A day for the senses

Today was a day of catering to the senses. We eased out of Back Creek in Annapolis just as daylight edged over the marinas lining the creek, the mist swirling around the anchored boats laying in the glassy water, their chains dangling straight down into the water with no wind to pull them taught. It was cool, but not cold enough that wooly gloves couldn't handle it, especially with a mug of hot coffee cradled in them. It was amazingly quiet, the kind of quiet that draws you in, that sucks away all your tension and leaves you completely peaceful.

Just as we made the short jaunt into the bay, the sun poked out around the clouds that were being pushed off by the cold front working its way off shore, a welcome warmth on chilly faces. The wind hadn't fully clocked around to the West as promised yet so we found ourselves motoring for awhile, a fact that I would have held in disdain a few months ago (we are sailors, after all, not power boaters...). But now? I was completely content to motor along enjoying the scenery of the Calvert Cliffs to the West of us.

 
We were finally able to sail for a good part of the day, making six to seven knots in relatively flat seas, a dream for any sailor. In the end, though, the relatively flat seas became glassy seas and the iron jenny returned along with some full sun. I spent a good bit of time sprawling in the cockpit with the rocking of the boat and the sun on my face, nearly asleep. After more than 10 hours we arrived in Solomons, MD, weaving our way up the channel to anchor outside Spring Cove Marina, owned by the sister of our good friend John Kretschmer. The weather is falling apart tomorrow with the approach of a new front so we'll stay put and attempt to get the outboard running. For now, though, we sit bobbing gently in a very small anchorage along with just one other boat, the lights of the local Holiday Inn glittering on the water, our bellies full and our eyelids heavy.


It does, in fact, not get any better than this.