Winter Harbor ~ Crossing Over

 

 

The directions were a little vague. Arriving on the downwind leg of the afternoon, we followed not so much directions to this place as a description of it. Our friends decline cell phones. Their farmhouse is lined with shelves of books, the kitchen with jars of food from the garden. They don’t use the internet; no email or texts. They send hand-written notes by mail, or call on a land line shared with another couple. Not much help here. There’s no land line out on the island, either, so we can’t call to be sure.

This feels right, though – they’re good with words, our friends – but we’re going a bit on faith, like looking for a place you only know from novels.

 

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Race Day, Fluid Motion, Stationary Objects

Eastern Shore Stickup Skiff

 

After breakfast, Michael and Tiffany took Aeon out for a short spin. Michael hopes to finish building a Melonseed one day, and usually gets at least one sail on one during the festival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We switch places and I zig zag through the harbor.

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Saint Michaels, Maryland

Fogg’s Landing

 

Arrived after dark in St. Michaels. The Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival will ramp up in another day or so. Already meeting old friends on the docks.

 

Spartina

 

Steve’s on sailor’s time, near the end of an 18 day solo trip to the north end of the Chesapeake, arrived here today. He turned in before I got here. We’ll catch up tomorrow. Wondering how well he’s sleeping with the sudden influx of people everywhere, conversations going late into the night on the docks right next to the boat, after so many days of quiet and solitude.

I managed to pitch the tent in the dark, had a dinner of canned sardines and a local IPA from back home. I’ll sleep well, for sure.

 

 

 

 

Kinsale ~ Sailing the Yeocomico River Video

youtube link

 

Last post from the Kinsale trip. Eight boats down the Yeocomico River. Crabbers, oyster farming operations, grain silos loading grain at a dockside depot, and fine weather.

 

 

 

Kinsale Moonrise ~ Video

youtube link

 

From the first evening. The Sooty Tern and the Marsh Cat playing in light air with the ducks and the geese. At dusk we slid both Melonseeds off the beach at Kinsale, and went for a row on the Yeocomico.

Beautiful evening, capped by the rising full moon.

 

 

Kinsale ~ Sailing and History

In 1813, a handful of lightly armed vessels, sent down from defenses at Baltimore, confronted British warships out in the Bay and were cornered here in the Yeocomico. It did not go well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning is clear and warm, with a light steady breeze out of the West.  It will be hot today.

Several of the boats are out in the creek already, or working their way downriver. Doug’s new Marsh Cat is not yet finished, so he’s sailing the second Melonseed. From the beach I can see Caesura’s tanbark sail glowing and gliding against the bluegreen treeline in the distance. Then I, too, am off.

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