Across the Bay

Another Beautiful Sunset: One of the Perks of Being on the Water

Picture for Brian T.: A Duck Blind on Swan Creek

Monday, October 6: Tar Cove, Rock Creek, off the Patapsco River

Well, this is something different. Bob says it's like we're anchored in someone's back yard. We have a marina within 40 yards on one side and homes and their private docks about 40 yards the other way. There is one other boat anchored with us in Tar Cove off Rock Creek. We've come a long way from three summers ago when we gingerly followed the Mursells into the Thousand Islands for our first overnight anchoring experiences. Now we're consulting one of our guides and venturing into unknown, sometimes unlikely appearing spots to anchor. There were 2 coves to choose from - but Tar Cove is "where the long distance cruisers anchor" - so we said, "That's us!". Next step - we just drop the hook where it looks good.

Today we crossed the Bay - moving from the eastern coast which has a Thousand Islands look and feel to it, to the western side which is built up and where the big cities are: Annapolis and Baltimore. As we approached the mouth of Baltimore's Patapsco River, we were met with heavy industry on both sides. There is lots of commercial traffic on this river and the guide books warn to be cautious and stay out of the way of large ships.

It was amusing today to listen to tugboat (or freighter) captains calling wayward pleasure craft on the VHF: "Blue sailboat towing a dinghy near buoy 30 north of Poole Island" - a few minutes pass - and again "Blue sailboat..." several minutes pass and then an attempt to be more specific - "Turquoise boat with main and head sail up, towing a dinghy, near buoy 30" - finally a reply and the captain explodes "I've been going crazy trying to figure out where you're going next. I've been calling you, I've used my horn, pay attention, you're in a shipping channel!" - The sailboat replies that he'll move over - and the tugboat captain: "Well it's about time!" and then later the same or another tugboat operator, this time calling a sailboat by name - "Sailing vessel, Joanna" - the sailboat captain answers - and then "You're on the wrong side of the shipping channel - if you stay there, you're going to get run over!" This is why we have been largely staying out of the shipping channels where possible. We haven't really been "surrounded by barges" but barges and freighters move very quickly and sometimes appear as if out of nowhere - easier to stay on the edge of the channels and dodge crab pots.

Best not to get too close!

It was sunny this afternoon but there's a fall coolness in the air and Bob has put down the sides of our cockpit enclosure. We sat "up top", read and had a drink before dinner in what seems like the sun room - warm enough and protected from the cooler air. I expect that we'll be putting the heater on for a while later.

We've decided to go straight to the marina in Baltimore tomorrow to get ourselves and the boat organized before we leave for home and perhaps take some time to have a look around the city.