Progress Report, Fall Cruise 2024

A quick look at what we’ve been up to during the last 2 weeks, the first ones of our late 2024 cruising season.

September 25: Pulled off the dock in Deltaville at 7:30 am, northbound under grey skies with not a whole lot of wind. By 8 am the engine was off and we spent the day sailing at between 3 and 7 knots, mostly with all 3 main sails set. 55 miles and 11 hours later the hook was down in Solomons.

September 26: Up and off the hook again by 7:30, coffee underway on a surprisingly sunny day. We’d been expecting cold drizzle with not much wind; instead we got the “not much wind and all from behind us” but with bright clouds and humid conditions. When the wind came up enough that we could make 3-4 knots, we turned the engine off, but mostly it was a motor sailing day. Totally fine, honestly, since the batteries could use a charge. By 5 pm we were anchored up the Severn River, having skirted around the Naval Academy dinghy sailing team running practice races right off the Navy docks. We heated up water, dug out our shower, and got clean in the cockpit while watching a crew team fly by heading down the river.

September 27: The weather was supposed to turn from grey drizzle to full on rain by early afternoon, so we headed north promptly again. We had a short sail (20 miles or so) to our anchorage off of Maryland Yacht Club. The highlight of this was sailing in company with the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, a sail training ship out of New London, Connecticut. A passing powerboater took a great series of shots of us in the foreground, which he graciously shared with us later. We dropped the anchor and snuggled in as the rain pounded overhead.

*Photo by Tim Mangus, all rights reserved.*

September 28-29: We’d come up here to participate in the SSCA GAM, where I’d been invited to speak on fitness and cruising. I’ve been a speaker at the last 2 of these events and enjoyed myself tremendously; this was the first time Jeremy was able to join in the fun.

*Test firing way expired flares (Coast Guard permission received for this exercise)*

The Seven Seas Cruising Association is an volunteer organization dedicated to helping cruisers all over. They offer in-person gatherings and shore support with their cruising stations, to mention just a few of their benefits. Check them out!

The weekend was filled with informative seminars. Topics ranged from practical tips on energy aboard and provisioning to more informal round tables on subjects like heading south or chartering as a gateway drug to the cruising life. As with any of these kinds of gatherings, there were excellent bits of information shared - and the true value is in the other people you meet. Cruising, especially if you’re just getting started, is an adventure not easily understood. It’s out of reality, and therefore scary - so reactions aren’t always positive. Being surrounded by others who think your dream is not only attainable but “normal” is a huge boost to morale.

A highlight on the practical side? Firing off an expired flare. A highlight on the social side? Meeting dozens of people, a few of whom became fast friends. (Bill and April, I’m looking squarely at you!)

September 30: We woke to grey skies, as usual, and picked up the anchor to head back to Annapolis. There was reasonable wind, we had a mooring waiting, and Annapolis is an easy town to get around. Off we go! Calypso went through the Bay Bridge for what may well be her last time.

October 1- now: We’re tucked safely on a mooring in St Mary’s Cove, enjoying the scenery as we always do when we’re here. There’s a dinghy dock a couple of hundred yards away. The Spa Creek bridge opens frequently, letting boats in and out. Right now the boat show is building temporary docks along the shoreline of the school/church, so that activity competes with watching the school kids eat lunch and run around on the grass. We’ve walked into town, gotten our COVID and flu shots, even stopped at Pussers for an obligatory painkiller. We’ll be here for the next couple of weeks, soaking in all the social life that only the boat show provides us. The calendar never looks this full these days!