Kicking Off the Season in Style

It’s always a challenge to convince ourselves in March when we’re peering out the window at snow that we should plan to be sailing in May. But before we know it Memorial Day weekend arrives bringing warm spring breezes on the Chesapeake.

Just shy of a dozen sailors heard the call this spring and jumped on board for our season kick-off out of Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Baysail had our boats, the un-named Hunter 33 and the Catalina 35 Katherine Anne, ready and berthed next to one another shortly after four p.m. on Friday. The skippers – Bob Rainey and Jim Hills, who was receiving a qualification checkout from skipper of record Mia McCroskey – crawled all over the vessels checking gear and systems and found all to be in order. Waiting crew lounged on the picnic benches and wandered around town.

With most of our crews present we walked into town for a seafood supper – a bit of a trick with no reservation, but successful when we found a big table in the bar area of MacGregor’s.

The itinerary for Saturday was an aggressive twenty-five miles. At the morning skipper’s meeting the leaders agreed that a change might be necessary, but no need to make any decisions yet. Before the morning got too old both crews squeezed their boats out of the narrow channel and into the Susquehanna River, heading for the long channel out to the bay.

Crew practiced their channel navigation for the first hour, watching pairs of buoys both fore and aft as well as the GPS and compass. At last the (slightly) deeper waters of the Bay opened up and the skippers issued orders for canvas to be deployed.

The breeze was a steady eight to ten knot southerly; the course to the southwest toward Middle River. Both boats made long tacks along the shore of the forbidden Aberdeen Prooving Ground and shorter hitches to the southeast across the channel, working their way west and south bit by bit. But the bits did not add up to a big enough bite of the planned twenty-five miles. Around three o’clock Skipper designee Jim noted that the anchorage at the mouth of Worton Creek was off our bow. A quick call to Bob’s boat confirmed the new plan, and the fleet found an anchorage amid those already gathered there.

While the party raged, the occasional rocking of the raft did not seem that bad. But after food and drink, conversation, and a short game of Mexican Train, the groaning of stressed fenders grew more noticeable. Fortunately, the waters were very still overnight. Unfortunately, they were not completely calm, and the boats did do the occasional noisy dance. The sleepless night for some sparked discussions of when it’s appropriate to break up a raft for the sake of comfort.

Sunday’s journey was shorter, allowing the crews to pick a direction and sail for a while before entering the Sassafras River. Aboard Katherine Anne the holding tank was filled to the brim. Despite light eating and drinking, her crew grew uncomfortable by mid-afternoon and turned into the river. First Mate Judy Dunbar tackled the winding channel with exceptional competence, handing over the helm to Jim when it was time to tie up at the fuel dock at Georgetown Yacht Basin. As an audible sign of relief accompanied the pump-out hose, Jim checked the boat in and got directions to the slip. With crew assigned to lines and fenders he moved the boat in and in moments the air conditioning was making the salon a truly comfortable place. The crew was still enjoying cocktails there when the Hunter arrived, only about an hour behind.

Some made time for a swim at the refreshing marina pool, others pulled together their barbeque contributions. Dock carts were drafted into service to move the vast menu from the boats to the hilltop picnic area. With two grills carefully tended we soon had steak, chicken, kielbasa, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, and a slew of salads to choose from. A mini keg of Heineken kept beer fans hydrated, and more than a few bottles of wine were uncorked. As the propane burned low the trip leader produced giant marshmallows, graham crackers, and Hershey bars for a round of drippy, gooey s’mores.

Monday’s sail wasn’t – the great breeze of the weekend failed us. We motored down the river, Katherine Anne’s crew executing a surprise man-overboard drill at the mouth. On we pressed across the glassy bay and up the channel to Baysail, preparing must-go lunches along the way.

– Mia McCroskey