Old Blue steering herself
Anchored near the Maritime Museum
Headed out early in the morning
GPS Track of trip
The weather forecast predicted two beautiful blue sky sailing days back to back. Thursday 5 - 10 S, 75 degF and Friday 15+ E, 65 degF. I cancelled my plans and cashed in home chips for a solo trip to St. Michaels. Had a gorgeous beat against a 3/4 knot current down to Bloody Point with three long tacks across the Bay. "Old Blue" steered herself the whole way with a sheet-to-tiller system, in perfect flat water conditions. Put up the spinnaker for the warm light air ride up Eastern Bay, and then had a lively flat water beat back down to St. Michael's. The wind picked up halfway down the beat so I reefed the main and short tacked in.
Anchored in the little 8' deep harbor to the right side of the Maritime Museum with no other boats there. Pumped up the inflatable and rowed in for a great dinner at Ava's and a walk around town. Played some cello before bed and conked out hard only to be wakened at 4am as the wind backed to the East and picked up to 15+ blowing the dinghy around on the bow. We dragged a bit but kept 100' off the docks so I didn't bother re-anchoring but sleep was marginal.
Since I was awake anyway I folded up and stowed the dinghy in the morning twilight and headed out by 6am. Shook out the reef only to put it back in after the turn down Eastern Bay. The wind was piping and we were still overpowered so I rolled up the jib and set up the Solent to have a pleasant ride down. Had a nice ride home on a beam reach past all of the NOOD racing boats and back in the dock before noon.
A perfect way to start the cruising season!