2021 Chesapeake Bay Cruise

Friday, May 14, 2021. Day # 1
We all met this morning for our initial introductions and course overview of the week. Afterwards, our crew of three, Jason, Lee and Bill started their Navigation Plan for tomorrow’s first leg of the trip: Lankford Bay Marina to Annapolis. All three of them had already taken ASA 105 – Coastal Navigation – this past winter which will aid them during this cruise. They will now have a chance to put that knowledge to good use on the water. During this planning phase, they will utilize many sources. In additional to the nautical charts, they will gain practical use of the USCG Light List, the Local Notice to Mariners and US Coast Pilot which many recreational boaters have not used before. Our diligent crew worked on their plan for several hours. Courses are determined in True and converted to the Ship’s compass using “TVMDC” and the ship’s “Deviation Table”.

Early afternoon, our crew did a through boat orientation and inspection Bow to Stern, both above and below deck, utilizing our school’s ASA 104 Training Plan. Acadame, an Island Packet 32, would our home for the week. Groceries were obtained and stowed, and our extra cruise gear was also loaded and stowed.

We left the dock around 1400 for the Mooring field and anchored there. While at anchor, the crew practiced sail handling, reefing, unreefing sails and other tasks thus ensuring that all crew were knowledgeable with the gear. Standing turns and other power boat skills were practiced and we returned to our slip docking stern to utilizing a Waterman’s Spring to dock as our crew might need to do this during our trip. Having docked by 1715, our crew earned a well-deserved Lasagna dinner, provided by Capt. Mummert’s wife, Suzanne, and delivered to our boat. We had a very good prep day.

Saturday, May 15, 2021. Day # 2
Student Skipper & Navigator: Bill; Engineer: Lee; Bosun: Jason.
Weather Sunny, light winds, scant clouds ( 5% )
The student Skipper of the Day helps to prepare the rest of the crew to manage and run the boat and crew.

Bill, as navigator, would direct the navigation for the majority of today. We motored to the Chester River and raised the mainsail, continuing to motor sail past Red Nun #14 and around Eastern Neck. After clearing Love Point, we raised the Genoa and sailed for a while in light winds, but with our progress slowing, we kicked on the Iron Genny and motored under the Bay Bridge and into Annapolis with Bill and Lee navigating us into the harbor.

Annapolis Harbor was very busy and crowded as everyone who stayed in all winter must have decided that this was the weekend to be out on the water. Jason was at the helm as we approached the mooring field. Our crew was extra attentive as there were kayaks and paddle boarders all about, not to mention tenders and other boats. The outer mooring field was full as expected so we elected to wait for the bridge opening. Jason did a great job maneuvering as we stood off and circled to wait for the bridge opening. Once through, he steered us to mooring ball # 55. Lee and Bill secured us to the mooring and we were all settled. Some crew took the water taxi ashore while others stayed on the boat. We had dinner aboard. Jason would be student skipper tomorrow, so he took the lead with Nav planning with his crew assisting. 

Sunday, May 16, 2021. Day # 3
Student Skipper & Navigator: Jason; Engineer: Bill; Bosun: Lee 
Wx: forecast for rain, winds Southerly.

Our plan today was to sail from Annapolis to St. Michael’s and dock at a slip at St. Michael’s Marina. We departed the mooring with Bill at the helm who took us through the bridge at the 0830 opening. As we motored towards the Chesapeake, we raised the main with one reef in place plus the genoa since we had dark skies to our west. We enjoyed sailing across the Bay tacking back and forth and taking some distant photos of Thomas Point Light, and as we neared the Old Bloody Point Lighthouse, more photo ops. Was that Old Lighthouse operational? The Light List knows for sure. As we rounded the light, Jason our navigator took 2 and 3 bearings to plot and ascertain our position. He was spot on. So were the rest of the crew who practiced taking bearings also; they all did very well with this navigation drill.

Enroute to the Eastern Bay, our Man-Over- Board dummy had a mishap and went overboard; no worries though as our able crew promptly rescued him. We continued to sail towards the Miles River; once there we motored to our marina with Lee at the helm who very ably brought us parallel to our assigned slip, which was next to our other school boat, SCHOLARSHIP. Our crew tossed a line with a bowline at one end to Capt. Frank who was waiting on the end of the dock next to our slip. With the line around the end piling, Lee used it as a springline and backed into our slip and tied up stern to. Since we expected wind and rain during the night, the crew placed extra dock lines and made careful inspection of all dock lines and fenders. Great job by all today!

After showers, the crew had dinner at Foxy’s on the deck overlooking the marina. We joined Capt. Frank and the crew of SCHOLARSHIP at Foxy’s and a great time was had by all. After the nice dinner break, the crew were ready and raring to go to prepare their Navigation plan for the morning. Tomorrow, Lee would be skipper of the day, so she took the lead with the nav plan. The plan was to sail through Kent’s Narrows and sail up the Chester River to an anchorage.

Monday, May 17, 2021, Day # 4
Student Skipper and Navigator: Lee; Engineer: Bill; Bosun: Jason
WX: Sunny, light wind
The boat was underway by 0850, motoring up the Miles River to Kent Narrows. Last night, after looking at the tide tables, the Navigator, Lee, planned on an 1130 bridge opening at the Kent Narrows Bridge. It can be quite shallow in the channel on the other side of the bridge, so transiting at high tide is important. Also, there can be a tricky current so a mid-tide cycle must be avoided. Lee took the helm as we entered the narrows and brought us through the bridge. Once through, we parallel docked at a nearby marina and took on fuel and ice. The crew carefully navigated out of Kent Narrows via the narrow channel. We were now in the Chester and our crew sailed across then south to round the Eastern Neck once again. They noted the depth contours and used them to help determine their location around the Neck. We chose Comegy’s Bight to anchor for the night, and the crew deployed two anchors in a Forked Moor position. After a relaxing dinner on board, the crew once again prepped the nav plan for the next day back to Davis Creek.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Day # 5
We had both anchors up before 0900 and motored up the Chester River where we conducted more MOB drills. It was now time to head back to our home port and slip. The crew removed their gear and cleaned up the boat and left it ship shape; then took their ASA104 exams. This crew all worked hard this past week but had fun too. I know they will all be successful in skippering their own boats.

Captain Robin Bauer
S/V ACADAME
Rock Hall, MD
May 2021