At 8:00 AM on Friday, April 11th we got underway, and throttled the engine back to slow our arrival time down for the 11:00 AM transit at South Mills lock and bridge. That took a little longer than usual, since there was a work barge who the lockmaster had to open the bridge for after we were inside the lock chamber, before he could resume the lock procedure. We made a brief stop at the Welcome Center, casting off as quickly as our chores were taken care of and getting to say hello to Lockmaster Robert, who was giving guests a tour of the canal on his boat. At 4:00 PM we tied up to the free wall just south of Deep Creek bridge. Kevin filled a propane tank and changed the engine oil while Debbie shopped for groceries. The nearby italian restaurant was our choice for dinner.

Saturday's 8:30 AM opening and locking at Deep Creek was graciously hosted by Lockmaster Robert, as he brought coffee and donuts to each of the two boats in the lock. After that, this was the first time we recall never having to mill about waiting for an opening at the Gilmerton Bridge, since it was on request, being a weekend. We fueled up before heading onto "the Bay", pulling in for our first time at Tidewater Yachts since our "usual" spot was out of gasoline. After that the mainsail was raised, and we motor-sailed for over six hours, adding the genoa to the mix for about the last hour. At 7:00 PM we dropped the hook near Deltaville, Virginia on the Piankatank River, where we got to say hello in person for our first time to Dennis of s/v Voyager; we had been traveling together with he, his wife Stephanie, and their dog, Winston, and in VHF radio contact many times each day since the top of the Waccamaw River, near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Shortly before 6:45 AM on Sunday we headed back out onto the Chesapeake Bay. We were able to motor-sail with the mainsail the entire passage, and even use the whisker pole to run wing-on-wing with the genoa for a couple of hours early on, and then using some genoa on and off later in the day. When the following seas picked up, shortly before we turned towards Solomons Island, the engine temperature began to rise; quickly the engine was shut down, and Debbie continued sailing for the short time it took Kevin to get the exhaust water pumping again. After anchoring at 3:30 PM Kevin checked the heat exchanger as well as other things, and even got in the BRRRR water off the side of Grace to "feel" with his toes (which were quickly losing sensation) that nothing was obstructing the water intake. We bid farewell to s/v Voyager as they would arrive at their home port of Tilghman, Maryland that evening; Dennis, Stephanie, and Winston, we hope to travel with you again sometime!

About 6:30 AM on Monday we raised anchor, and shortly thereafter were motor-sailing with the genoa for the entire passage, except for the five times the engine temperature began to rise in the turbulence of the following seas. Thankfully, there was wind to keep sailing with, and plenty of room around us to do so. Internet research, emails, and phone calls led to parts for the water pump shipped and on their way to the next marina we will pull in to for fuel. At 5:45 PM we were anchored in Still Pond. The title of this blog post is another quote from Kevin, after today's passage.

Tuesday at 7:30 AM, while there was a break in rain showers, we hauled anchor and motor-sailed with a little of the genoa for the final couple of hours on the Chesapeake Bay. The short day's passage concluded at 10:15 AM, when we pulled up to the free dock in Chesapeake City, before the air temperature started to plummet, but not before the rain resumed.

During these passages we have gotten to see fresh water turtles, ducks, geese (including snow geese), dolphins, loons, and a bald eagle.

Above: the silhouette of a tall ship that was docked in St Augustine, Florida, south of the Bridge of Lions, when we passed by a few weeks ago.