Day 54 - Wed 20 May 2015
Docked - Kent Narrows, MD

[photo: a pretty rose bush at the marina]

It was a very different kind of day for us. We slept wonderfully after the heat of the day finally dissipated. As forecast, the temperatures dropped overnight to the low 60s and blew from the northern quadrant. We had a leisurely early morning, starting with our signature home fries with onions and a veggie omelet.

Just before 0900, we dropped the mooring to go through the Spa Creek bridge, and then entered Ego Alley to find a free water spigot. Most of the spots were taken, and a Coast Guard boat just nosed ahead of us and tied up at the one spot we could use. Fortunately, one of the dock hands saw us coming in and walked out to inquire as to our intentions. He then asked the CG boat to move and we came in to the bulkhead.

We tied up for less than 20 minutes and filled the almost empty water tank. It could be challenging maneuvering the boat in the tight canal with a strong wind blowing, but having two engines made it easy. As we headed out the river to the Bay, we had to pass numerous boats at anchor and many boats of authority (Coast Guard, CG Auxiliary, Harbormaster, Annapolis Police, etc.) but finally we were in the Bay. My plan was to hug the W coastline to minimize the wave action. That worked for a while.

Once we got to the bridge spanning the Bay, however, it was apparent that the wind was much more from the N than the NW, so there was nowhere to hide. I decided that making Rock Hall would subject us to longer misery than we wanted, so I set a course for the northern tip of Kent Island. Once there (after an hour of very uncomfortable motion), we could turn to put the waves off our stern and literally surf them SE to Kent Narrows.
With Diane at the helm, I called the Mears Point marina to reserve a slip. Getting in there with the wind and current was challenging, but we got tied up OK near noon. Both of us felt the same way; we had only been underway for 3 hours, yet it felt like we were both pretty tired. I know I was constantly fighting the jerky motion on the flybridge and too late decided to steer from the lower helm.

It took me almost 30 minutes to walk to the office, settle the account, and walk back. This is a big place. Since we were at a dock with water, the whole Ego Alley maneuver was a waste except for the experience. With electric, however, Diane got the turkey breast out of the freezer for us to make a crockpot recipe our friends, Matt and Rhoda, use. Our version will be a bit different, but it should turn out well.

With that going, yet realizing it may not be done by supper time, Diane suggested I make white clam sauce, so that was the next task. First, however, I noticed that we had a lot of the mint left over, so rather than let it all wilt, I made simple syrup and steeped most of the leaves to extract the flavor. Then I mixed up a batch of mint juleps to be served at will. The clam sauce was done before long and I cooked the pasta. A trained chef may not agree, but I have found that leaving the sauce a tad bit thin and then letting the pasta soak in it for several hours lets the flavor get absorbed into the pasta, for a superior overall flavor.

We decided a short nap was in order, and then we set off on foot to explore the area. It has many fences that add to security, but few gates, so the path for cars and pedestrians can be quite long. We checked out the very large pool (in the process of being opened this weekend), and the laundry, and then exited the property to walk to the infamous Red Eyes Dock Bar. There we found 4 guys between 35-45 sitting and drinking on their docked boat. We interrupted to say hi and then took part in the banter.

It seems they had left a slip just a few minutes from here earlier today with hopes to go to Annapolis for the Blue Angels airshow and turned around because of the conditions. Three of the four were giving the skipper who bailed out a lot of friendly grief. We joined in for a while and it was a nice distraction. Back on Diva Di, Diane got the laundry together to run a load near the marina office. When she returned, we had the white clam sauce for supper and then put away the turkey for another 2 or 3 future meals.

Around 1800, Diane walked up to get the retrieve the load of laundry she had done. We could have explored further, but it was still blowing a cool wind that Diane was not happy about and it really is before the opening of their season here, so not much is happening. In any event, it was a comfortable, safe haven for the night and we can now say we have been here.