#100 - It didn’t quite play out like we planned, but in the end we made a smart decision and I still got my 100th day on the water in calendar year 2023. We had planned to sail our Aloha Spirit, with myself, Dave Ohler, and the girls. However, when we got to the dock we realized that we had too much wind for the young, inexperienced crew. Instead, we ended up at the Calvert Marine Museum. Now the Museum operates the 100+year-old buy boat WM. B. Tennison to run tours on the water around Solomons, MD. Century Club recognizes 100 days on the water whether it is by sail, power, kayak, canoe, ocean liner, tug boat, or other. Dave ran and got us tickets to go out on this historic boat. At 2:00 p.m., the boat backed away from dock, the four of us were underway and I had #100, and my second consecutive year of making the Spinsheet Magazine Century Club, and I got to do it with my son! Thank you family for helping me to achieve this goal once more!
Century Club: Bob Ohler
#99 - For 45 miles, in 22 knots of wind, gusting 35, the crew of Barba Roja sailed their hearts out today in the Solomons to Hoopers Light to the Point No Point Race. Top speed was a blazing 11.1 knots! Special thanks to Sailing Team Barba and the crew!
#98. We had great crew and a good wind. Steve put the two ladies on the helm, something they had never done before. Steve was in full "teaching mode." I was on main sheet all night. We had a good time and a lot of good laughs!
#97 On a cool, late afternoon I paddled to the northern end of the "dead-tree zone," just south of Camp Roosevelt. The air was cool, but it is noticeable that the water temperature is dropping. Since I don't own the proper dry suit and boots to paddle in really cold water, my kayaking may be coming to an end. I saw a heron and a couple of squirrels, but not much else in the way of wildlife. The level of the water seems higher since TS Ophelia. I don't think it's just the beach erosion that is making the water lever appear higher to me. The visibility is excellent right now, enabling me to easily see the Bay Bridge, some 25 miles north of here.
I assisted on both the chase boat and the RC boat for the SMSA Small Boat Regatta. High winds and capsized boats caused the RC to shorten the schedule on both days.
#94 Really a nice morning on the Bay. Easterly breeze, slight chop. I paddled north to the small deck overlook by the cliffs. I "took in" bald eagles, butterflies, fallen trees, changing colors in the trees, work boats, tugs, and storm damage from TS Ophelia. Really a good morning to be on the Bay!
#92 - inch TS Ophelia, family sailing, and early evenings had prevented me from getting out on the kayak recently. I took advantage of a calm Bay and launched off of the beach. I headed south and saw the damage that Ophelia left behind. I made the turn at one of my favorite turnaround spots... the boat dock that juts into the Bay at Breezy Point. It was a great morning to be out there.
#93. Just an easy evening sail on board Barba Roja. We had a full crew and we were all laid back and relaxed. We sailed beside Elan for awhile.
Shannon at the helm
For their first overnight, I knew not to overdo it. We had a strong wind on the nose going up the Pax. Even with only a reefed main and a yankee, we hit 7.9 knots of boat speed going up tge river. After an hour and half of heeling, I lined up Mill Creek and anchored in one of favorite anchorages... "Boat Shed." This provided us good protection from the northerly wind, both overnight and the next morning. We got underway around 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, and with a following breeze, we sailed under the bridge at Solomons and down the river. We got to the dock just before noon, when I promptly made lunch for the three of us. It was a great first overnight for the girls, and each of them had their time at the helm. There were plenty of "teaching moments" and memories made this weekend!
#89 It was a cool evening on the Pax River, but we had good breeze out there. I saw 16.8 knots of wind at one point. With a full crew on board, including a couple of newbies, we sailed under the bridge, back down the river into the southwest corner, where I took the helm. We tacked and I steered us home where we dropped sails and tied the boat up.