On the Run !!

We have been on the move since our last posting.  We left the Wye River yesterday and headed up to an area called Kent Narrows.  This is a narrow area of land with a drawbridge that would cut off about 10 miles of sailing as we head for the Annapolis area IF we can get through....the charted depth is 3 feet at low tide.  (We need 6 1/2 feet to float)  But, what about high tide...can we squeek throught ??

We arrived at the narrows around 2 PM and anchored next to Hog Island.  We had lunch and discussed the situation.  The tide table said the there was only a 2 foot difference between high and low tides....BUT, we have a full moon which causes the highest tides of the month.  Hmmmmm...we got in the dinghy with the hand held depth sounder (Trudie gave me for Xmas) and took soundings (depth readings) of the entire channel.  Yep...we can JUST make it exactly at high tide. 

We rushed back to the boat, and prepared to "do the Narrows".  Up came the anchor....the boat drifted back as I was fiddling around.  I got back to the wheel turned toward the channel about 200 yards away...suddenly the boat stopped moving....the depth sounder read 6.2 feet.  Remember earlier I mentioned we need 6.5 feet?   Yep, we were aground !!  A shot of reverse backed us out of the mud...but which way to go to deeper water ??  We both looked at the paper charts and the electronic chart-plotter.  We made a decision, hit the gas and literally plowed through the mud to the channel.  As the bottom is a gooey mud, no damage was done.

We arrived at the bridge 3 minutes after the scheduled opening but the bridge tender said he wasn't a stickler for the rules and opened the bridge stopping 5 pm traffic on a busy route to let us pass.  Down the narrow channel we went as slow as we could go....4 eyes glued to the depth sounder..... 8',,,,7.9.....7.8....it held there.....15" below the keel.  We held our breath and  breathed a HUGE sigh of relief as we successfully navigated Kent Narrows.  We headed up the Chester River to a secluded anchorage for the night.  The sun was setting on the west as we arrived and the nearly full moon was rising in the east.  A beauthiful ending to the day.  We toasted our adventure with coldies and fell asleep early.

When we got up this morning the weather forecast had changed.  They were (are) calling for heavy winds, and possibly a gale warning.  This was no big deal on Long Isand Sound,  we just tied up in our marina.  But, here we had to check out the charts for a hole to go and hide.  Trudie suggested the anchorage and I agreed.  We ran across the bay to the Magothy River (Thought  people here had a lisp talking about the "Magassey"  until I checked the spelling)   We found a nearly land locked hole to anchor for tonite and tomorrow and let the weather blow through.   The hole we are in is awesome.....we are in front of a HUGE horse farm with a georgian style mansion.  Not a bad place to ride out the weather.

Trudie is in the galley making up dinner and I am off to the shower.....

Running and hiding from the winds.....hunkered down and keeping our heads low....   The Crew