DAYS 1-2: Aquia Creek, VA to St Mary's, MD

Potomac River, MD


Aqua Creek, VA to St Mary's MD: 12.0 mph; 65.5 miles; 5:28 hours; Avg Speed 12.0 mph





St Mary's River ANCHORAGE

June 21, 2021 and it's the first day of summer! Woke up ‘excitement-early’ and headed out of the Creek around 7:45am. It was a cool, breezy, slightly hazy morning making for a great travel day. Heading down the Potomac River we saw a 150’ Mega Yacht named Elisa (OMG! 45.5M and so beautiful), picked up & let go of a crab pot and later we dealt with the dinghy. 




We always drop anchor in this basin just past the College dock. You can tie to the dock during the day but not at night. We deployed the dinghy with some trouble but we had the oars ready … then I saw them … all of them … STINGIN’ NETTLES EVERYWHERE! I have never been so focused on rowing to a dock. Nettles are awful! Why were they even created? It looks like what the Bay of Souls might look like - UGH! I am very aware of those prehistoric-critter-nightmares! Jim put his legs in the water to show me everything was ok - yeah right?! Not falling for it! And if everything was ok, then why was he secretly searching for the meat tenderizer?! Cause they got him! They get everyone!




We walked around St Mary’s College - always beautiful. Half-way across campus the cool breeze just stopped. I mean stopped - no breeze - and a sudden sweltering 95 degrees. St Mary’s College is at the end of nowhere and offers nothing by way of beverage or food. Shade comes with biting insects and some very large scurrying bug things; but, they do keep their administrative doors open for visitors to escape the heat and there's a restroom at the boathouse with shower and sinks to splash your face with cold water (better a bathroom splash than swimmin’ with ‘nettels). The weather remained humid and hot throughout the night. 




June 22, 2021. The weather forecast was for foul weather and cooler temperatures - we were not disappointed! I'll take that foul weather over sweltering heat any day. If the boat sinks, I have a life jacket and an emergency tub of Vaseline to battle the nettles. 




The breeze and temperature were such a relief! Jim did some work and I read a book. We checked engines, cleaned the dinghy carburetor, and discussed the fine tuning of our snubber line. Perfect rainy day. Tomorrow we cross the Chesapeake and head to St Michaels. 



LESSON OF THE DAY: 

Remember to close all the hatches before a storm drops!


Comments

  1. mvmaithaiAugust 24, 2021 at 2:06 PM

    Reading this transported me to our tour of the York Battlefield on the York River one July.

    We and another sailboat had anchored near the bridge, and took our dinghies to explore the battlefield. After walking around for a few hours, we went back to the dinghy, just as a storm was brewing. The waves were so rough we almost couldn't get on. The captain's shorts was all wet, and so was his new phone! After we got back to our boat, the winds picked up. Our friends clocked the speed at 43mph!

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