Glissé

Here I am sailing Glissé across the Chesapeake Bay.  My friend Rich Townsend was along, and we had the best sail ever.  We were moving her from Mear's Marina at Kent Narrows over to a beautiful spot on the West River.  We stayed at Mears for two very long years, but finally Rich and his wife Patti showed us Chalkpoint Marine on the West and that was all it took!  It's about 24 nautical miles, and we did it in under five hours, never changing tacks until well up the West.

Talk about a change in venue.  If I never pass through Kent Narrows again it will be too soon.    Weekends are untenable.  If you're not being passed on both sides by wake throwing powerboats, close enough to almost touch them, you're being assaulted by the noise from numerous muscle boats without mufflers.

The West River is such a peaceful, serene location that one hesitates to cast off.  It is totally idyllic.  All one sees is boats, water and trees.  In addition, there is a 6 mph speed limit for most of its length, and it is enforced.   Nothing but bird songs and the gentle caress of water lapping aginst the hull are what one awakens to.  No more roaring engines or shouting boaters.

This photo was taken with a telephoto lens and has compressed the distance between Chalkpoinnt Marine and the large Hartge yard across the river.  Glissé is the sloop with burgundy sun covers.  Don't know about you, but my blood pressure drops a good ten points just looking at this view.  If you want swimming pools, bars and all kinds of social activities, try some of the better known marinas, but if you want total relaxation, and solitude, Chalkpoint Marine is your place.

One day I was out singlehanding and returned with a pretty strong breeze out of the south.  That's just about in line with the foreground piling and her mast off to port.  Made several attempts to back in, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor.  Bow in isn't so bad.  At least we were able to take this picture!

Speaking of bow in.  Last year, my wife couldn't get over for the beginning of our local Columbus, OH sailing club's away sail to the Chesapeake, so I singlehanded for several days.  We had arranged to meet at the Pusser's on ego alley.   After a great sail from Oxford, I arrived at Annapolis in time to find a slip at the city docks.  I backed her in with much careful thought and white knuckles. (A pretty good cross breeze was blowing, but I was able to use prop walk to good advantage.)  Luckily there was a knowledgeable dock hand ready to take my lines.   It wasn't a perfect landing, but no one was hurt and no new scratches, so I gave it about a 5 or 6. <G>   As I finished securing the stern lines, a fellow from the 35 footer in the next slip came over and remarked that I had docked my boat stern to a whole lot easier than the three of them had done bow in.  (If they only knew!)