#67 & 68 Willoughby Bay

Trip dates: 
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 to Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Trip length: 
2 days
Type of watercraft: 
Sail

Sunny and warm days, prefect for an overnight. Only missing ingreedient, wind. Light east wind as I left OPCM and for a while tried to make progress eastbound against the incoming tide. As I realized the net result was west, I fired up the Westerbeke and headed over to Willoughby Bay. Once in that channel it was easy to sail the remaining distance to the east end where I dropped anchor for the night. Before dinner I prepared all the wood on the boat for a coat of varnish the next day when back. I was comfortable through the evening in calm winds. The low reached upper 50's. A few more degrees and an additional blank would have been needed.

 

In the morning I woke to ships sounding their fog horns. To the west, over the main channel I could see the fog. It was slow going into the 5 knot west wind, but that was okay. Even though I have passive AIS, sailing on the shipping channel in the fog was something to avoid when possible. Passing Willoughby Harbor Marina I was in the thick of it. Nothing was visible around me as I slowly progressed up the north channel sailing on instruments. (and sounding my horn) Fortunately, just as I was approaching the main channel, everything cleared and I was able to continue across back to Fort Monroe.