Sailing with George and Vicky: September 2021

This weekend was a story of zero wind, followed by too much wind.

We had zero energy for heading down to the boat Friday night after spending two weeks on it during our recent vacation. Instead we had a quiet night of reading in the library.

Matching martinis and periodic table blankets

We packed and headed down early on Saturday morning, departing after a quick lunch and found a perfectly flat bay - zero wind. I tried to pull the sails out but we just imitated a bobber. So after a while waiting for wind, and some slow touring using the motor, we headed in for the day.

This looks like a flying dinghy!

We ended the day trying the Slip Holder's Lounge for the first time (on the last day it was open this season).

We had pork night! They make the BEST pork at Osprey Point.

We walked back to Seas The Day right after sunset - just as dusk was approaching.

I went for my sunrise walk on Sunday morning, followed by breakfast at the Inn.

My colleague, Ying, and her friends joined us mid-morning on Sunday. Ying works in our procurement group and also shares an interest in photography. She brought her older son, Anton, and her friend Seta and her family (Nate, Neil and Samuel).

My colleague, Ying (Vicky's photo)

I'll let the photos tell the story, but this time we had too much wind. I actually only pulled out 2/3 of the sails to keep things under control. Seta and Nate also sail, but on small hobby cats - a much different experience. (I think Nate really wanted me to put Seas The Day through her paces to see how far we could push her... I was sailing very conservatively to keep it as pleasant as possible for Ying and Anton who were quite new to this.)

After a few tacks back and forth, we headed back to Osprey Point for a wonderful lunch that the ladies set up in the salon.

Bonus - Some photos from Vicky

Bonus - A few photos from Ying

Bonus - Two photos from Seta

Thursday

We awoke to a different scene from the cockpit... the breeze had shifted almost 180 degrees during the night and we were now facing into the cove (away from the horse farm). It was cloudy and overcast so there wasn't much of a sunrise to speak of and after breakfast, we departed.

We took a quick detour to check out the additional coves to the northeast of Gibson Island, but agreed that the one by the horse farm was the best place to stay. We came back across the edge of the horse farm and made our way out the Magothy River.

Weird houseboat in the NE cove

It was overcast and grey all morning.

Baltimore Light was a dot a mile or so to the East

Around 10:30, we made the turn into the Patapsco River and began seeing more industrial scenery.

I almost crossed in front of this tug and barges.
(If you look from the front it blended in well with the distant trees.)

The Key buoy with Fort McHenry in the background.

Fort McHenry flying the storm flag on Thursday

Vicky was horrified when I asked for two of the (very muddy) fenders we stored up in the anchor locker as I docked. So as soon as we docked, she got to work scrubbing and sanitizing the anchor locker. I sense a seawater wash down pump in the anchor locker is our next boat investment.

Vicky took about 2 hours to scrub the boat to her satisfaction... she seemed happy with her effort and I had to capture it on our way to dinner in the evening.

We had dinner at Loch Bar, just across the street from the marina. We started out with an outside seat, but soon the wind picked up and it was pretty clear that a storm was coming so we asked to be moved inside and Vicky went to fix her hair. Of course that was when the entrees arrived (it never fails).

Time to pack it inside!

Sesame & caraway encrusted salmon and fish & chips

I asked the bartender to give me his "peatiest Islay Scotch"
(He complied... this tasted like arson samples in a glass.)

Smores Blondie

A little after we got back to the boat, the rain finally came, but despite the earlier wind, it was simply a gentle summer rain.

We were reading/watching during the evening and after nightfall, we retired below. It was a bit later when I heard a loud thumping sound inside the boat. At first I thought it was another boat pulling in, but when it continued for a long time, I looked outside. I discovered we were right next to the music pavillion where a band named Rebelution (I don't know anything about today's music) was playing. During the walk back from the search for the sound, I grabbed a few nighttime photos.

We sat in the cockpit listing to the concert... unfortunately, we got to hear it many many times as it bounced off all the buildings - kind of a blur of sound that sounded somewhat like it might be good music, but without being able to actually hear any details.

Friday

We left relatively early on Friday morning to head back across the Chesapeake Bay to home base at Osprey Point. It was foggy and raining for the first part of the trip and I'll have to admit, it was a bit intimidating to head out into the great grey beyond as we left the Patapsco River. The view forward was only of the next few red and green buoys ahead of us.

Fort McHenry flying the Garrison Flag on Friday.
(This is the first time I've seen this being flown... the same size flag F. S. Key saw.)

Of course, I was too busy trying to capture the Garrison Flag over Fort McHenry when this "heart attack" moment happened. Yes... I almost hit the buoy.

Notice that this is the red/green buoy. This time I was close enough to discover why I always had trouble finding this... there's very little red. Good to know.

With the foggy conditions, I also relied on the range lights to keep me in the channel. The higher light is much farther back and the trick is to steer towards the lower light to get back to the center of the channel.

Anyway, there are no photos from the trip across... too foggy. But after a few hours, we were back at Osprey and all tied up! Since we pumped out at Gratitude Marina, the order for the afternoon was to simply veg out in the salon and maybe fill water before our dinner reservation in the evening.