Century Club: Suzanne Fryberger

Monday, December 7, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Looking east from the kayak launch at Perryville Town Park
The railroad tunnel south of Principio Furnace

42 degrees, NW 5-10 with gusts to 20, sunny

In reviewing the hunting schedule, I noticed that there's a break in waterfowl hunting between 11/27 and 12/15. We could safely and serenely go birdwatching in Furnace Bay, our favorite spot to do so. Despite seeing tundra swans, geese, a ruddy duck, buffleheads, mergansers, herons, eagles, and more, I don't have a single good photo to share. It takes me sufficiently long to remove my overgloves and insulated gloves and reach through my life preserver and into my jacket pocket for the camera, that the wary birds are flying away long before I frame a shot. That's okay - their flight is their protection, and their beauty is in my memory. You'll just have to visit Furnace Bay and see for yourself!

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Charlestown, Northeast River

42 degrees, wind northwest 5-10 knots with gusts to 20, clear

Dobbs and I launched The Pea Green Boat at the Charlestown boat ramp and rowed up to what some call Track Beach - the sandy shore backed by the berm for the Amtrack line. We rowed through the southernmost of two tunnels that run under the railroad and poked back into a marsh. Being low tide, we couldn't go far before running aground. We turned around and rowed back to the ramp.

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Kayaking the Elk River

Elk River Landing

42 degrees, Gale Warning, dry

Dobbs and I launched our kayaks at Elk River Landing and paddled north on the Elk River. It's an amazingly beautiful area, with cattail marsh lit up golden by the sun, a stand of cypress, and a shoreline dotted sparsely with homes and the remains of industry long gone. We paddled north past the old Trojan plant and mused at how the basin has shoaled to less than a foot deep. Trojan Yachts moved here with the town of Elkton's promise that they'd keep the channel dredged, but they never made good and Trojan took their leave years ago. Approaching Little Elk Creek, we turned south into the gut that flows through the marsh down to White Hall Point. From White Hall Point, we crossed the Elk and headed north, back to the ramp.

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Annapolis!

Looking up Main Street from Market Slip

We had a sail delivery to make at North Sails, which seemed the perfect opportunity to kayak in Annapolis. We put in McNasby's/Annapolis Maritime Museum and paddled around to Spa Creek. We could have paddled up Back Creek - we were right there - but, being away from our lake-like home waters, we wanted some wave action. Once in Spa Creek, we paddled up Market Slip and then back to the beach at Annapolis Maritime Museum. We topped off an already fine day with a visit to Davis' Pub for crab pretzels and beer. Kudos to Davis' for their new outdoor, very well-spaced seating area, as well as to our waitress who, despite being chilly visiting us outside, was wonderfully friendly and attentive.

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Kayaking Northeast Creek

View from the Kayak Launch at North East Town Park
North East's Local Duck Flock
Looking South from Near Route 7

51 degrees, wind west-southwest at 15-25 knots, sunny & dry

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Kayaking Otter Creek

A Great Way to Celebrate My Birthday
Golden Grass and Blue Sky
Hoping to See an Otter (unfulfilled)
The Serenity of Marsh Stretching to the Horizon

46 degrees, wind west-southwest at 15-25, sunny and dry. Celebrating the beginning of my 44th year today!

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

Our Neighbors Join Us for Grace's Last Sail of 2020

'Til 2021

Dobbs and I invited Bev and Brad, our neighbors from across the street, to join us for an afternoon sail. There was just enough wind (east at 5-10 knots) to keep it interesting as we sailed north, rounded Red 16 (which may now be Red 14...channel re-numbering...), and wafted south past Charlestown.

Bev and Brad were great company and we all had fun talking while working the boat together. We returned to the dock at 4pm, bid our friends adieu, and began breaking Grace down for haul-out. We pulled off the headsail and put Coquille on the dinghy rack.

Monday, October 12, 2020 to Friday, November 20, 2020

Number of days:

34 days

The Remainder of a Fall Cruise

Skipjack Restoration, Scott's Cove Marina
Beautiful Moon Over Mill Creek
Sailing Down Eastern Bay

From San Domingo Creek, my husband Dobbs and I, aboard our Columbia 31, explored our way down the Bay for the next 33 days. We visited several small isolated communities of working watermen. It was a dream fulfilled for us; in fact, even more than we'd hoped for. Read about Hoopers Island, Chance, Deal Island, Crisfield, Janes Island, Smith Island, Onancock, and Gwynn's Island on our blog, Sailing Gracefully.

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Number of days:

1 day

San Domingo Creek, St. Michaels