South River Annapolis MD USA

Our new genoa poled out for the first time

It was an 0725 start from Reedville for us.  That was when we started the engine but we then we spent the next half hour winding in the chain and washing all the mud off it as it came in; the Chesapeake certainly has a muddy seabed!  Our intention had been to move on to Solomans, which is about half way between Reedville and Annapolis.  But the southerly wind was stronger than forecast and once we were heading north up the Bay, Blue Velvet bowled along, revelling in the 20kts+ of wind.  She was very stable surfing down the waves and we occasionally reached 10½kts through the water.  It seemed a shame to waste such a good sailing wind and so we decided to press on north towards Annapolis.  Weems Creek, where we hoped to anchor, was just a little too far to reach before sunset, but there were some options in South River if we kept our speed up.  Alternatively, with a 10-12nm diversion, there were a couple of sheltered places on the east side of the Bay that we could use as an overnight anchorage.

But the wind held for most of the passage and we kept on making good progress north, even when the tide (slight as it was) turned against us.  Just past our potential diversion point, the wind dropped a notch or two and we wondered if we would still make it to South River before dark.  But it was just toying with us and 10nm from the river the wind picked up once more and we roared up to the entrance marker at 8kts+.

Anchored behind Mayo Point in South River, Annapolis

We finally dropped anchor just behind Mayo Point in South River, 5 minutes after sunset and it was lovely sheltered spot in the conditions.  We had sailed 83 miles in 11½ hours from engine on to engine off.  Allowing 30min for cleaning the anchor chain that meant that we had averaged 7½ knots over the passage which is a really good average speed for us.

Jumbo lumpmeat crab cakes, a local delicacy

In a repeat of the previous evening, dinner was the last of our jumbo lumpmeat crab cakes from Deltaville. They are a local delicacy and the flavour is lovely with just the right amount of spices.

Nicky’s ‘saloon paintshop’

And before we turned in, the saloon once again became a paint shop.  However, after such an epic passage we would have a much more civilised start in the morning.  We aimed to depart at about 9 am for the short move around to Weems Creek just to the north of Annapolis.  OCC friends on Ruby Tuesday were already anchored there and they, and others, had reported that the anchorages were busy as boats gather for the boat show. So, there was the possibility that that there wouldn’t be space for us to anchor there; perhaps not too much of a late start then!

South River, Annapolis, Maryland, USA