This past Saturday my lovely wife Janet and I enjoyed a perfect day out on the Chesapeake Bay in our 22' C-Dory. We celebrated our 40th (fortieth) anniversary by having a nice lunch in Havre de Grace. We walked around town a bit and then headed to the APG Marina where Navire is snugly tied up in a slip.
Despite some heavy rains a couple of nights earlier, the cockpit was dry (I still need to figure out the best way to cover the cockpit while in the slip. The whole boat cover is a handful on land and impossible to mount in this slip with its tiny catwalk).
A quick run through the departure checklist and we shoved off (literally, right hand on the piling out the starboard side window). Engine humming along, Garmin backed up by an iPad with Navionics, VHF loud and clear, and cloudless skies and a gentle breeze. And hundreds of boats of all sizes and speeds.
Once we got out on the main stem of the Bay the swells were coming from all angles. But the C-Dory tok them in stride and we made our way Southeast to the mouth of the Sassafrass River. We settled in to a comfortable 15 knots as it seemed to provide the best combination of speed, comfort, and control in the conditions.
Earlier in the week we'd been out when the Bay looked like a sea of oil. We hit 30 knots and it seemed surreal as there was no sound or sensation that confirmed the speed. The only problem was the vast array of floating logs scattered all over the water from a strong storm earlier in the week. That helped keep us on our toes.
The last time we ventured this way we stumbled into a maze of crab pot floats (which are typically nothing more than a detergent bottle tied to a rope -- very few flags and no colors to catch the unwary pilot's attention).
We both kept a sharp lookout, trying the passage nearer the northern shore where most of the other boats seemed to be. There were fewer obstructions but plenty of wakes, but that was half the fun.
The Sassafras is a very popular river with the boating town of Georgetown at its terminus (there's a bridge with 8' clearance that leads to shoal water farther east). We had Mount Harmon Mansion as our objective, and after entering the narrow part of the river spotted Back Creek arm off to port. I followed the advice of the Waterway guide and stayed on the northern side as we entered, but the sonar never showed less than 6' depth. Mount Harmon has a day use dock. A nice dinghy was tied up to the floating dock and the owner moved it so we could tie up also (the rest of the docks were pilings and about 4' above our deck height with no ladders).
We chatted with the couple for a while and then headed up the short trail to Harmon Mansion. It is a beautiful location now set aside as a historic trust site. The grounds are immaculate and the setting splendid. We learned that our entry ticked for 3 PM was actually the time they closed, so the caretaker gave us free passes for a future visit and told us to walk the grounds if we cared to. We walked around, took some pictures, enjoyed the day, and planned to return as soon as we could to get a more in-depth tour of this fascinating site.
I looked at the time and suggested we shove off and run up the Sassafras to Georgetown before heading back to the home port. The river was filled with all types of boats, the houses on either shore were very nice, and Georgetown looked like a permanent boat show.
We didn't need anything so after snapping some pictures and bobbing along for a bit turned Navire back west and headed downriver.
We met a disabled boat on our way and checked in with them -- it was an inboard with drive problems a bigger than us. I suggested Sea tow (he had passed by just a few minutes earlier. They thanked us for stopping and we resumed our leisurely voyage.
After skirting the north shore we headed out across the bay where the swells were now regular. A slight quartering approach gave the best ride and kept us on course. Janet took the helm for a while and I enjoyed looking the scenery, checking out the systems, and tidying up before we returned to our slip.
APG Marina is protected from some directions and so our re-entry was simple. A guide line tied between pilings makes it super easy. I get close enough, reach out the window and drag the boat the last few feet. Janet ties off the stern and I tie off the midship cleat and we're good until we're unloaded and I reconfigure for rough weather.
All and all a very enjoyable day on the water! We're really learning how to use this boat and each trip makes it that much more enjoyable!
Despite some heavy rains a couple of nights earlier, the cockpit was dry (I still need to figure out the best way to cover the cockpit while in the slip. The whole boat cover is a handful on land and impossible to mount in this slip with its tiny catwalk).
A quick run through the departure checklist and we shoved off (literally, right hand on the piling out the starboard side window). Engine humming along, Garmin backed up by an iPad with Navionics, VHF loud and clear, and cloudless skies and a gentle breeze. And hundreds of boats of all sizes and speeds.
Once we got out on the main stem of the Bay the swells were coming from all angles. But the C-Dory tok them in stride and we made our way Southeast to the mouth of the Sassafrass River. We settled in to a comfortable 15 knots as it seemed to provide the best combination of speed, comfort, and control in the conditions.
Earlier in the week we'd been out when the Bay looked like a sea of oil. We hit 30 knots and it seemed surreal as there was no sound or sensation that confirmed the speed. The only problem was the vast array of floating logs scattered all over the water from a strong storm earlier in the week. That helped keep us on our toes.
The last time we ventured this way we stumbled into a maze of crab pot floats (which are typically nothing more than a detergent bottle tied to a rope -- very few flags and no colors to catch the unwary pilot's attention).
We both kept a sharp lookout, trying the passage nearer the northern shore where most of the other boats seemed to be. There were fewer obstructions but plenty of wakes, but that was half the fun.
The Sassafras is a very popular river with the boating town of Georgetown at its terminus (there's a bridge with 8' clearance that leads to shoal water farther east). We had Mount Harmon Mansion as our objective, and after entering the narrow part of the river spotted Back Creek arm off to port. I followed the advice of the Waterway guide and stayed on the northern side as we entered, but the sonar never showed less than 6' depth. Mount Harmon has a day use dock. A nice dinghy was tied up to the floating dock and the owner moved it so we could tie up also (the rest of the docks were pilings and about 4' above our deck height with no ladders).
We chatted with the couple for a while and then headed up the short trail to Harmon Mansion. It is a beautiful location now set aside as a historic trust site. The grounds are immaculate and the setting splendid. We learned that our entry ticked for 3 PM was actually the time they closed, so the caretaker gave us free passes for a future visit and told us to walk the grounds if we cared to. We walked around, took some pictures, enjoyed the day, and planned to return as soon as we could to get a more in-depth tour of this fascinating site.
I looked at the time and suggested we shove off and run up the Sassafras to Georgetown before heading back to the home port. The river was filled with all types of boats, the houses on either shore were very nice, and Georgetown looked like a permanent boat show.
We didn't need anything so after snapping some pictures and bobbing along for a bit turned Navire back west and headed downriver.
We met a disabled boat on our way and checked in with them -- it was an inboard with drive problems a bigger than us. I suggested Sea tow (he had passed by just a few minutes earlier. They thanked us for stopping and we resumed our leisurely voyage.
After skirting the north shore we headed out across the bay where the swells were now regular. A slight quartering approach gave the best ride and kept us on course. Janet took the helm for a while and I enjoyed looking the scenery, checking out the systems, and tidying up before we returned to our slip.
APG Marina is protected from some directions and so our re-entry was simple. A guide line tied between pilings makes it super easy. I get close enough, reach out the window and drag the boat the last few feet. Janet ties off the stern and I tie off the midship cleat and we're good until we're unloaded and I reconfigure for rough weather.
All and all a very enjoyable day on the water! We're really learning how to use this boat and each trip makes it that much more enjoyable!
