Brilliant's Log 08-09

1 - 4 September 2009 The Goslings, Casco Bay, Maine to Cape May, NJ

Sadly we departed The Goslings at 0900 on Tuesday, heading for the Chesapeake Bay. Our month in Maine was much too short, but it was time to go and with plans for a Seven Seas Cruising Association GAM (gathering) near Annapolis, MD we needed to get moving..

With calm seas and very light southerly winds we motor-sailed until dawn on Wednesday. Then manage to sail for about 2 hours off of Boston until we again then the wind in the shadow of Cape Cod. We caught the ebb tide and ebb easily carried through the Cape Cod Canal and into Buzzard's Bay. We had planned on stopping at Onset, MA, but a good forecast convinced us to continue on to Cape May without stopping. Clear of the canal the wind filled in and we had a few hours of good sailing that lasted until we left Narragansett Bay at around 2100. During the night we motor-sailed with a 2-3' swell from the south and with barely enough wind to keep the sails full as we dodged the shipping traffic going and coming from New York City.

Thursday morning after checking in with SSB net the wind finally started filling in from the NE as forecast. We secured the engine around 0900 and set the sails wing and wing for downwind sailing. For the next 23 hours we did very little sail trimming as the 10-15kt NE wind held. Finally sailing again we averaged speeds of 6-7 knots. By the time we arrived at Cape May the winds were starting to gust up to 23 kts.

Entering Cape May harbor we found plenty of room to Anchor at the USCG station and had no problems anchoring there for a change.

Log 390 NM


5 - 6 September 2009 Cape May, NJ

Strong winds forecast for several days kept us in Cape May. We spent time doing a bit of sightseeing ashore and were able to catch the local tourist bus and enjoyed our time there. Most of our time was spent looking for a weather window to head up Delaware Bay.

On the second day "Equinox" sailed into the anchorage. Aboard were Moira and Dick, friends we met in Culebria, Puerto Rico. We had a good time visiting and renewing our friendship.

Log 0 NM


7 September 2009 Cape May to Chesapeake City, Delaware

We had a very short weather window to match the incoming tide and departed the anchorage at first light. Because our mast is too high to allow us the short cut out the western end of the harbor via the Cape May Canal we are forced to take the 10 mile trip back out into the Atlantic and then thread our way though the shoals that surround around Cape May.

The seas were still very high after four days of strong winds and it made for an interesting ride as we made our way into the Delaware Bay. Once clear of Cape May the seas calmed and with a lovely wind on the beam we flew up the Bay under full sail. With the help of the strong flood tide we were seeing our speed over the ground reaching 9-10 knots.

We carried the flood tide all the way into the C & D canal that connects Delaware Bay with the Chesapeake Bay. We arrived at Chesapeake City (mid point on the canal) late afternoon and squeezed into the small safe anchorage where we found "Equinox" already anchored.

As we settled in for the evening another boat, "Curiuse" invited all four of the cuising boats in the anchorage over to share cocktail hour. I will say long about 10 PM it wasn't too pretty as we all made our way back to our boats.

Off to the Sassafras River tomorrow.

Log 72 NM