Century Club: Tom Dean

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Monday, July 14, 2025 to Sunday, July 20, 2025
Number of days:
5 days
Trip up north - 7/14 - 7/20

Wanted to head up north to see an former colleague of mine back when I was teaching, so we loaded Bubbles up, provisioned and headed north for the better part of the week!

7/14 - LBM to Still Pond. Left the marina at 10:45. Our initial intention was just to get to Worton Creek, but we were making good time so we decided to push and we got to Still Pond, dropping anchor about 5:45. Wind was on our nose for most of the day. Got the Genoa up when we were able to. Cool, cloudy with some light rain at times. 

 

7?15 - Still Pond to mooring at Sailing Associated. Pulled anchor at 7:45am and proceeded north. Mostly cloudy but it did get sunny and warmer as the day went on. Again, wind out of the north, so got the Genoa up for most of the journey - and did also get the Mainsail up for the sail down the Sassafras. Got on the mooring about 10:15am.

 

7?17 - Went out for a sail with my former colleague. Picked him up from his marina at 10 and we quickly pulled off the mooring and headed out.Great winds out of the south 10 knots with gusts up to the high teens. Very warm day - no, make that HOT, but with that much wind we didn't really feel it. Got back on the mooring at 4pm - first time my friend had picked up or dropped off from a mooring ball.

 

7/18 - Started the journey home. Dropped off the mooring at 9:30 heading south. We were thinking about dropping the anchor either in Worton Creek or Fairlee Creek, but then we heard about the Poker Run for both the 18th and 19th and decided to head well past that and into Swan Creek. We didn't miss the excitement though for a little after 11, I am guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70 go fast boats were flying up the bay right past us. Nice day for a sail as we had north winds blowing 7-12 knots helping to push us down the bay.  Dropped anchor in Swan creek at 3pm. We decided to stay in Swan creek on Saturday - and enjoyed a leisurely day in the water. Lots of boats came out and anchored in the anchorage for the day.

 

7/20 Swan Creek to LBM. Waited until. 11 to head out as winds were forecast to pick up around that time. Winds were supposed to be out of the west - but it was more like SW. Started off nicely with winds in the 8-10 with some gusts - but by the time we got into the Chester, the winds died off and we had to turn the engine back on. Got a bit more sailing in  after we rounded Eastern Neck island, but unfortunately, the winds died off yet again. Got back to the marina and in slip by 3:30.

Sunday, July 13, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
Sunday July 13 - Full Crew Sail

Got out of the slip a wee bit before 11 and headed out for a sail. Got the sails up quickly as we were heading down Langford creek and then we sailed around in the Chester - down past Eastern Neck island, before heading back.  Good winds, not great - but enough to keep us going! Saw the lag canoe sailboats from the Corsica Yacht club racing in the main basin outside of the Corsica River. After a nice sail, we anchored off Cacaway island and jumped in the water before heading back to the marina.  Lovely day - lovely sail!

Friday, June 20, 2025 to Sunday, June 22, 2025
Number of days:
3 days
Summer solstice sail

June 20 - headed up to Fairlee creek fron Lankford Bay Marina. Was able to sail almost the entire way - made me very happy and made good time. Not too much traffic going, but lots of boats in the creek - some rafted up.  Went a bit further down the creek to stay.away from the yahoos. Headed in to meet friends in the evening,

'June 21 - went off for a kayak ride first thing in the morning. Went down the creek sways, before coming up to explore the north part of the anchorage. Was able to get a nice hour and a half paddle in before heading back to bubbles to start the day. Spent tohe day over at the pool and beach with friends.

June 22 -- had another good paddle, took the dinghy in to say goodbye to friends, then got everything situated and left about 9:15. Wind was in our face most of the day, so not an opportunity to sail until we got back into the Chester, but the wind vanished as soon as we got the asymmetrical up. Fun weekend though!

Thursday, June 5, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
June 5 - Singlehandling

Well, the first mate wasn't feeling well, but the winds were up, so I got Bubbles ready for a day of sailing. That took a while as she has really been set up for living and going up and down the ICW. Finally got her out of the slip about 11 under a hazy sky with winds blowing 10-15 out of the South. Motored a bit (as I was doing some checking with the throttle cable) but got the sails up pretty quickly to sail down Langford Creek into the Chester. Tacked back and forth down the creek and into the river till I got to the point where Eastern Neck Island begins on the west shore and Piney Point is on the east shore and then I turned to a broad reach and headed back.  A few other sailboats were out, but it seemed that Bubbles was going faster than them - catching up with them even though they had quite a head start. Great day of sailing - got back into the slip about 3!

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
June 4 - SUP

Wanted to go out on a sail today - as winds were forecast to pick up in the afternoon, but the first mate was feeling lousy and hadn't moved from the settee, so decided to go for a a paddle instead. Went all the way down Davis Creek fighting a pretty good wind at times. The paddle back was much easier. Been a while since a paddle - in fact, Boot Key Harbor, so I was happy to get back on the SUP again!

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 to Thursday, May 29, 2025
Number of days:
6 days
May 14 - May 29

5/14 - Picked up anchor at 9:15am after fighting with the engine (wouldn't start) for a while and headed to San Domingo Creek - back door of St. Michaels where we anchored with quite a few other boats. Got in about 6pm having motored most of the way (got a headsail up occasionally!)

5/16 - Left San Domingo Creek at 7am and headed for the South River - Harness Creek to anchor right outside of Quiet Waters. Went through Knapps Narrows and didn't really see any skinny water till coming out the west side - and then the lowest we saw was 6 feet. Arrived in Harness Creek at 1:15. Had a big storm come through in the evening - dragged a few boats in the anchorage.

5/18 - Left Harness Creek at 9:40 am bound for Annapolis - hoping to get a mooring ball in Spa Creek - which we did. A bit gnarly out with a west - northwest wind coming at us. Had some sails up, but had to drop once we turned towards Annapolis harbor. Dinghy overturned in the wind - dragging that slowed us down quite a bit. Stayed for 4 nights.

5/22 - Left Spa Creek at 9am (first bridge opening after rush hour), fueled up at Annapolis Harbor Marina and headed for Swan Creek to meet up with some friends. Got a mooring ball at Swan Creek Marina #8 for the weekend - getting on it about 1pm. 

5/24 - Dinghyed around swan creek for a bit - seeing different things and eventually headed over to spring cove to check in with friends. Had a wonderful meet up - but a very, very wet ride back to the boat!

5/29 - pulled off the mooring at 10;35 and headed for Lankford Bay Marina - our summer home. Arrived at 4pm managing to sail part of the way before the wind just completely died off.

Sunday, May 4, 2025 to Sunday, May 11, 2025
Number of days:
6 days
May 4 - May 11

Sunday, May 4th - Water Taxi Rides from Portsmouth to Norfolk and then back

Monday May 5 - Sailed from Portsmouth to Yorktown where we stayed at the Riverwalk Docks.

Wednesday, May 7 - Sailed from Yorktown to Jackson Creek near Deltaville - anchored way back in the creek.

Thursday, May 8 - Sailed from Jackson creek to Reedville where we stayed at Buzzard Point Marina

Saturday, May 10 - Took the ferry over to Tangier Isoand and returned

Sunday, May 11 - Sailed from Buzzaards Point Marina to Solomon's Island Maryland. At first we stayed at our favorite anchorage across from the sailboats - then went to Safe Harvor Zanheissers and took a mooring ball for 2 nights.

Sunday, April 20, 2025 to Saturday, May 3, 2025
Number of days:
11 days
Sailing Back to Chesapeake part 2\

4/20 - Fun Sailing Day with Daughter and her new Beau on the Stono River - spent 4 hours sailing! Very Fun

4/21 - Left St. John's Harbor marina, sailed out Charleston Harbor and out into Atlantic ocean headed for Cape Fear

4/22 - arrived Cape Fear and headed into Carolina Beach

4/23 - Carolina Beach to Mile Hammock Bay Anchorage for the night

4/24 - Mile Hammock Bay to Beaufort NC

4/25 - Beaufort NC to Oriental NC

4/28 - Oriental NC to Belhaven Marina in Belhaven NC

4/30 - Moved from Belhaven Marina to Belhaven City Docks (no room at the inn)

5/1 - Belhaven through the Alligator River up to an anchrage on the north east end - South Lake near Baranges Point

5/2 - South Lake anchorage to Great Bridge Free Dock - in between bridge and locks (Chesapeake VA)

5/3 Great Bridge, VA (Chesapeake VA) to Portsmouth and Mile 0 of the ICW

Monday, March 31, 2025 to Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Number of days:
16 days
Heading back to the Chesapeake

3/31 - Sailed from Boot Key Harbor to Rodriguez Key

4/1 - Sailed from Rodriguez key to No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne

4/2 - No Name Harbor to Bakers Haulover Inlet

4/3 - Bakers Haulover Inlet to Sunrise Bay

4/4 - Sunset Cove to Coconut Grove on the South Side of Flagler Memorial Bridge

4/5 Coconut Grove to Ft. Pierce City Marina

4/7 Ft. Pierce City Marina to Pineda Causway North Anchorage (at bridge)

4/8 Pineda Causeway North anchorage to Whaler Factory Anchorage just south of New Smyrna Beach

4/9 New Smyrna Beach to Halifax Harbor Marina

4/10 - Halifax Harbor Marina to St. Augustine Mooring field

4/11 - St. Augustine Mooring Field to Fernandina Beach via the Atlantic Ocean (12 hours)

4/12 - Fernandina Beach to Jekyll Island

4/14 - Jeckyl Island to Whahoo  River 1

4/15 - Wahoo River 1 to Cooper Creek

4/16 - Cooper Creek to Racoon Island on Edisto River

4/17 - Racoon Island Anchorage to St. John's Marina in Charleston SC

Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Number of days:
1 day
February Dinghy Drift in Boot Key Harbor

upon our arrival in Boot Key harbor we began listening to the morning nets where we discovered lots of interesting things! One that we participated in was the dinghy drift at the full moon.  Everyone gets in their dinghy's and meet at the mouth of Sisters Creek where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. The dinghy's tie together and slowly drift on the incoming tide down the river as the sun sets and moon rises. Sounded like fun, so we joined in. A real party atmosphere and a fun couple of hours getting to know our mooring neighbors and others in the harbor!

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