Baltimore

On Thursday, we did not cast off the docks at Zahniser's in Solomon's until nearly noon.  With winds hovering around five knots, we weren't able to sail, even though they were from the east, so we set our course for Baltimore and motored along.  Finally, at 5 p.m., Peter could stand it no longer, and with eight knot of winds from the southeast, we set the main and the jib wing and wing (one sail on each side of the boat) and shut off the engine.  Amazingly, we were able to sail at five knots with only eight knots of wind (after we remembered to take out the reef!).

At 7 p.m., by the time we were approaching the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (which always evokes anticipation for the annual Rodgers beach vacation in mid-summer, since crossing the bridge means we are almost there), the winds had increased a bit, and we were making six knots as we passed under the two spans.  

Mantra approached the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Peter at the helm under the bridge

There are many shoals in the Chesapeake, marked by quaint, weathered, blocky structures.  Contrasted with modern bridges and passed by sleek yachts and metal cargo ships which dwarf them, they are anachronisms which date back to the days of wooden ships.   

Shoal marker

We knew we weren't going to make it up the Patuxent River to  Baltimore before sunset, so Peter chose the night's anchorage in the Magothy River.  The rivers flowing into the Chesapeake offer bucolic settings for peaceful anchorages.  The river banks are lined with large, lovely homes nestled in the trees.  (Only the wealthy can afford waterfront property.)

The idea is always to anchor before sunset, but this wasn't the first time we have anchored after the sun sank beyond the horizon.  Luckily, we have good charts.  The chart system on the computer packed up a few days ago, but we have a large chartbook of the Chesapeake, and Peter was able to download charts on his phone for reference also.  I love the paper charts, but I have gotten used to zooming in and out on the computer to see details or the large picture, so having to turn to a new page for every couple of degrees of latitude and longitude was a different, forgotten experience.

Sunset over the Magothy River

It took us three hours yesterday to make it to the mouth of the Patuxent and upriver to the port of Baltimore.  We passed enormous cargo ships in the channel and factories and industries on the shore.  Dotted among these are historic sites, including Fort McHenry, where the words to the national anthem were written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812.

Fort McHenry

We have tied off in a slip at the Anchorage Marina, where Mantra will stay until late August.  I spent the day doing laundry and cleaning down below decks while Peter focused on securing everything on deck and making last minute fixes.  Most important is the sump pump, which should operate automatically, switching on when there is water to be pumped, but does not.  Operating it manually while we are onboard solves the issue, but we need to leave a dehumidifier running in our absence, and the extracted water from the air needs to get out of the boat via a fully functional sump pump.  Peter made three trips to the nearby hardware store yesterday, but he still needs parts, but he had to wait until 8 a.m. for the shops to open.

Baltimore at night from the Anchorage Marina

We are flying back to Sacramento this afternoon--back to the land of low humidity!  We are looking forward to spending time with our kids, who we left to fend for themselves for the last few weeks.  The blog will be continued in late August, when we will set sail again, this time for New England.