Traveling Up the Chester River to Chestertown

The second trip of our Mid-Autumn Festival vacation was to travel up the Chester River to Chestertown.  The Chester river is this large "arm" of water that sticks off the body of the Chesapeake Bay is just south of Rock Hall and Swan Creek.  We had read that it's a nice trip and since there wasn't supposed to be good wind on Sunday, we decided to use the day on a river trip.

The route is to head south from Rock Hall, then enter the mouth of the Chester River just east of Love point.  Navionics predicted a 5 hour trip, but with the current against us going upriver, we allowed for 6 hours.  (It's interesting to know that the trip between Chestertown and Rock Hall is maybe 15 minutes by car.)

Again, I'll let most of the photos tell the story... 

There was no wind and the bay was absolutely flat. It was cold, though, so after a few selfies, Vicky found a perch inside the dodger that was warmer since the engine was running.

In the southern portion of the Chester River, we encountered a number of other boats under sail.

As we progressed up the river, the banks got closer and closer so we could begin to see some sights.

And what sights!  This is Northwest Point... an impressive new compound.

Yoga or nap??

Yoga!

Vicky's photo

Chestertown Marina has recently been refurbished.

We actually broke our norm and went to the 98 Cannon restaurant.  It was right in front of our dock, it was clear that there were not many patrons (at 4:30 PM) and the breeze was blowing in off the river.

I mentioned earlier that Vicky gave me a drone for my birthday... 
I had to give it a try this evening.

After a nice nite at the marina, we headed back down on Monday.  It was simply the same trip in reverse.  We enjoyed the river scenery, though it was very cold (especially with more wind).

As Noon approached, this incredible smell started coming out of the cabin.  I looked down to find this scene of Vicky making "Souped Up Ramen" (this time enhanced with tomato egg).

After lunch, we continued down the river.

As we rounded towards Love Point and exited the river, the wind was right and Vicky wanted to sail.  

I should have said no... I was very tired and cold, but out of love, we tried.  The wind was strong and on our nose, so we had to tack close-hauled to get from the mouth of of the Chester to the entrance to Swan Creek.  We only lasted a tack or two... I was too cold to keep it up.  But it was a wild ride for 40 minutes or so.

Vicky's photo

Vicky's photo

Vicky's photo
(I swear we were heeling much more than this shows.)

After putting the sails away, we motored up past Rock Hall harbor and up to the entrance to Swan Creek.

We finished with an extremely difficult pump out (wind was blowing us off the dock) and a fun time trying to get back to our slip in 14 kts. of wind.

In the evening, we were both tired and both dinner and breakfast Tuesday morning were "things found in the food lockers" (that's a regular meal on-board).  After a lazy morning, we packed up and headed back home.

A Trip to Baltimore's Inner Harbor

 

It's China's Mid-Autumn Festival which starts on National Day, October 1.  Since Vicky would finally have some time off, I took a bit more vacation and we planned to spend several days on Seas The Day.

We packed and drove down to Rock Hall on Thursday, and spent the day being lazy.  Too lazy in fact... I realized right as night was falling that we were out of water!  Of course, as I went out, I realized that some storms were moving in any minute.  Needless to say, there would be no viewing of the moon (important to the Chinese festival) that night.

We had planned a couple of overnight trips, and the first was to sail across the Bay and into Baltimore's Inner Harbor.  It's still COVID time and we weren't really interested in doing a lot on shore... just dock, maybe get take out, and then head out the following morning.  More of a sightseeing excursion from the water.

I'll let the photos tell the story.  We didn't do much sailing as the wind was on our nose the whole trip over (and was too light for the return).  That's one of the downsides of trying to sail on a schedule.

Our route across the bay

We started with a pump-out.  The ONE thing I hate about Osprey Point Marina is their pumpout station which has ZERO protection around this piling.

We started out trying to sail.

But quickly ended up just motoring across.

Vicky prepared her "Souped Up Ramen" this time with Spam and Chinese broccoli.

As we approached the Patapsco River, we viewed a wonderful variety of marine traffic and landmarks.  

My goddaughter says I take too many selfies... she might have a point.

Viewing Fort McHenry from Key's vantage point was very significant for me... perhaps not as much for Vicky.

The National Aquarium

We ordered takeout from the Rusty Scupper
(the restaurant at our marina).

Our slip was literally steps from the restaurant.

After dinner, I had time to try some evening photography.  Vicky had given me a drone as an early birthday present so I could use it on this vacation.  Flying it over the water so soon was a bit nerve wracking, but I like the photos it captured.

Usher is a super yacht that is available for charter.
Its weekly rate is more than my yearly salary.

Seas The Day bathed in the light from the restaurant's sign.

The next morning it was cool and clear with the full moon clearly visible just before sunrise.  We had breakfast on board, and watched a little news (the big news being that our president has caught the COVID).  We departed and retraced our steps out the river and across the bay.

Vicky's photo

Vicky's photo

Fort McHenry

Another "Souped Up Ramen", this one with beef and veggies.

We had to yield the channel for him.

This guy won for most impressive bow wave.

We finished the trip with some special drumsticks that Vicky prepared.