Monday, October 18, 2010

It Wasn't the Chesapeake Bay Bridge!

SHIP'S LOG:

A couple of days ago, as I was heading toward Bodkin Creek, off in the distance I saw this large bridge that stretched across the Bay and naturally I assumed that it was the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I learned absolutely for sure that it wasn't. The bridge in question is just south of the Magothy River and is, in fact, the William Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridges. Passing under them was impressive none the less.

On the Magothy River, I was surprised to fine that they removed the speed limit buoys they put up everywhere evidently on weekends when traffic is heavy. I know of lots of places where they put them up but I have never heard of anyplace that removes them after the weekend is over.

No wind from beginning to end. NOAA lied again. The 5-10 knots from the NE never showed. In fact, the Bay was like glass and I had to motor the whole way to Herring Bay. Lots of crabpot buoys in this stretch. What makes it even crazier is that some of the local water fowl are the same shape and seize as the most commonly used buoys and sometimes you'll come upon a field of them and they all fly away and other times they don't. One never knows until one is almost right upon them. So far I have been lucky and have not snagged a pot, and so I have kept out of the water.

Heading into Herring Bay, I found two(2) fish weirs, several poles with nets strung between them to catch, well, herring, of course. They are not marked on the any chart and naturally they were right across the course I had so carefully plotted. Not really a problem, just an annoying course adjustment.

The weather was also cool and hazy. To the west you could see that it wanted to rain but so far no rain has fallen. I actually had to wear a jacket and gloves for most of the day. It must have been the coolness of the water and the wind created by the movement of the boat, but it was chilly and damp.

Passed between a coupe of tankers moored off Annapolis. Who names these things? One was not too bad "CLS ATLAS," but"CENTURY SEYMOUR"?

The weather tomorrow calls for a 50% chance of rain. I am hoping that NOAA is as accurate with tomorrow's weather as it has been over the last few days!


MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

It is a strange sensation, a bit unsettling, a bit uneasy, not knowing the places I am going to. Each morning I have no idea where I will be spending the night. True, there is a name on a chart but even if I get there it is still unknown. I plot a position on the GPS to drop the anchor and when I get there it is like nothing I imagine it would be . . .except that it is in the water. There is nothing known, nothing familiar. It feels a bit weird, exciting, strange all at the same time.

1 comment:

Hisannah said...

It seems that the minds idea of what to expect takes some retuning when it comes to an unseen anchorage. The challenges of the daily mystery must seem daunting at times. Be cool babe.