Annapolis U.S. Sailboat Show

After another quiet night in the Corsica River we had a great sail over to Annapolis.  Winds were 10 to 15 knots out of the south meaning we had to tack into the wind but our self-tacking jib made it easy!  Based on a couple of recommendations, we decided to take a slip for 5 nights at Bert Jabin Yacht Yard on the Back Creek. When we arrived in the afternoon of October 4, Bob and Sheila on Her Diamond, Sylvain and Val on Zen Latitude and Allan and Linda on Touch of Grey were already there.  

Val and Sylvain invited Bob and Sheila, Karen and I over for a quick drink at 1800, and at 2200 we made our way back to Trekker. So much for dinner!  But a good time was had by all!

Thursday we went to VIP day at the boat show which is a little more expensive but much less crowded and enjoyed speaking to some dealers about some big ticket items such as water makers, refrigeration and life rafts.  Ultimately we decided not to invest in these items this year ... maybe next.  I got a new foul weather jacket, topsiders and a shirt while Karen got a light rain jacket and a top too.  I also got a handle for our anchor windlass that I stupidly broke earlier this year.

US Sailboat Show

 Thursday evening at the Iron Rooster we had an informal Hanse 415 rendezvous with George and Bev of Breeze On and Allan and Linda of Touch of Grey.  Allan and Linda have sailed from Germany where the boat was built to England, England into and around the Med, across the Atlantic to and around the Caribbean and up the east coast of the States. George and Bev have gone offshore from Norfolk VA straight to the Bahamas. We are  definitely the inexperienced ones in that group!

Friday we went to the boat show again and looked at some boats we can't afford and went to a seminar on cruising down the ICW.

Saturday was dedicated to chores in the morning and a walk around Annapolis in the afternoon including the obligatory beer and later, dinner at the Boatyard Bar and Grill with Bob and Sheila. It was a bit of a good-bye dinner as Sheila was heading home for a week to visit her family, and when she comes back we are  heading home. Our hope is to meet up in the ICW once we are all continuing on south.

Annapolis back streets

Sunday we went to a full day seminar on Sailing South.  The speakers were a "who's who" among sailors including Nigel Calder who literally wrote the book on electrical and mechanical systems on boats, Jimmy Cornell who founded the World Cruising Club that runs the ARC rallies, Paul and Sheryl Shard who on their Distant Shores yachts have cruised all over the world and have a television series documenting their travels and Carolyn Shearlock of "The Boat Galley"! What was particularly fun was going out after the seminar with all the speakers to chat over a beer!

Later we met Linda and Allan for a very enjoyable dinner at the Boatyard (popular place).

Monday morning dawned with pouring rain and Gale force wind warnings.  Many of the Boat show boats return to the marina when the show breaks up Monday afternoon, so there was no room for us to stay.  Off we went and after a white knuckle trip out into Chesapeake Bay we turned up Whitehall Bay and, having dodged more crab pot floats, wound our way up to the end of Ridout Creek to find a totally protected and quiet anchorage.  We were entertained for the afternoon by a big Herron flying about, little fish being pursued by big fish jumping out of the water, and gulls trying to pick off the airborne little fish! After a quiet, stifling hot night we were awoken at 0700 by the sound of dump trucks and back hoes installing armour stone for the nearby house's shore protection! 

Not long afterward we raised anchor and motored all the way down to San Domingo creek, the "back door" to the town of Saint Michaels.  On the way we considered a short cut through Knapps Narrows. Concerned about reported shoaling I called TowboatUS and was advised that we should only try it on mid tide rising which would have meant waiting 1/2 an hour for the tide to flood, so we decided to carry on around the southern tip of Tilghman Island.  Once around we noticed a boat coming out of the narrows that had been following us down the Bay. Thinking they might also be going to San Domingo Creek, Karen hailed them on the VHF and in addition to confirming they were going our way, she learned that they had touched the bottom a couple of times in the narrows with one foot less draft than Trekker!  Glad we went around! We're now anchored in San Domingo and plan to investigate Saint Michaels tomorrow.