Two full boats gathered on Thursday evening, May 21 at Haven Charters, Rock Hall, Maryland. The early arrivals went to dinner at Harbor Shack, while the late arrivals quietly climbed aboard in the night and everyone slept well. It was cool, with overnight temperatures in the high 50s and some light rain. With the marine forecast for Friday predicting winds of five to ten knots from the northeast, we expected to be motoring more than half the eight miles up the serpentine river to Chestertown.

In the morning we sailed south to the mouth of the Chester River, raising sails shortly after leaving Swan Creek as usual. It was a good sail … normal, really, for the time of year. As we turned northeast to head up river, however, the wind seemed to take us in its hand and drive us forward. With gusts to thirty knots we had a thrilling afternoon sail, spiraling around bends in the river, passing a few houses and great expanses of open fields and woods. It began to feel like we were sailing back in time.

In a world where time and weather shift into the realm of bizarre, you begin to question reality. Have we moved into another dimension or have forces beyond our understanding taken over? The state of Maryland preserves hundreds of acres along the Chester River and the appearance of the shoreline now is much like it was when Captain John Smith explored the Chesapeake Bay in 1608. By all reports, Captain Smith never traveled up the Chester River, but rather learned about it from the local tribes. He mapped the area and provided important details about Kent Island and the surrounding areas. Were the ghosts of all those that lived and died along the river driving, pushing us to Chestertown? For what purpose? Were revolutionary soldiers nearby, or around the next bend?

Both boats sailed nearly all the way to Chestertown, Jenny Ann threatening to overtake Wind Dancer as helmsmen on both boats skillfully rode the gusts through all points of sail. We only gave up the friendly competition when the final bend in the river turned us directly into the steady breeze. Even then, Jenny Ann's determined crew tried to persevere, tacking several times while Wind Dancer doused her sails. But the channel was narrow, it had been a long day, and the marina office was going to close.

Whatever caused that thrilling ride ... everyone was smiling upon arrival at the Chestertown Marina a little before 4:00 p.m. We received a warm welcome from the dockmaster, JR, and our club member, Ralph Morgan. Ralph and his partner Grace spend their summers in Chestertown and they were our link to up-to-date festival information. Once both boats were secure, we tried to get our bearings. We were rafted together on the end of the fuel dock at the bottom of Cannon Street, right near the schooner Sultana, a reproduction of a British Navy ship that patrolled local waters from 1768-1772. Our destination that evening was the top of High Street (two blocks east) for the block party ... food, two beverages, music, a magician, and other entertainment provided for $15.00.

Looking around again, I had that time warp feeling. We were secured to a wooden dock at the foot of a red-bricked street, lined with colonial homes and mature shade trees. Since traffic had been blocked earlier in the day, not a car or truck was in sight. What year was it?

Getting hungrier as we walked toward the smell of grilling chicken, beef, and pork, the crews from both boats headed up High Street. The street had become a very large patio, set up with tables and chairs and straw bales as extra seating; a performance area, a grill area, and wine/beer service. Side dishes, rolls and drinks were served from the lobby of the old Prince Theater, now the Garfield Center for the Arts.

Saturday was the Tea Party reenactment festival, with a full schedule of events starting early. Both crews enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and coffee in the cockpit. Enjoying the quiet morning, crew members aboard Jenny Ann, the outside boat, noticed that the light green schooner anchored in the river was moving around rather oddly. First it pivoted, then it moved sideways, and then it most definitely began drifting with the current. As it drifted toward an anchored motor cruiser, crew aboard that vessel scampered to fend it off. Mia and others nearby notified JR, and the wayward schooner was soon under control and re-anchored up river. JR said that it is unusual for a boat to break free from its anchor -- it hadn’t happened since last weekend. Due to the tidal currents, secure anchoring practice suggests using an up-river and down-river anchor to prevent a single anchor from twisting loose, as the boat swings with the tide. The schooner had only used one anchor and the tidal stresses actually loosened the chain-to-anchor shackle ... and the anchor went missing! Sometimes OCD behavior in club skippers is not hereditary, but rather learned from experiences and observations like these. Note to self: in the future make sure the chain-to-anchor shackle is physically secure, not just visually correct, and that a bit of wire or zip-tie is securing the shackle pin!

By 10:30 a.m. almost everyone was off the boats to explore the many food and concession tents that had been set up. The day became very warm and jackets were shed as people strolled, enjoyed the street performers and found something they couldn’t live without from the many craft vendors.

The reenactment of the tea cargo toss took place at 2:00 p.m. After a running mock battle down High Street, the American patriots boarded the Sultana and tossed the cargo of tea overboard amid cheers from the watchful crowd. Some of our crew were perched aboard the deck of Mia's Jenny Ann, while others chose to spectate from land. Both places provided a good vantage point. The cannon fire preceding the boarding, however, had Mary Ann flinching every time, much to the amusement of her crewmates.

By 5:00 p.m. Saturday, all crew members had returned to the boats to prepare for our appetizer party. Everyone worked to set up drinks and food to be shared. After dinner the crew of Bob's boat, Wind Dancer, decided to take a walk in the now deserted town ... unfortunately, no one in the group notified the skipper who was socializing aboard Jenny Ann. Bad form. Bob was only slightly concerned about his absent crew and one cell phone call to the walkers assured him all was well. As the sun dropped lower ... it seemed our energy levels were dropping as well. It had been a long day and our boats were pretty quiet by 9:30 p.m.

We rose early Sunday morning to make our way back down river to the bay and have time for some sailing. After motoring in light air through the river's bends both boats raised sails as they approached the mouth of the river. We had a good sail back to Rock Hall. As always, the boats were pumped and refueled, and docked, and everything carted to the cars for the trip back home. We wished each other a safe trip home and headed north. Leaving Rock Hall, we were suddenly very aware of being in the year 2015 ... car travel home after a weekend of sailing is never fun. But traffic was light for the holiday weekend as life seemed to resume its normal, modern order. Everyone on the trip will long remember that exciting sail up river and the trip back in time!

Mary Ann Gordon - TL
Bob Rainey - ATL