Barry has some nice footage of portions of our gathering a few weeks ago. He always seems to find something when there appears to be nothing going on. That’s the eye of an artist. There is some good dog paddling going on here:
Category: Sooty Tern
9 Seconds of a Lazy Day
My middle boy and I met up with Bob down at Lake Chesdin for the day. This reservoir sits on the border of Chesterfield and Dinwiddie Counties. We had UNA and Molly in tow. The public landing has two concrete ramps with a short sturdy pier between the two. The day was overcast and hazy with little humidity, thanks to thunderstorms the night before. The 7-10 mph winds never materialized, but the 0-5 offered some challenging lake sailing. Bob provided and early tow upstream using his Torquedo. The quiet motor pulled to generate an apparent wind that almost felt like sailing. We stopped maybe 2/3rds of the way for lunch before a fun sail home. No, we weren’t racing, but whenever there are two boats on the water …
Molly and UNA traded tacks as we searched for the “luck”. A lot of racing is getting to that luck first.
The Sooty and Caledonia were very closely matched. I’m guessing my added crew made our displacements even. The Sooty does a slightly narrower water line beam. However, I observed that between 0-3 mph Molly slowly stepped away with +60 SF more sail area. Then, from 4-7 (high winds) UNA came into her own and seemed to gain on tacks.
The boats altered passing tacks maybe a dozen times all the way home. A win could not be claimed decisively. However, UNA got to the last bend in the lake first and slid home downwind. Just as we were about to tag base the wind died and on came Molly. She passed us not 60′ further off shore and scored a win in the last 100 yards. Congrats Bob! Looking forward to next time!
Here are 9 seconds of the “race” that typified the day.
In Kinsale, We Had Boats
Rose, Nip, Little T, Aeon, Molly, Whisper, Caesura and UNA. Sharon and Kirk, Peter, Kevin, Barry, Bob, Dennis, Doug and me with Huck. We all experienced a wonderfully long weekend by invitation from Floyd and Francie to enjoy their charming river house and sail the Yeocomico, a sleepy rural river jeweled with old homes and nestled on the south shore of the Potomac. To eat, sail, eat, sail, drink, eat, sleep became an easy rhythm to fall into. That we did. The hosts’ southern hospitality was sublime. Each meal highlighted Francie’s fantastic cooking and conversation was peppered with Floyd’s “histories” . No pounds were lost on this trip. My mornings started with coffee and country walks with Huck. Full breakfast fare proceeded gentle reaches downriver. Return trips tacked from bank to bank back home. Cocktails were savored with late afternoon breezes under big shade trees. From our roost we saw the sun set and a full moon rise. Lightning bugs, yelping of distant coon hounds, water reflections and tales told tall closed each day. What better way is there to spend with friends? This “bed and breakfast” sailing is hard to beat. Thank you Floyd and Francie! Thank you.
Cape Lookout
After last weeks’ aborted trip in Reedville (particular details are witheld on my end) we had several days of rain. However, Monday, my buddy Kevin with “Little T” and I with “UNA” decided to give sailing another go. This time we headed south to Beaufort, NC. The Beaufort Maritime Museum graciously allows us to use their event parking for our trailers overnight as the public ramp on Town Creek does not.
The first night we sailed Little T along the Beaufort waterfront to return to anchored UNA after dark. A good breeze from the SE greeted us the next day. We sailed against wind and current into the ocean to tack along the beach to Cape Lookout. Waters were almost tropical, the tour of the Lighthouse interesting and the sunset fantastic. The following day we cruised around Lighthouse Bay before reaching back inside along Harkers Island and into the cut along Beaufort again against wind and current. Little T motored. However, UNA tacked and wiggled up the channel and reached the museum pier first by a good 10 minutes. That was some of the best sailing.
After a burger at Clawson’s (highly recommended), we decided to go to Morehead City and sail along it’s waterfront, but after a 1st then 2nd reef in the main, I was tired of getting wet. The beat became a bash with increasing winds. The day’s sail already was reward enough, so we cracked off, rolled along Radio Island and reached back into Town Creek. Schedule also demanded my return. We said our goodbyes over a chart session where Kevin decided to go downwind up the Intercostal to anchor in Dumping Creek and on to Ocracoke the following day.
Despite my shorter trip, it was well worth it. Got some video of parts here:
The Great Wicomico
A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEANS WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 33 KNOTS AND/OR SEAS OF 5 FEET OR GREATER OVER THE COASTAL WATERS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS TO SMALL CRAFT. INEXPERIENCED MARINERS…ESPECIALLY THOSE OPERATING SMALLER VESSELS…SHOULD AVOID NAVIGATING IN THESE CONDITIONS. MARINERS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE MARINE FORECAST…AND CONSIDER WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS IN PLANNING.
Today’s Small Craft Advisory was genuine. Winds were at the lower end and seas were more like 2-3 feet, but on the nose with pervasive white caps. We put in at Shell Landing Boat Ramp in Fleeton, VA with the second reef in the main. After thrashing out of Cockerel Creek, we bashed to weather into Ingram Bay. hiked on the rail, in short order we wished for the third reef in the main and one in the mizzen. It was a very wet ride, but thankfully the day was warm. Turning up the Great Wicomico gave some relief from the seas, but not the winds. They were steady and apparently building. UNA took it all in stride. Just after 1 1/2 hour sailing, we paused along a nice stretch of beach on the southern shore to “dewater”, grab a sandwich and put in all the reefs we could find. Turning back toward Fleeton, the spray flew as we reached back down river. It was a glorious bright blue windy day. No time for photos on the run, but here are a few from lunch.
Old Bay Clubbing
Yeah, not what you thought. Wouldn’t be pretty anyway. However, our TSCA chapter, the Old Bay Club did get a couple days sailing in around Crisfield, MD last week. Base camp was at the now familiar Janes Island State Park, a good place to launch before and after summer’s business. There were no crowds or mosquitos yet, but the no-see-ums were persistent the hour before and after sundown. Our fleet included about 10 boats participating. Winds were light and variable. Water, clear and cool.
Day 1 was spent sailing and kayaking in front of Crisfield.
Dinner was an excellent shrimp boil prepared by Barbara, Harris and Peter with lots of armchair cooks.
On Day 2 we ventured toward Deal Island. When the breeze dropped out 1/2 way there, we beached for a picnic before paddling, rowing or motoring home to cocktail hour and fireside banter.
Thunder, lightning and lots of rain greeted us later in the evening, breaking up the party.
Day 3, as predicted, was more rain. A few intrepid souls (Jim, Kevin, Theresa and Dennis) stayed for a sail. This writer and crew packed up wet gear and headed home. We had some sailing, good fellowship and great food. What’s to complain about?
Planning an escape to Cape Lookout next!
17-02-08: First Sail
A little warmth, light winds and good company all made up UNA’s first sail today. We put in at Mathews County’s Town Point Landing (new concrete ramp and pier), beat against the current for a picnic lunch at Poplar Grove’s tide mill. Supposedly John Lennon owned the estate for a short time and planned on making the mill into a studio. Thankfully he didn’t. There is little depth to get behind the mill. Stick close to the rocks.
All but 2 of these photos were taken by my daughter (thus the artistry).
Had to pull out the oars for part of the return. Boat moved well across the glass. The water’s winter clarity is always surprising. do we really still have 6 weeks left? Tomorrow has snow predicted. Weird. Thankful for the break … and the company.
