Voyage 2013-2014: Chapter 1

25 Sep 2013, Up the Chesapeake We Go, 38 19.86 N/ 076 27.564 W

After Gilmerton, we headed for Mill Creek in Hampton where we met up with SV Nightingale. Nice anchorage that could accommodate a hundred boats. Not much to do but we didn't have much that we had to do. We will add this to our anchorage list.

The next day we headed for Sandy Point near Reedville. As usual, the wind was out of the NE but only 5-10 kts. SV Nightngale beat us there by 20 minutes and we both anchored behind the shoal. Not much to do, but we didn't have much that we had to do (again). Weather was coming in and we had to hustle to Solomon's before the weather closed. So we left the anchorage at 0330 and cheated the wind.

We anchored at our favorite spot at Solomons (not telling location) where a local fisherman told us about the Waterman's Festival. He said we had to see the docking races. So we did. We had a great time though it was a bit of a walk from the dinghy dock. Of course we visited the Roy Rogers, West Marine, and the booze store. The next day we hiked to the Food Lion.

Today, we left our secret anchorage and took a mooring ball at Zahniser's to do laundry and another visit to Taco Bell and Food Lion. Nice people at Zahnisers. Even though we had sailed the Chesapeake for over 20 years, we had never stopped here before. Tomorrow we head for the Rhode River for the SSCA Gam.

30 Sep 2013, SSCA GAM on the Rhode River, 38 53.082 N/ 076 31.626 W

We got ice at Zahniser's at 0900 and promptly left for the Rhode River. As usual, the wind was lightly on the nose. SV Nightingale stayed at Zahnisers a couple more days. Trip up to the Rhode was uneventful but reminded us how great the Bay is. Only the summers are awful (sometimes).

We anchored around 1500 at our usual spot. Though we were two days early, there were already 30 boats at anchor. That number would grow to almost 100 before it was all over. Weather was nice, the SSCA-ers were friendly, and we were in the Bay. The next day, the festivities began. We had a dinghy raft up around SV Hawk (Beth and Evans) which was quite fun.

The formalities began on Friday with lots of good seminars on communications, sail trim, and rigging. The keynote speaker, Beth Leonard (Hawk) was great but we were really tired (at 2100) so it was hard to concentrate. On Sunday there was a mini flea market where there was stuff; not exciting stuff but stuff nevertheless.