Chesapeake Bay September 27, 2019

Thanks, in memory of a friend:  Twenty years ago we met Mike and Karen Murphy, with their three daughters, on Pennywhistle, a twenty-seven foot Tartan yawl.   We had floated into Leland harbor with no power and Mike caught us at the dock.  He was a physics teacher, loud, funny, and kind.  Over the years, his family met us on Mackinac Island and all over the North Channel in Ontario.  In l993, they took a year’s cruise, round trip to the Bahamas.   They boat schooled their daughters with special attention to Social Studies and Civics during two weeks in Washington D.C.   We were inspired by Mike’s gutsy, creative approach to sailing adventure and by Karen’s organizational magic aboard Pennywhistle. Their example was the impetus for our first cruise to the Bahamas in 2008.   Mike battled cancer for many years.  He died in late December 2018.   While we are on board, every belly laugh will remind us Mike and his gift of friendship.   

So, onward we sail! St. Michaels was a satisfying stop on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  Our San Domingo Creek anchorage provided spectacular sunsets and views of elegant old estates.  We enjoyed sunrise greetings from watermen as they passed on the way to checking crab pots.  The dinghy ride to town was less than ten minutes.  We happily spent nearly a full day wandering the exhibits of the Chesapeake Maritime Museum.

 

Choptank thistle with Monarch

San Domingo Creek Buzzard

Oxford was the next stop, into the Choptank River, the Tred Avon River, and to an anchorage in Town Creek. We spent four days polishing what we call The Oxford State of Mind.   We were enamored with that village on our first visit, 2008, and found that not one bit of its charm has been lost.  There were a few shops, a small grocery, a tiny library with books but no place to sit, and several good restaurants.  The Hinckley and Cutts & Case yacht yards were filled with boats that looked like works of art.   We biked (Dietrich pedaled at least 50 miles) and walked the countryside and village for hours every day.  Sidewalks were bumpy brick, the architecture was mostly Eastern Shore cottage style with bits of fancy trim and huge, elaborately furnished screened porches.  It was quiet!  Every now and then we encountered a dog walking its friendly owner, an opportunity to chat about traditions and history of the area.  Dinner at Pope’s Tavern was a treat… crab sautéed with butter and lime, wrapped in crepes, fresh, salty bread with roasted garlic and oil…  It was hard to leave but we managed to have a lively sail south to Solomon’s Island.

Oxford brickage

The Rosenfeld's Photo Boat "Foto" @ Cutts and Case Boatyard

Oxford Wildlife

Oxford Holly

Tangier Island, Virginia is our home tonight, rich with memories of our stop here ten years ago. Milton Parks, a retired waterman, is 88 now, still tending his little marina.  Tiny crab shacks are on stilts, sitting in quirky lines just off shore.  Watermen tend their tanks (filled with blue crabs about to peel out of the shells they have out grown and become delectable soft shell crabs) round the clock.   The shacks are made more comfortable with couches, and food.   This is an island populated by people who have lived here for generations spanning centuries, who have been watermen, working on the boats and the tanks, since they were kids.  The local speech pattern is unique, initially hard to understand.  Islanders are quick to strike up a conversation, though, so we are getting used to its charm.    

US Navy Target Ship American Mariner, former WW2 Liberty Ship.  The surrounding waters are littered with the remains of gunnery practice and bombing runs, mostly just out of sight beneath the waves

Parks Marina on Tangier Island

One of many Tangier Island cemeteries

Tangier salt marsh

Tangier Island beach at south end

Tangier Island harbor

Route to Tangier beach

Tangier Island at sunset

Tangier Island crab shacks

Waterman on the move

Tangier Island harbor

Parks Marina at high tide on a shrinking island

Tangier Island harbor at sunset

Counting Oysters

Harold Pruitt, a waterman

Kim "Socks" Parks, a waterman

September 19, 2019 St. Michael's MD

We were in the Annapolis-Eastport area for two weeks.  Dietrich installed a new transmission and adjusted the prop.  The path to those jobs was twisted, beginning with a rebuild transmission kit arriving from the west coast minus an essential part.  Throughout the process we lived on stilts in the Bert Jabins Yacht Yard where a clean laundry/shower facility (with AC!) was appreciated.  The staff was always helpful, including the two who grew up in Traverse City (small world!).  Our local friend, Deb, made sure we had delicious food and lodging for the one night Dietrich agreed to take off.  We all enjoyed John Shane and FJ (stand up bass) at a jazz-folksy blues house concert.  Dietrich's birthday was celebrated at Chick n' Ruth's with a crab omelette and their famous Deli potatoes.  The whole place sang Happy Birthday, followed by standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, a 54 year tradition.  Days later, we had a lively sailors' reunion with Traverse City's Teddy and Debbie Lockwood there, as well.  Other food finds worth mentioning:  Baker & Co. in Eastport, a little neighborhood bakery with outdoor seating (and many happy dogs) and fine pastries and breads, along with The Big Cheese/Sammy's Deli, in Annapolis, the best cheeses from owners who know the business and wisely give samples.  Today, after a night back at Spa Creek to regroup and a pleasant 30 mile sail, we are anchored near St. Michaels, MD., on San Domingo Creek, off the Choptank.  Breakfast in the cockpit included a parade of Deadrise crab boats heading out to check pots.   

St . Mary's Cove, Annapolis MD

Thomas Point Light

Deadrise behind old wood

Pavillion on San Domingo Creek

Another Deadrise

Deadrise cruising

September 4, 2019 Sag Harbor to Annapolis

We did enjoy walking the historic neighborhoods of Sag Harbor. Prices were out of sight, but the chocolate sorbet we shared was exquisite.  Our anchorage, two miles across the bay, was away from big boat traffic and came with free aerial shows by resident ospreys.

Coffee Pot Light Long Island

Sag Harbor

We took a mooring at the City Island Yacht Club (far west end of Long Island Sound).  It came with a 24 hr. launch service, a launch dog, and drivers who were ready to share local lore and suggestions for having fun.  A long walk into town was worth the effort when we found Artie's Italian restaurant.  Imagine perfectly cooked pasta, paper thin sun dried tomatoes, steamed broccoli, juicy-fresh grilled shrimp and toasted pistachios dressed with peppery olive oil, lime juice, and fresh basil.  We smiled all the way back to the boat.  The morning departure was at the ebbing tide, down that lively East River, topping out around Hell Gate at 12.0 knots over ground. Dietrich never stopped grinning! (and from the Captain: The term Hell Gate was originally from the Dutch Helle Gadt, meaning Bright Strait or Clear Opening, although after 50 or more vessels sunk in the area it must have seemed like some version of Hell. In the 19th Century, the strait was cleared with explosives and the passage now can be quite benign but still very fast.)

Lighthouse with New Rochelle

City Island Yacht Club Mooring Field

City Island Yacht Club 

12.0 knots Speed Over Ground

NY Harbor

Traffic Entering NY Harbor

Continuing south we bounded 240 miles in the Atlantic swells off New Jersey.  We anchored at Atlantic Highlands, Atlantic City, and Cape May before heading 65 miles up Delaware Bay and into Chesapeake City.   The tide was with us most of the way!  Labor Day weekend boat traffic was challenging, but we enjoyed good conversations at the dock.   Breakfast at local Fire Station 2 was a feast of homemade goodies and nice people.

Sandy Hook Point at Dawn

Skimmers Feeding in Brigantine at Atlantic City

Atlantic City, NJ

Atlantic City NJ Inlet at Dawn

 

At Anchor in Brigantine at Atlantic City

Cape May Beach

Chesapeake City

A lovely night anchored in the Sassafras River (northeast Chesapeake) ended with a morning so foggy that we had to drop anchor for 2 hours after getting an early start.  Eventually, clear skies allowed us to head into a rowdy Bay, wind on our nose and a knot of tidal current in our favor.  Those opposing forces combined with heavy power boat traffic and many crab pots required careful navigating.  Moving around on board under those conditions can be tricky, so we live in the cockpit all day.  Fifty miles to the Annapolis area sent us into Mill Creek where we landed at Cantler's dock.  Thanks to our friend, Kelly Roscher,  we discovered Cantler's Crab restaurant many years ago.  The meals are served on sheets of craft paper so the debris of shells can be easily removed.  The Blue Crabs, on their to being Soft Shell Crabs are first known as Peelers and are held in dockside tanks accompanied by a fellow who
monitors their progress toward squeezing out of those tight shells.  We stayed overnight at the dock, a quiet spot until ducks, osprey, song birds, and cicadas began the morning chorus.

Ship John Shoal Light, Delaware Bay

Cantler's for Dinner

Cantler's Dock

A Blue Crab Peeler at Cantler's

By this time, we were monitoring hurricane Dorian's wicked ways.  We took a mooring in Spa Creek (edge of Annapolis and Eastport, Maryland) for a few days, my favorite spot around here.  We have a one minute dinghy ride to shore where we walk into old neighborhoods, bumpy brick sidewalks, heavily canopied, narrow streets, and splendid gardens.  Downtown, fifteen minutes away, offers high energy people and traffic, great restaurants and shops, and friends Nancy and Paul Jacobs.  They are a former Traverse City teacher and business man (and cruisers!) who now make their home here while running the annual boat shows.  They were generous with their time and friendship!  Today, we are moving to the Annapolis City Marina where we will settle for a few days, monitoring Dorian's effect on the Carolinas and Georgia.   This evening, we will enjoy time with another friend, Deb, whose has been our hostess during Annapolis visits for several decades.   Our plans for the Bahamas are in flux.   It will be important to get reliable information about how cruisers and other visitors  may impact the efforts to clean up and to provide basic needs to residents.   We will do our research.

Annapolis Sunset