Cruising to Secluded Spots is Thrilling Every Time
The Wye River: Bald eagle circling in the sky. Wind in hair. Turtle head popping above water. Sunshine warming up my shoulders. Vultures standing guard at the top of trees. Heron motionlessly observing nearby shallow water for his next meal.
The Wye River never gets old. All of the above are everyday sightings on Skipton Creek on the Wye River off the Chesapeake Bay. That is why I love sailing there with my boyfriend on our 31-foot Pearson. We anchor and embrace the nature that surrounds us. There’s so much to explore, so much to experience. We leave our home marina near Edgewater, MD, and cross the Chesapeake Bay eagerly in order to reach our destination as quickly as possible.
Once the boat is anchored, we take in the fresh air and the quiet of the space. We often jump in for a swim, but mostly we hop into our dinghy to explore the nooks and crannies of the river. There is excitement as we head into narrow creeks and our dinghy kicks up mud; it gets shallow and we don’t know if we can go further, but we always want to. Wisteria blooms in white and purple and brightens up miles of green with a kiss of color. A butterfly flutters by. Fish pop up to create mesmerizing rings on the water’s surface. Cormorants rest on a tree branch and then scatter promptly as our dinghy approaches. We look up to observe an air battle; osprey loses its catch after an eagle decides it is its meal.
Sometimes one dinghy ride adventure is not enough. We may go out to explore another area later the same day. The Wye River is a pretty magical place. Our days end in lovely dinners and intriguing conversations filled with laughter. We may take a break to take photos of the ever-changing play of colors on the water as the sun says goodbye for the day.
Leaving this paradise is never easy. As we head out back to the Bay, we catch sight of heron flapping its impressive wings right above our boat as if to remind us to come back as there is more to see. And we know we will.
By Martina Sestakova
About the author: Apart from running her fashion-textile company RADOST, Martina enjoys the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay with her boyfriend, captain Jordan Snyder of Base Camp Sailing, who is the vice commodore of the Pearson Sailing Association.
For more cruising destinations on the Chesapeake Bay, click here!
