’s not much to Oxford, size-wise, but what’s here is focused almost exclusively on boats, boaters and boating.  Nice.

There was time for a bicycle ride around town with stops at Hinckley’s Ship’s Store, Oxford Yacht Yard, Tred Avon Yacht Club, Oxford Market and for an early waterfront dinner on the pier at The Masthead.  (Sorry.  No photos.  The phone was left inadvertently on board.)

Anyway, there may be another chance tomorrow, given NOAA’s posting of a small craft advisory along with predictions of rain all day.  Then again, a brief window is all that’s needed to move on a bit farther.

Be well!  Steadfast out.

Tuesday, 27 May

Yes, it’s true: Steadfast in fact does sail on occasion and when she does, she’s a happy gal!

The forecast didn’t call for much in the way of wind so not much was expected.  After what felt like an up-hill climb–Solomons, motoring across the Bay to the mouth of the Choptank River at not much more than 4 knots but lots of flies–Steadfast turned to a heading of 090 and, whaddaya know – there’s WIND!  Blessed wind!  Woo-Hoo!!

So, all of her Ullman sail set, topping 6 knots at times, she reaches all the way up the Chop to the entrance channel for Cambridge, MD.  Neither the chart nor the cruising guide gives much indication how to enter the recently-built municipal yacht basin but the channel is easy to spot and carries depths of no less than 10-feet all the way in.  The basin is headquarters for Cambridge Yacht Club where a phone call ahead confirmed that reciprocal privileges would be extended to members of Mathews Yacht Club.  Handy.

While everyone at CYC was gracious and friendly, it’s doubtful a better welcoming committee could’ve been planned, the classic skipjack Nathan of Dorchester out to greet us, likewise under full sail.

A classic Chesapeake Bay skipjack heeled to the wind, under full sail, is a lovely sight, indeed!

Once in the roomy basin, Steadfast tied off as assigned and the crew disembarked for a stroll into town.  Streets are lined with impressive century-old homes of granite or brick, Victorians bedecked in gingerbread, surrounded by lovely gardens.  Downtown, of course, like any in the US, is not fully recovered from the setbacks of recent years.  But the effort clearly is being made.  Evidence, for instance, is in the small pedestrian mall along which a long mural-mosaic depicts significant elements of local history.

That looks like it hurts! Confused for an oyster, Kate gets squeezed by a Cambridge waterman who recognizes a “pearl” when he sees one.

So surprise!  Terrific three-hour sail.  Interesting downtown.  What a great day.  Not sure what the weather holds for tomorrow.  Maybe another surprise.

Steadfast out.

I promised friends I would screw up the courage and “speak up” from time to time. For social voyeurs, it will be obvious when reading, who’s the writer and who’s the accountant in our family.

As Bill has covered, the last several months have been a whirlwind for us. Now we are receiving the fruits of our labors. Our first days out have been lovely, shared with good friends and in familiar waters. A comforting way for me to begin getting my boat-balance—sea legs and emotional rhythm—since I have not been sailing this season until departure.

I would like to share five things I have learned since starting our trip:

1. I can get along without a watch on my wrist.
2. A 27’ boat is really just an odd shaped filing cabinet. Sectioned by “drawers”, “hanging files” and “folders”, we’ve made good use of all the space and, so far, been able to lay our hands on anything we are looking for (expect the bag of soy crumbles that seems to have disappeared in the fridge).
3. Trying to follow the Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book can drive a novice insane.
4. There are numerous ways to get a good workout onboard…even aerobically. The TRX helps.
5. Saying “I love you” to friends feels really good.

With that I’ll say thank you to those who inspired and encouraged us and for all the many gifts we received before departure. Towels are hung, journals in use, knives slicing away and most of the wine now a lovely memory. I miss being with all of you we’ve left behind and I Love You!