Century Club: Suzanne Fryberger

67/47, sunny, SW5-10

We left Solomons at 7am, and already the day felt warm-ish, misty-soft from the southerly breeze.  Not a cloud in the sky.  We set sail east of Drum Point and, rounding Cedar Point, came onto a close reach for Smith Island.  As hours passed, the breeze freshened and faded in cycles - I think we reefed and shook out three times.  The flood running into Kedges Strait made us work for the last 3 miles - like towing a lawn chair while beating to windward.  At last, we made it inside the jetties with calm water stretching out ahead - clear green and blue, hinting tropical, encircled by sandy shores and marsh grass meadows.  The white-washed houses and church at Ewell beckoned.  We tied up Grace at Ruke's Memorial Dock and went walking.

I love it out here.  Yes, the water's coming up and the land is settling and lost to erosion daily, but Smith Island is a slice of heaven miles from the mainland and a little closer to the universe.  Sometimes, the wind whispering through the spartina grass is the only sound.  Down the long road that connects Ewell and Rhodes Point, egrets coasted gracefully on the breeze and a flock of croaking white ibises crossed our path.  A few trucks passed, people waving.  Rhodes Point consists of about 20 residences and a small boatyard (with a Travellift!).  Like in Ewell, the houses are in varying stages of repair or collapse.  The blend works, adding to the ethereal feel of the island.  We noted several new docks, and dwellings that had been elevated, repaired, and improved since our last visit two years ago.  One house offered a Mini Free Library.  The land being inundated by saltwater, many residents have taken raised bed gardening to a new level - wood troughs up on stacks of concrete blocks and rows of repurposed buckets in tiered racks.  Even golf carts - the primary means of transportation in Ewell - are parked on ramp-equipped decks.  Most houses also have a canoe moored somewhere in the yard, for when the roads flood.  These folks are not giving up on home, and we'll keep going back to visit for as long as we can.

60/49, sunny, W10-15 w/gusts to 20

Motored out of the Rhode River shortly after sunrise and set sail for Solomons on a westerly breeze.  Broad reaching became beam reaching and then close-hauled.  Dobbs and I each saw a gannet on our respective turns at the tiller.  We beat our way into the Patuxent and stopped at Solomons Yachting Center for diesel and water before heading up to Mill Creek to anchor.

67/49, rain, W10

Pattering rain blue misty morning, fall leaves glowing gold.  Warm enough to have the hatch boards out and be that much closer to nature.  Geese.  Steaming mugs of coffee.  Oatmeal with apples, raisins, cinnamon, and pecans, served with a dollop of creamy yogurt.  Lazing about, reading, practicing ukelele.  After lunch, we plunked Agility in the water and Dobbs rowed us to shore.  A gentle rain continued to fall, but we got only mildly damp as we walked the trails.  The leaves were spectacular!  Then, to top it all off, a full arch rainbow reflected on glass-calm water.

67/56, partly cloudy, S5-10

Beautiful Broad Creek sunrise - my favorite - especially when we`re underway while witnessing it.  Two deadrises working the oyster bed at the mouth - quiet, for November.  Very light wind and from ahead so we motor.  Solomons is 30+ miles and beating in 5-7 against an ebb tide will not get us there before nightfall, and there are things we'd like to do ashore (laundry, fill propane, shower, groceries).  Three times we tried sailing, but there just wasn't enough wind, not even when we bore off westerly at Cove Point.  We really want to keep heading south tomorrow but tide, wind, and weather are not in our favor.  Time to adjust our plan.

Our propane tank couldn't be filled.  It's 12 years old and Ace will fill them only to 10 years.  Dobbs ordered a new tank to be delivered here on Friday, and we'll return for it next week.  A bicycle ride at sunset rounded out the day pleasantly.