Down the Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay 1 2 3...

You can run the Chesapeake Bay in 24 hours or less, nonstop overnight, or you can anchor each night and then it may take three or four days. Then again, you can spend a lifetime sailing and exploring the Chesapeake Bay. We have sailed this bay since 1986. Now it is a large body of water we must transit to make our way south to Florida and the Bahamas. This bay is comfortable, familiar and we love it. When we return, we always feel at home. Going south, it feels large and it is a real task to break free and to reach Mile Marker Zero of the AICW, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Norfolk, VA. This year we have a great friend traveling along with us on his IP380 PRIORITY and we also have reconnected with our Bahamsa buddy boat, IP38 MOONDANCE. With Reuben and Bob and Nina along, this trip is even more fun. Cruising is always about the people you meet. This is what makes is so much fun.

IP380 PRIORITY powering south

After the fun of the Annapolis Boat Show, we blasted out of town at 9 a.m. and pointed our bow towards Solomons Island, MD as the weather was going to turn against us. We stayed there for two days as we waited out the frontal passage. This delay was made MUCH more fun because Ron and Mary Ann of IP380 CAVU live there now. Even though they were busy with their own boat, they picked us up for lunch at the Pier, took us for provisions and brought delicious treats to a cruisers' get together on the porch at Zahniser's with Reuben of IP380 PRIORITY, Mark and Margie of IP38 TATTOO II and the crews of several other boats including Solevig and Dragonfly. Sorry we have no photos of all the fun. Thank you, Ron and M.A., for everything!

Now, we are fortunate to have 10 days of dream weather ahead of us to make our way south.

Our Chesapeake run to NC is looking like this:

Annapolis to Solomons
Solomons to Little Bay off Fleets Bay
Little Bay to Fort Monroe
Ft. Monroe to Portsmouth
Portsmouth to Dismal Swamp
Swamp to Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City to Alligator River
River Dunes or Oriental
Beaufort NC, Greg and Kate's....OUR BUDDIES!
after that...we will see.

Beautiful clouds over the sand beach at Little Bay, VA

Our goal is Charleston, SC, by about Nov 3 where we will dock. For now, we will enjoy the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.

Here are some photos of our travels.

Fishing boat as we depart Solomons Island, MD

We call this SUN GLARE and RUSH HOUR on the boat.

Waves and salt spray over the bow onto the windshields

The MD VA State Line, on the water...cool

Buddy Boat IP380 PRIORITY 

Buddy Boat IP38 MOONDANCE crew hits the beach

Little Bay VA sunset

IP380 PRIORITY at sunset

IP38 MOONDANCE at Sunset

We call her YANNIE-NEW and she is running very well.
She had her 25 hour oil change tonite.

Love to see this on the compass....SOUTHBOUND after the boat show
PERFECT

Some have asked us, is it still that much fun? We can't believe it, but it IS FUN, it is WONDERFUL, it is adventurous, and we really feel fortunate to be able to live this dream! Florida here we come, Bahamas here we come.....