Into Chesapeake Bay
18 September 2007 | Worton Creek Marina, MD
Mike and Kathy
Tuesday...Sept. 18 Worton Creek, Maryland
Last night we were invited for dinner on "Cielo" along with the folks from "Cambio" which was the first sail boat we saw with their mast down on the Erie canal. We have been chatting and waving at each other for the three weeks but had never formally met. It was Kevin's birthday and he served a marinated pork loin and some excellent spinach wilted in olive oil and garlic. (I think that's all he did) The six of us were way too loud for the small crowded anchorage but no one said anything. Hopefully we'll catch up with both of these boats in Annapolis.
We were in no hurry this morning, primarily because we had no destination in mind. The only task was to find somewhere to get fuel, water and to do some laundry. Over coffee, we studied our maps and guidebooks and came up with a couple of ideas. Weighing anchor after everyone else was gone was new for us. We motored out of the canal into a .5 knot current and in no time found ourselves in the upper Chesapeake. Passing the Bohemia and Sassafras rivers, we left the main channel through a minefield of crab pots and headed up Worton Creek. About two miles up the creek we came to the Worton Creek Marina and headed for the fuel dock maintaining at least 6 feet of water all the way.
The place is exactly what I expected a Chesapeake Marina to be...laid back, with about eight work boats ..."watermen" tied to the end of the gas dock, and pleasant people. There is a huge travel lift and about three yachts (one is a Berger) in the 100 foot range, undergoing extensive work. I tried to buy some crabs from fisherman as they came in but was too late. By the time I got there the only person left was a boy guarding the bushel baskets holding the day's catch who didn't have the authority to sell anything. We have a slip on the end of A dock and the other side of the creek is wild land ... complete with eagles, deer, and other seemingly happy critters.
Kathy is on her second load of wash and has at least two more to do before we walk up the hill to a restaurant that looks very promising.
By the way... The Chesapeake is gorgeous.
After dinner... if any of you boaters ever are in the neighborhood, the Harbor House Restaurant was a huge success. While working on laundry, we had meals to die for... I had Crab Imperial and Kathy had a lobster / scallops with Vermont cheddar and zucchini wrapped in puff pastry and baked......we had salads with house lavender / honey mustard dressing that was very light.
As we were paying our bill our waiter asked if we needed to have his mom take us to the super market tomorrow ( he said they were boaters also)....We still have clothes in the dryer so maybe we can get a few entries posted before bedtime.