Approaching Oxford, MD

After 11 hours of traveling yesterday (Thursday, May 18), starting around 6:30 a.m., we anchored outside of Solomons's Island, Maryland, along with five other sailboats heading north, with a 10 knot south wind and an opposing current which made the stay a bit rocky. It was 59 degrees with 16 knots of wind from the east when we set off. Only a couple weeks ago we were in the warm and sunny Bahamas with jewel-toned blue water around us and colorful life beneath the surface. Now we are definitely not in the butter latitudes, that ideal place where unrefrigerated butter stays solid but is smooth and easy to spread. We have been wearing jeans for days now, usually with a sweater or fleece top over a long-sleeved shirt. While we are sailing and not in the shelter of the pilot house, we wear our foul weather jackets. Peter has his usual Australian felt hat on and I have a thick knitted beanie. The slippers have come out of the lockers. Yes, I miss the Bahamas!

We sailed all morning on a starboard tack, close-hauled, which translate to heeling or tipping at a 10 to 15 degree angle--not my favorite point of sail. However, even with 2 reefs, we were flying along at 8-9 knots even with only 13 knots of true wind. Between 11:30 and 1:30, the wind was under 10 and we had to use the engine, then we sailed for another four and finally resorted to the engine again to make to the anchorage. We had planned to anchor in one of the creeks around Solomon's but we saw two other boats anchor on the south side of the mouth of the Patuxent River and we decided to join them, making our departure this morning easier. 

Peter and Sherri bundled up for sailing in the Chesapeake

Today, we seet off at 8:45 a.m. and have been sailing on a broad reach (much more comfortable) for hours.  We are now in the Choptank River, and we be turning north into the Tred Avon for Oxford in about 10 minutes. This is it for the year! We had planned to spend the summer on the boat, but our plans have changed for various reasons. A week from today, Peter flies to England from Washington, D.C., and after a few days staying with my friends Lori and Germán in  D.C., I will return to California on June 1. 

We are looking forward to the delicious ice cream at the Scottish Highlands Creamery in Oxford this afternoon.