July 22... Solomons, MD to Deltaville, VA

We left or anchorage shortly after 7am heading for either for Reedville or Deltaville. The Bay was flat calm so we motored to the south watching a cloud bank form to the northwest. At about 10:30 NOAA began broadcasting severe thunderstorm warnings. With a quick look at the map we could tell that the storm in question was the one we had been watching for the last two hours.

There was no escaping. By my calculations we could make the first safe harbor about 40 minutes after the line of thunderstorms passed us. Radar indicated hail and winds of 60 knots so we double checked to insure that everything on the boat was tied down and continued motoring south.

Just about noon with a roll cloud bearing down on us, the leading edge hit us with gusts of about 40kts I turned Sapphire around to head into the wind. We reduced speed but quickly had to increase to hold the our nose into the wind. In about 5 minutes the seas went from flat calm to 6 feet. Before the rain hit the winds backed off a little and since pounding into the surf was uncomfortable we decided to run with the wind. I waited to time our turn to avoid taking a wave broadside and swung the wheel. The ride was better immediately...and we were flying at 8.5 knots.

After being hot for the last week the cool wind felt nice and when the rain hit if felt even better. We had some thunder and lightening and some horizontal rain but for the most part it wasn't as bad as forecast. From the looks of the sky, I think that the stronger section of the storm past to our north.

The sun was back in an hour of so but the seas were still running about 5 feet. Turning into an anchorage near Reedville would have been an uncomfortable (rolley) ride even with some sail so we continued on to Deltaville which was another three or four hours to the south.

The entrance to Jackson Creek in Deltaville is a little scary. It's well marked, but very narrow. We followed the channel until our bow was almost on shore then made a hard turn to the port into an even narrower channel that led us into the Creek. Although small, we found a place to anchor and with more storms forecast for the next few days as a front moves through the area, anchored west to east even though the breeze was from the south. The anchor quickly dug into the mud and we were there. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon which was remarkably good time for a 60 mile ride.