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CODA : Fairwinds and a following sea to Solomon's Island

16 October 2024

Back creek anchorage, Solomon's Island,  Maryland  

Thomas Point Lighthouse (just South of Annapolis).

Marc- Early start this morning at 06:45 to make the 07:00 Spa Creek bridge opening.  It was barely sunlight when the bridge opened (they close from 07:30 to 09:30 for rush hour traffic).  I raised the genoa as soon as we left the harbor and off we went into the rolling six foot waves of Chesapeake Bay.  At least the wind was out of the North.  It was downwind sailing at least but the helm required a lot of attention.  Everything calmed down as soon as we rounded Cove Point. The plan was to go way up Back Creek an anchor next to the Holiday Inn who has a dinghy dock for visitors.  Unfortunately Holiday Inn is no more and the new owner discontinued the dinghy dock and access for mariners.  Fortunately Calvert Marine Museum is nearby and does have a wonderful dinghy dock and warmly welcomes visitors from the sea ( you are expected to visit the museum since you enter in the middle of an exhibit but the fee is very reasonable in fact less than that charged by the old Holiday Inn).  We had a wonderful visit to the Museum.  We really enjoyed the guided tour of the old Cove Point Lighthouse that was moved here.  There was no problem with us going shopping nearby as well.  We found Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream!

Back Creek anchorage.

The star outdoor attractions hear (they have an aquarium inside with river otters that steal the show).

The boat on the left is a operational skipjack and the yawl on the right is a stunning wooden yawl named "Witchcraft".

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 CODA : Fairwinds to Annapolis

16 October 2024

Spa Creek Mooring, Annapolis,  Maryland  

Just up the side walk from the new Annapolis dinghy dock.

Marc-  Lift-off for CODA was lifting its anchor off of the basin mud at 07:00.  Some of the mud remain even after a good rinse.  Winds were Northwest 10-15 knots: perfect!  There was only one set back and that was the 2 knot counter current in the remaining 4 miles of the C & D canal.  Once in Chesapeake Bay we had everything going our way.  It worked so well that we could maintain an average boat speed of 8 knots whether we were under sail or under power.  

Last nght we went out to look for Comet C2023.  We did see a bright light in the exact position of the sky noted in Michael's Nightsky App.  I tried taking a photo but it did not appear.  A fellow boater did get a photo taken over time delay.

Michael Night Sky App.

Boater's time delay photo. 

This trawler was proceeding up the port side of the channel until he saw a ship coming and then decided to cross the ship's path.  It looked like the trawler was in a game of chicken.  The trawler did pull off in time perhaps aided by the ship's bow wave.

Now that is quite a bow wave.

We waited for the passage of this ship before going under the massive Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Looking back as we entered Annapolis Harbor at the Chesapeake Bay Bridges

 and a car carrier passing beneath.

We did find everything we needed in Annapolis:  fuel, pumpout, water, groceries and exercise.

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 CODA : Michael returns to CODA 

15 October 2024

Army Corps of Engineers Mooring Basin, Chesapeake City,  Maryland 

The green circle covers the swinging radius of CODA at anchor. We did not move despite a second windy night here and some nocturnal moving of boats in the basin.

Marc-  Michael returned to CODA this evening and I can feel less stress. The basin cleared out of many of its boats during the morning.  I did try to make a mad dash over to the free dock but a large trawler pulled up first and a second powerboat came in from the canal.  Oh well I am happy over in my corner of the harbor.  At 08:00 the large gate to the US Army Corps of Engineers opened and I headed over to visit the C & D Canal museum.  I am always fascinated by the different designs of the several canals we pass through on this trip.  The original canal here had three locks: two here at Chesapeake City and one at the eastern end at Delaware City.  The topography here is mostly flat with no flowing rivers but some large ponds.  The engineers designed a steam engine pumping system using a giant cypress  (Mindy you were correct) water wheel to raise water to fill the locks from the outflow creek of a pond when boats passed through (the 19th century system is still intact despite the removal of the locks here).  

View of a portion of the giant Cypress waterwheel.

The 19th century locks at Delaware City remain but are no longer in use.

A US Army cat protecting the premises.

Life-size bronze statue of a barge mule and its friends.

CODA in a nearly empty basin in late afternoon.

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 CODA : High winds in Maryland 

14 October 2024

Army Corps of Engineers Mooring Basin, Chesapeake City,  Maryland 

The mooring basin during the night.

Marc- Today was a day to hunker down as they say.  The forecast below called for 25 knot winds gusting to 30.  The harbor filled with additional boats jammed in when there was a very light breeze.  As soon as the sun came up so did the wind and boats left in droves mostly due to dragging anchors.  Unfortunately a 45 foot Powerboat anchored right ahead of me with about 25 foot clearance.  When the winds picked up he dragged towards me 10 feet and my anchor line started to slip on the windlass.  I had a visitor,s Michael andAnita from California, from a neighboring catamaran visiting at the time and he helped me move to a better spot in the harbor.  The last 4 hours have been a scene of boats coming and going and dragging.  I small sailboat dragged into Michael and Anita's catamaran while and ended up staying rafted up since another sailboat grabbed the spot where the small sailboat had been.  Then a big Beneteau drifted into another boat and reset.  One boat drifted really close to the rocky shore before being solidly anchored.  After the fleet settled into place Michael and Anita picked me up and we went to lunch in the very nice sandwich shop downtown.  While returning in the dinghy from downtown a second sailboat drifted towards the Michael and Anita's catamaran.  His last rescue of the day was finding my hat that blew off during a gust.

The scary forecast.

65 foot schooner to the left of Coda.

Dinghy behind Coda.

Michael and Anita's catamaran with the first drifter alongside.  The sailboat on the right was the second boat to drift over to the catamaran and Michael went aboard to help the solo sailor reset.

A second catamaran that drifted near shore.

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 CODA : FIrst day in MaryLand 

12 October 2024

Army Corps of Engineers Mooring Basin, Chesapeake City,  Maryland

Marc-  There was a bit of excitement on the way over here today.  Equinox caught a crabtrap in its propeller and had to be towed by Boat US to Delaware City.  The incident took place at the same location in front of the Nuclear Power Plant where Michael's boat broke a timing belt in 2021.  THere may be a "devil's triangle" here in Delaware Bay.  The sailing had been fantastic today from the mouth of the Cohansey River.  I did make it to the canal to catch the Ebb tidal current westbound and raced along at 8 knots at 2500 rpm with 0 wind assist.  Being Sunday there were the usual sport-fishing boats throwing large wakes and making no effort to slow when passing.  They did slow at Chesapeake CIty since the Army Corps of Engineer Police were stationed at the entrance to their basin.

View of the basin from CODA. There is a free dock by the brick buildings 

but most of the dock is reserved for a ferry.

Site on Delaware Bay were things go wrong while boating.

My happy place.

My first stop.

My second stop.

There a re lots of shops and restaurants here.

Even a tiny wedding Chapel.

There are two dinghy docks here but this one was blocked by the huge raft up of go fast cigarette boats.

The Maryland flag is under the US flag.  Maryland was founded in 1632 for English 

Catholics fleeing persecution in Europe.  Mary was the French born queen of England 

and wife of King Charles I of England.

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  CODA : Last day in New Jersey

12 October 2024

Cohansey River, Greenwich,  New Jersey 

Chart of the mouth of the Cohansey River (the red triangle is where CODA and 4 other boats are anchored in a very tranquil setting).

Marc-  I left Cape May on my solo trip up Delaware Bay with some Canadian friends,  Olivier and Lori, I made on sailing vessel Equinox.  We both had mast height issues getting through the two Cape May canal issues but it was easy when the height boards indicated 55 feet 1 hour and 15 minutes after low tide.  Our next challege was getting out of the western end of the canal while a very large and fast Lewes-Cape May ferry was coming to its New Jersey landing.  We both made it out in the Bay without issue.  Waves were 4 feet in the Bay with 15 knot winds from the South.  Fortunately I unfurled the genoa 1/2 way and off we went at 7 knots. This lasted only 1/4 of the way up Delaware Bay and the wind changed to Southwest and diminished significantly.  The waves also dropped to under 1 foot.  We ended up motoring with a favorable current to the Cohansey River at 8 knots.  The entrance to the River is not properly charted making it a real adventure in ignoring most charts and following the directions.  I did find that the Sonar charts from Navionics were spot on (see photo above).  These are crowd-sourced charts.  

Equinox anchored nearby after the first bend in the river.

Sunset with the crew of Equinox coming over for dinner.

Sunrise on the Cohansey River.

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 CODA : Last day in Cape May 

11 October 2024

Utsch's Marina, Cape May,  New Jersey 

This cottage is all decked out for Halloween!

Marc-  I continued my walks around the town today stopping again for a few items at the ACME supermarket and mostly just admiring all the cottages (they would be full sized homes anywhere else).

I have made plans to leave for the Cohansey River Anchorage in Delaware Bay tomorrow morning with a very nice Canadian couple from Gatineau, Quebec (homeport:  Kingston, Ontario).  Lorraine and Olivier own a 36 foot Catalina sailboat named Equinox VI.  They are traveling to the Bahamas.  

Another Cape May cottage with great details.

This character was in the front lawn of the above cottage (Steph is this a scarecrow doing a cartwheel?).

Even simple designs are well done here.