Here Today, Here Tomorrow

SHIP'S LOG:

Current location: 38'58.149N/ 076'30.656W South River out side of Annapolis, MD

Sunday(Solomons) I got an early start for Annapolis as I wanted to get docked and showered and be ready for dinner with Nick & Donna. Getting out of the Solomons, I passed by three interestingly named boats: Chicken of the Sea, Rode Warrior( rode as in anchorline) and SHORE-BILLY( I supposed as opposed to "Hillbilly).

For some reason, the departure this morning was similar to the Oklahoma Land Rush, people speeding out of the anchorages and marinas in one huge moving mass and seemingly no one watching out for anyone else. Heading down the Patuxent River, I was treated to the morning take off of the Navy's newest 'blimp," and I ain't kidding. I didn't know they still used them and I have no idea what particular role they play but as the Patuxent Naval Air Station is right there, there must be some kind of training going on. Hey, the Experimental craft off Ol' PointCOmfort and now a blimp. I am getting to see all that the Navy has going for it.

I have noticed that in the rivers and creeks, while there are crabpots scattered about, they also seem clustered around markers, another reason to give a wide berth to them. In some places they are laid out in geometrically precise lines, miles long and dead arrow straight. All I want to to do is to be able to see 'em and avoid 'em.

One of he real problems in the Chesapeake is there are crabpots everywhere and there are seabirds everywhere and a lot of the time it is difficult to tell one from the other. I have discovered a fool proof way of tell one from the the other though, if it flies away when you approach it is probably not a crab pot bout.

Lots of fishermen out today and like the crabpots, they cluster around markers. The problem with them is that they sometimes obscure the markers making it hard to read their identification. That can get you in a lot of trouble if you are not careful. I struggle to be very careful. There are three kinds of fishermen that I have encountered today. The first are the drifters who shut of the engine, drop a line and wait for a strick. Then there are the trollers who move along at steerage speed(slow) hoping to entice a strike. Then there are the "draggers," these are the guys with that device they two behind their boats off of which several lines are spread. They move slowly too and make big wide turns so as not to tangle their lines. One has to slalom one's way through them and no matter how careful you are you earn dirty looks.

Speaking of fishing, I was surprised at the numbers of dead fish floating and rotting on the Bay. And not tiny ones either, but good size fish. I know that they have really been working hard to clean the Bay and keep it clean and I am not sure if this fish kill is in spite of their efforts or despite their efforts.

Yesterday, I was listening on the radio to a conversation between a sailboat, MY GIRL, and anyone who would listen. As I mentioned, his electronic navigation packed up and it seemed as though he was unsure how to navigate with a compass. Today, he was near Point Lookout(appropriately) and had gone aground on a rock pile. Evidently, he didn't have a chart in addition to being unsure how to use a compass.I got out of range before I heard the complete story but the friendly boys and girls at Towboat/US were on their way to him.

Chesapeake Bay, as wide as it is, is buggy as hell when there is no wind, even in the middle. I have had to make ample use of the bug repellent I bought. It is just so strange how the Mosquitoes, Black Flies and other creepy-crawlies find me out in the middle of no where, miles from land.

On last thing about the Bay, wakes last forever. I am not sure why but when you get "waked" by a passing boat, the wake hits you, goes to the shore, "bounces off" and comes back to get you a second time. And I am talking miles here. Very strange indeed.

I got in contact with Nick and found that the D.O.D. had set up a "week from hell" for him so there will be no get together. So rather than Annapolis, I put into Harness Creek off South River. After dropping the hook, I rowed ashore, walked a mile and a half for some foods stuffs and walked back. A long day finally at an end.

Monday: Unmoved!

It was supposed to rain and storm today, so I decided not to move. I did make another trip to the store and humped to cases of water back to the boat. After lunch, a wind storm hit and the anchor dragged, though I am not sure why. The holding seemed pretty good but ABISHAG dragged anyway. I nearly visited some local guys dock uninvited and so I had to make an emergency sortie and re-anchor in another part of the creek. The spot was actually where I wanted to anchor last night but it had been filled with locals . It was empty today and so I moved. I am just happy that the windstorm came when I was on the boat and not when I was humping the water back to it. Unfortunately, I will probably be a little less sure about leaving the boat unattended on anchor for awhile. OH, the rain and thunder and lightning and hail did not put in an appearance.