My Dad (Allen Wright) and I set out from our home port, Selby Bay Yacht Club on the South River, on Saturday, August 12, 2006, to cruise the Northern Chesapeake Bay. We were in company with 7 other boat members of the Herrington Harbour Sailing Association (HHSA). Light winds provided pleasant sailing for the short first day’s run up to Mill Creek off of Whitehall Bay north of Annapolis. The other boats departed from Herrington Harbour and had a little longer run. Seven additional boats from HHSA joined the 8 boats for the weekend and all 15 managed to tie up together on a member’s private home pier on Saturday night for a combined shore party. The shared hors d’oeuvres were so plentiful that hardly anyone had room for dinner.
The
Gang at Mill Creek
Dinner
Party at Mill Creek
We made
an early start on Sunday morning for the 35-mile trip north
to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Winds were again light
and most of the trip was by motoring. Secure in slips at
the Harborview Marina, the group again enjoyed shared hors
d'oeuvres at the outdoor pavilion above the pool clubhouse.
The various crews then went off on for dinner and
entertainment on their own for the evening. On Monday, we
all had plenty of time for shopping and sightseeing and met
together for a group dinner at Sabatino’s “on
the Hill” in Baltimore The group arranged for tables
of four, which made conversations more intimate.
Tuesday’s journey took us back down the Patapsco
River and across the Bay to the Chester River. We stopped
to refuel at Kent Narrows and were surprised when the
strong current in front of Piney Narrows Marina formed an
eddy and caused the boat to spin on its axis. After
fueling, we wound our way up the beautiful Chester to an
anchorage in the Corsica River. The water was fresh enough
that there were no nettles and we were able to enjoy a nice
swim to cool off before dinner. One of the boats hosted the
usual party before dinner and we all returned to our own
boats for dinner.
A
beautiful sunset on the Corsica
River
On Wednesday, we motored farther up the Chester River to
tie-up in slips at the Chestertown Marina. We arrived on a
high tide and safely made it into the reserved slips at the
marina in spite of the strong currents in the river. We
agreed to meet again for dinner at the Old Warf Inn, near
the marina and all went off again for an afternoon of
shopping and sightseeing. The restaurant special that day
was prime rib and a crab cake for only $16.95. The prime
rib was tender and ample and the crab cake merely added to
the repast. You don’t often find a bargain like that
for dinner!
Visiting
Chestertown (my Dad - Allen Wright)
Thursday’s
run back down the Chester River was easy and we anchored
near Cacaway Island in Langford Creek for the night. More
partying and shared hors d'oeuvres on the host boat made
for another sociable evening.
On Friday, the group made its way down the Chester River,
through Kent Narrows and Prospect Bay and up the Miles
River to an anchorage in Shaw Bay on the Wye River.
Everyone found deep enough water through the narrow channel
at Kent Narrows in spite of the reported silting.
Irresistible left the HHSA group at Shaw Bay, and continued
up the Miles River to join the inaugural East Coast
Rendezvous of the Bavaria Yacht Owners Association (BYOA)
at St. Michaels. The slips and facilities at The Chesapeake
Bay Maritime Museum provided an excellent venue for the
Bavaria Group. The grounds adjacent to the slips were
convenient for our evening party before dinner and the
second floor covered pavilion was a good location for
Saturday afternoon’s presentations by the
Volvo-Penta, Selden Masts, Bavaria Yachts USA, and Sail
Annapolis representatives. The presentations and
discussions provided excellent information for the
assembled owners. The entire Bavaria group enjoyed a
spectacular dinner at The Crab Claw restaurant adjacent to
the Museum, overlooking the St Michaels Harbor.
That's
me on Irresistible at the Bavaria Rendezvous in St
Michaels
Before
leaving on Sunday, Bavaria Yachts USA provided a sumptuous
buffet breakfast on the lawn adjacent to the slips. The
wind was just right for a pleasant windward beat down
Eastern Bay on the way home and a close reach across the
Bay to our homeport in Selby Bay on the South River. The
weather during the entire nine days was clear and rain
free.
Irresistible
- Departing St Michaels at the end of our
cruise