Century Club: Pete Lesher

Steering with the right toe is tricky, but I didn't run us into anything.

We had ambitions to raft up in Tilghman Creek, but Mariana noticed vibration when turning to starboard, so I investigated and found a plate under the Edson steering gear had broken loose. We shortened to Hunting Creek, and the others obliged to find us there and raft up. Did some exploration by paddleboard in the evening and again the following morning before motoring back home.

To prepare for his Level 1 Sailing Instructor course, we went out of St. Michaels harbor in the 17' Shamrock, La Barca Real. The boat operated well at low speed but hesitated and cut out when he attempted to put her up on a plane. Our friend Doug Rollow had just passed us in his sloop Galatea and circled back to make sure we returned safely to the harbor.

We put in at the Federalsburg VFW ramp and paddled downstream. After about an hour the tide turned in our favor, but a southerly breeze began to build, and at the Harrison Ferry bridge, it was too much for our less experienced paddlers, so we pulled out. Total distance for the day: approximately 6 miles. I was paddling in the stern of an antique canvas on wood canoe. We had scouts and leaders in 5 other canoes and 4 kayaks. Sunday we returned, launching at Brookview. This time, the Westerly wind was mostly at our backs, and we made the 4 miles to Henson Scout Reservation in good time, struggling only at the one bend that put us upwind.