Day 2- 167 across the Chesapeake Bay to Cambridge, MD

The weather forecast was spot on... We left the dock at 7:30 am, and we expected 2.5 to 3 foot waves when we left the Potomac River about an hour later and entered the Chesapeake Bay. We had the predicted waves with winds from the north at about 15 to 20 mph, but the prediction was for the wind to die to about 5+ mph sometime after 11:00 am. Actually, the winds had started to die before 11:00 am, and the last 5.5 hours of our 9 hour 71.2 mile trip were in waves of 1 foot or less. Shortly after entering the Chesapeake Bay, we passed the Point No Point Lighthouse. It is another caisson type structure about 2 miles off shore. We saw a little more commercial traffic as we passed an ocean going tug and barge as well as two 800+ foot freighters. Our course took us across the Bay at a slight angle, and when we reached the eastern shore, we entered the Choptank River for the trip up to Cambridge, MD. As we entered the Choptank River we saw the last crab pots and after about 2 miles, we passed the last boat trolling for Rockfish. I am not sure, but once again I would guess that there was a drop in the salinity that effect the range of both the crabs and the Rockfish... Anyway, as the river gradually got narrower, I was very happy not to be dodging crab pots!

As we approached Cambridge, we passed some nice but not ostentatious homes with beautiful lawns down to the shore. Cambridge is a very old town, but now it is a mix of "newcomers" and families of watermen that have been here for hundreds (?) of years.

...and then the fun began. Molly and Clifton and their two children drove up from Salisbury, MD about 30 miles to the south. Clifton was kind enough to do the "Titanic pose". They are long time friends from Texas A&M in both College Station and Qatar. Jacob and Maddie were a little shy at the start, but pretty soon they were going up and down the ladder to the flybridge and doing the loop from the aft deck up around the bow and back the other side. They had known that we were on a long trip on the water, but I think that they had expected something a lot less roomy. We chatted for a bit and then walked into town for dinner on the waterfront.

Dinner was fun for the adults anyway as we did a lot of catching up. The kids were fascinated watching a game of "Coin Hole" where players toss small sand bags at a tilted board with (of all things) a hole in it. It appears that scoring was much like horseshoes with more points for a bag in the hole, but hangers counted some points also.

After dinner, we had our picture taken on the dock in front of the restaurant. As you can see, part of the historic waterfront has been replaced by newer condos, but the old bascule bridge remains and is the gateway to a large marina beyond.  After we walked back to our marina, Molly and Clifton loaded up two very sleepy kids into their truck and headed home. Thanks for coming to visit! It was great to see you!

After our company left, I snapped this (not great) sunset over the Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin where we are staying. A long but fun day!