9/3 Worton Creek Marina to Sue Creek. NW5-10>N>E>SE - a spinnaker ride that became a close reach. Left WCM at 5pm and got in to anchor around 8:30pm. Pretty, serene sunset. Baltimore Yacht Club was whooping it up with a great dance band...until midnight! Then someone/somewhere else played rap for another hour or so. I drifted in and out of sleep, surprisingly not annoyed and just grateful for a cool breeze.
9/4 Sue Creek to near Tolchester Range Light and back to Worton Creek. Dobbs got us underway at sunrise so that we could escape Middle River before the powerboaters woke up. I made breakfast and enjoyed a peaceful morning as Dobbs worked us out past Hart-Miller Island. Then I took the helm so Dobbs could eat and read the news. A close-reach seemed to be the favored point of sail in the light SE breeze, but even that couldn't keep us moving south past noon. The wind dwindled and the powerboats came out. In waves rivalling a bad day in the Gulf Stream, we motored north to Worton Creek with swimming in mind. It was just as pleasant as you might imagine, lazing in the shade and diving in when we felt too hot.
9/5 Worton Creek to Still Pond via a lap around Poole's Island. S5-10, 88/70, sunny. We enjoyed a liesurely breakfast at anchor. I actually got up at 5am to make coffee and watch the sunrise. As day came on, the hooting of barred owls was joined by a caucaphony of crowing roosters. I watched a great blue heron defend its favorite fishing log against an encroaching cormorant. At 10am we headed out onto the Bay to begin a lap around Poole's Island. The current was with us at the start, but then turned opposing as we neared the midpoint of the island. We hugged the shallows to stay out of it, short-tacking south. This strategy proved especially helpful as the breeze eased up. We cleared the southern tip of Poole's Island and rode the tide, broad-reaching north to Still Pond. Labor Day festivities were in full swing, but our sweet spot away from the crowds was waiting for us.
9/6 Still Pond to Worton Creek Marina - back to the barn in style - beating in 10-15 with the tide behind us. Pointing like a racer!