2023 Chesapeake Bay Cruise

DAY 1: Welcome and introductions are followed by a review of the bareboat chartering course objectives, knowledge and skills expected.  We then dive into a thorough review of the systems and safety equipment onboard, beginning with below deck review of the stowage plan, followed by a detailed discussion of electrical and engine systems.  After lunch, we have a lesson on chart reading and navigation planning.  We then shift gears and work on the provisioning plan.  After checking the tide and current predictions, we determine that conditions are favorable (near high tide, near slack current) for a mid-day passage of Kent Narrows (known for shoaling and tricky currents) tomorrow on the way to our first destination, Saint Michaels.  The crew is tasked with putting together the navigation plan while Capt. Andy goes shopping for provisions. Upon returning, we load provisions and additional gear onto Scholarship in preparation for our cruise.  We then review time-speed-distance calculations and determine our target departure time so that we transit Kent Narrows at either the 1130 or 1200 bridge openings. Dinner ashore and some time for reading before tomorrow morning’s departure. 

DAY 2: Winds S5-10, mostly sunny, hot, chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms.  Since we have only two students, Capt Andy is serving as skipper today, with Ashley as navigator and Steve as bosun. We depart at 0855.  Winds are light and on the nose, so we are motoring to keep our desired schedule for the bridge opening at Kent Narrows.  The crew is doing well navigating down the Chester River, finding each waypoint as planned.  There is a shoal between GC “11” and GC “9”, so we extend our course by 0.5nm past R”12”, based on time and speed, before turning for our course line to GC “9”, keeping us safely south of the shoal. 

As we approach the north channel entrance to Kent Narrows, we see that our timing is a bit off and we may not make the 1200 drawbridge opening.  Rather than rush through the tricky channel, we make a plan to take our time and have lunch once inside the Narrows while waiting for the 1230 bridge opening.  The tide is favorable, and we saw no less than 6.8ft of depth coming through the channel, honoring the temporary navigation marks that have been placed there due to shoaling.  Current is also near slack at less than half a knot. Once through the narrows, we notice the sea breeze filling in and think about setting sail.  Unfortunately, the channel is not very wide and the wind is on the nose, so we continue motoring out of Prospect Bay.  At 1330, with a bit more sea room, we set the main, and continue motorsailing to make good time into the headwind. As we enter the Miles River, tacking angles improve, so the jib is set for some sailing at last!  Winds are still on the light side, but are perfect for a lesson on sail trim and twist before heading into St. Michaels Harbor.  The crew docks stern-in, smoothly and efficiently, at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum at 1545.  Time for some rest before heading into town for some touring and dinner ashore, followed by developing the navigation plan for Annapolis. Evening thunderstorms nearly surround us, but we stay dry. 

DAY 3: NE 10-15, clearing.  It should be a fabulous day for sailing! Prep the boat, review weather, underway at 0820.  Ashley is student skipper today while Steve is navigator. There is a light fog that is still burning off with the sunshine, but visibility is good.  Of course, winds are light and on the nose again.  After a moment of confusion, we deduce that the navigation plan had a reciprocal course for the first leg, and correct it.  We motor into the light breeze out of the Miles River, then into the Eastern Bay.  Between R”12” and RN”10”, Steve eyes a pod of dolphins off to port!  We continue and once past the tip of Rich Neck, we set full sail, rig the preventer, and turn onto a broad reach out of Eastern Bay toward Bloody Point.  About halfway down this stretch, the wind fills and is now blowing NNE 12-15 knots … perfect sailing conditions!  As we round Bloody Point, we head up to close-hauled, but cannot quite point high enough for the ordered course, so we are use dead reckoning as we cross the bay.  The crew notices a northbound cargo ship approaching as we are crossing the shipping channel.  We should be across the channel before it passes, but will still keep a close eye on it.  Waves are now 2+ft, with lots of wakes from all the passing boats on this summer weekend.  Prepping lunch below deck is challenging, so we snack a bit instead. We notice that the northbound cargo ship is still headed toward us, then we hear a securite call saying they plan to anchor.  They pass by our stern. There are over a dozen ships in the anchorage area south of the Bay Bridge today, queueing up for the port of Baltimore. 

We are approaching the western shore of the bay, so Steve checks for a danger depth that indicates we should tack.  We plan to tack when we see 20 ft or less.  Steve takes a 2-LOP fix using Thomas Point light and Bloody Point light, and determines we are nearing the entrance to the West River.  We continue for some distance past lighted buoy G”1” before tacking back out into the bay and the ship anchorage.  On our way, we pass by junction buoy “SR”, which was our planned waypoint, off our port side. When it looks like we can clear between two anchored ships, we tack again toward G”1AH” which marks the entrance to the Severn River and Annapolis Harbor.  As we approach the anchored cargo ship, intending to pass its bow, we see that an ebb current is pushing us, so we start the engine for some extra help to pass at a safe distance. 

Ashley spots an orange float while scanning for RN”2”, which we initially interpret as a crab pot.  As we get closer, we see that it is a life jacket adrift, so alter course to make sure there is nobody in need of assistance.  Another life jacket is spotted about 50ft away. Thankfully, they do not have anybody wearing them, and are just drifting with no identifying vessel name on them.  We pluck both out of the water and will later donate them to the Annapolis Harbormaster office.  We continue sailing toward our next waypoint, red daybeacon “4”.  As we near it, boat traffic is getting heavier, so we drop sails just outside R”4” and motor our way into the harbor.  A quick scan of the main mooring field shows only two open mooring balls, so we waste no time and head toward ball 27 in the middle of the field.  The approach is tight, so Ashley maneuvers carefully as Steve snags the pennant.  As we are rigging our bridle, another boat picks up the last remaining ball on this busy weekend.  Safely moored at 1515. What a fabulous sail out the Eastern Bay and across the Chesapeake Bay! 

Time for some studying and a lesson on fuel management, then Ashley and Steve begin tomorrow’s navigation plan before taking the water taxi to town for dinner, touring and showers. 

DAY 4: N clocking to NE 5-10, clear.  After some morning review and studying, we drop the mooring at 0944.  Steve is student skipper while Ashley and Steve are co-navigating to get more practice today.  We safely pilot our way out of Annapolis Harbor, motoring at first, then set the main once past the Y”A” lighted daybeacon. Once again it is light winds on the nose, so we continue to motorsail toward the Bay Bridge. As we are approaching the bridge, we notice a northbound barge about two miles away, and take a bearing of 181M.  We continue to take bearings every few minutes of 184M, 188M and finally 191M.  The changing bearing means that we should pass clear ahead of the barge.  Sure enough, we pass under the bridge a few minutes before and clear ahead of the barge.  As we pass under, we note a strong ebb current flowing past the bridge piers, so adjust our next course by 5 degrees to offset the current.  

The navigation plan is spot on and we find the “LP” safe water mark on our way toward Love Point.  Approaching Love Point, there is some confusion about which light tower is 18ft, 31ft or 51ft high.  Another look at the chart and taking a bearing on a range eliminates any confusion.  Once turning into the Chester, we attempt sailing, but the winds remain light, so we continue to motorsail.  Surprise engine failure drill!  The crew responds quickly with setting the jib and diagnosing the problem (Capt Andy’s finger on the stop button)!  We continue to sail at about 3 knots in the light air until reaching our next waypoint one half mile past GC”9”, before taking in sail and motoring to windward up the Chester River.  We run the compass course per the nav plan through the unmarked hourglass entrance to Grays Inn Creek, working our way by sight and depth soundings to the small marina on the north fork.  Docked at 1620.  Restrooms, then put the boat away, and a taco dinner prepared aboard tonight.  Nature abounds.  We eat dinner in the cockpit to the sound of the nearby Osprey shrieking as they try in futility to convince the fledgling to fly off the nest and get its own dinner. 

DAY 5: NE 10kt, partly cloudy, chance of showers. After breakfast and some last minute morning review, we pump out and are ready to go.  Conditions are ideal for sailing off the dock, so we set the mail, then unfurl and backwind half of the jib before casting off the bow line, the midship forward spring, then the offshore stern spring to pivot the boat away from the dock and out the skinny channel in the opposite direction. We keep the main close to center as we sail downwind while gybing the jib back and forth on our way out of the north fork of Grays Inn Creek.  Once we are in the main part of the creek, the rest of the jib is unfurled and we are sailing our way comfortably at 3-4 knots as we make our way back out to the Chester River.  On the way, we sight cow-nose stingrays and a bald eagle.  After clearing the G”1” daymark, it’s time for a surprise COB drill!  The crew stops the boat, lowers sail and makes a speedy recovery. 

These are familiar waters now as we motor back up Langford Creek into Davis creek.  We set two anchors in a Bahamian moor and settle in for lunch.  The anchors are both retrieved and we swing by the fuel dock before returning to the slip at 1315.  Steve and Ashley perform the docking maneuvers with ease. Time to put the boat away for the last time, top off the water tank, and unload our gear before heading to the classroom for testing.  Another successful 100nm bay cruise is in the books.  Congratulations to Ashley and Steve … well done!