Paul and Mary Beth earned their stripes. As soon as we rounded Sandy Hook on Sat, 11/07, we started pounding into wind and seas right on the nose: NW 10 to 15 kts. Seas were only three feet or so, but steep and with a short period, so the ride was a little bumpy as we took long tacks during the day, bound for Sandy Hook on Sunday during the day. By sunset the wind was still on the nose at 15-20 kts, gusts over 25 kts, but the forecast predicted lower winds after midnight. In order to make for a more gentle ride and somewhat shorter trip, I elected to motor sail through the night under reefed main alone, taking the wind about 30 degrees apparent. The 10 PM forecast said no decrease in wind until sometime Sunday during the day. By the wee hours of Sunday, seas were making the ride pretty uncomfortable, so we put into Atlantic City a little before dawn. Atlantic City Harbor aids to navigation must have been planned by the folks who designed Vegas and its aids to navigation: toy buoys that are not lighted. The harbor is easy if you plan to sail under the 50 foot bridge to anchor: not an option for ACT III and her 62.5 foot mast. The channel to the marina has no lighted buoys, and runs close to jetties that have no lights. Lots of traffic lights and hotels on shore make it hard to see anything. Fortunately I had been there once before and had some memory of the situation. Another very experienced skipper who also came in before dawn asked the Coast Guard for an escort, and they gave him one. It is a disgraceful situation for a major harbor, and now that Paul S. has broken the bank, Atlantic City will never be able to improve its aids to navigation. (See Paul's comment to previous blog.)
After a day and a night of recuperation, we had a nice sail to Cape May, NJ. Stayed overnight and had an easy motor to Delaware City (around the cape because we are too tall for the short cut). Unfortunately Crabby Dick’s was closed on Tuesday so we couldn’t have crab balls with seaman sauce. I made reservations for four at Delaware City’s second best restaurant. It turned out to be a takeout pizza joint with three booths.
On Wed. Nov 11, we decided to go through the C and D Canal, into the Chesapeake, and to a very well protected anchorage in the Sassafras River. We didn’t feel the 35 kt overnight winds.
Thursday we decided to try the run down the bay to and maybe to cross to the Patapsco River and Baltimore even though the winds were predicted to 30 to 35 kts or more. We found three harbors along the route that we could duck into if the going got too rough. The NE breeze gave us a rip roaring run under jenny alone, averaging 8 to 9 kts over the ground. Paul steered most of the way; he did an excellent job. Since everyone was having fun and ACT III was very happy, we decided to commit to the hard turn to starboard in order to cross the bay to the Patapsco River. This put the seas and frequent gusts over 40 kts right on the beam, so we motor sailed under shortened jenny. By now Paul and Mary Beth were old hands, so they enjoyed the rockin and rollin. ACT III, of course, was a perfect lady.
We anchored in the lee of the World Center and the amazing Baltimore Aquarium where the top of our mast felt 5 kts of breeze.
Baltimore is a gas. The aquarium has to be one of the best; the anchorage and rest rooms are free. Paul introduced me to Oyster Shooters and my infamous worm famer alter ego appeared, possibly because of the ribbing capn Bill took about the reservation in Delaware City. If I ever feel left out because I was never in a 12 step program, Oyster Shooters could be my route to alcoholism. Thanks Lazette and the staff at McCormick and Schmidt. Paul’s lovely daughter, Lindsey joined us for Saturday night. Somehow the worm famer managed to stay up past his usual 8 PM curfew. Sunday morning was sad; everyone left.
Capn Bill
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