FoxSea 2025 Cruising Season

 Riding the South Wind to the Mooring Ball The last leg of any cruise is always a mix of satisfaction and melancholy. After a fantastic journey, it was time to bring the boat home from the Cornfield anchorage . All I needed was the right weather window. A Patient Layover Patience is a sailor's best friend, and Tuesday was a day for patience. With the wind and waves directly on the nose, heading home would have been a long, uncomfortable slog. My friend Alex and his family, heading north to Solomons, decided to go for it and left early. With a good wind, they fought the tide and made quick work of their trip. I, on the other hand, had time. I spent the day exploring the state park, chatting with local fishermen and a pair of crabbers who had driven two hours just to be there. A small, passing storm barely grazed me in the late afternoon, a final bit of drama before the calm. I was content to wait, knowing Wednesday promised a Northwest wind. The Final Push Home I was up and moving b...

  Homeward Bound: A Last Stop at Point Lookout After two wonderful days exploring the charms of Leonardtown, it was time to point my bow towards home. I slipped away from the dock at 6:00 a.m., greeted by a gentle northeast breeze. The wind alone wouldn't have offered much speed, but a strong outgoing tide gave me a generous push, carrying me down Breton Bay at a steady 4.5 knots. Once I reached the wide expanse of the Potomac River, the wind turned against me, forcing me to start the engine to stay on course. Thankfully, the current was still in my favor. With the motor humming at a low idle, I was still cruising at over 5 knots, making for a swift and peaceful morning on the water. Before I knew it, the iconic Point Lookout was in view. Just as I settled into the anchorage, a familiar sight appeared on the horizon—the sleek lines of the catamaran "Eagle," with my friend Alex, his wife Kate, and their daughter Summer aboard. The afternoon was spent in good company.  ...

Two Days in Leonardtown: A Peaceful Rest on the Chesapeake They say some of the best stops are the ones off the beaten path, and Leonardtown is a perfect example. Once a sleepy stop on the old Chesapeake steamboat route, this town has found new life with a revitalized downtown and a fabulous waterfront The highlight for any boater is the town wharf—easily the nicest free dock on the Chesapeake. It’s a sailor’s dream: floating aluminum piers, complimentary electric and water, and clean restrooms. If it only had showers, it would be absolute perfection. The adjoining park, with its playground, shaded benches, and green space, makes it an ideal spot to tie up and enjoy land access for a couple of days. I arrived on the first weekend of June, just in time for a special event with concerts and rides free trolley. On Saturday, I headed inland to a Planet Fitness. My healthcare provider gives me free access to hundreds of gyms nationwide, which is my secret to getting a hot shower when I’m ou...

Dodging Showers: A Blustery Sail from Tall Timbers to Leonardtown The forecast warned of morning showers, so I kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast, fueling up before casting off. A glance at the weather surprised me: a strong northeasterly wind was whipping across the water, not the expected southeast. And the radar? Rain systems to the east were stubbornly backing up, creeping westward at a snail's pace. The hourly forecast kept pushing the clear-up time further and further out, but I decided to go for it. My route: a straight shot down the Potomac, then a turn north into the welcoming shelter of Breton Bay, just ten miles away. At least the current was slack. Leaving the Tall Timbers jetty, I started under mizzen only, waiting for open water to hoist the main. The sky behind me was growing ominously dark, and the wind was really building. My boat speed was now 6 knots. Time to reef the main. No sooner had I tucked it in than I was back up to 6 knots again. I hate being ove...

Stepping Back in Time What an incredible day I had at the City of St. Mary's Museum! This place is massive, with multiple buildings, live animals, and folks in historical costumes – I spent over four hours there and still only scratched the surface! The plantation area really surprised me. I expected something different, but this was a mid-1600s farm where the owner worked side-by-side with his indentured laborers. Their two-room house was incredibly minimalistic, used by everyone. They showed off various crops and explained farm life in detail. I even got to operate a printing press and watch a blacksmith at work. In their chapel, I learned about the first written regulation on religious freedom enacted right there. Sadly, it didn't last, as the King of England quickly overruled the law. Talk about a historical twist! But the absolute best part of the museum? Hands down, it was the Dove. She was a supply ship that sailed alongside the passenger ship Ark from England. She was s...

Wednesday Cruise to St. Mary's: A Day of Sails and Shifting Winds I started my Wednesday early with a walk down to the fishing pier. A few early birds were already out, hoping for a catch, but luck didn't seem to be on their side. I was hoping the brisk south wind would ease up, but also worried it might die completely if I waited too long. My destination, the City of St. Mary's, was only 15 miles away, but the first mile would be straight into the current and wind. Deciding it was time, I raised the mizzen and prepared the main for after that initial stretch. The wind had dropped to 10-12 knots, with gusts still hitting closer to 20. With a tight mizzen, I motored 15 degrees off the wind at about 4 knots. The average 1.5-foot waves kept me from pushing any faster, and the mizzen did a fantastic job assisting the motor. After heading south, I could finally turn west—first a close reach, then a beam reach. The main went up, the motor shut off, and I was sailing at a comforta...

. First Leg to Cornfield Harbor: A Good Day on the Water While this cruise officially starts today, the real transition happened last night. With the boat fully loaded, I enjoyed a quiet dinner, showered, and then motored out to the mooring. It was one of those perfectly still nights, save for a few neighborhood dogs, and I slept soundly until my 5:45 AM alarm. The pre-dawn light was just beginning to show as I climbed out of the bunk. The outboard fired up readily, I dropped the mooring lines without a fuss, and pointed us towards the bay, the autopilot taking the helm. The water was calm, with few crab pots to navigate, making for an easy run. I whipped up some coffee and scrambled eggs while we motored along. By the time I'd cleaned up, Stove Point was abeam and a decent SW wind was making its presence known. Time for the sails! We motor-sailed for a bit, helped by a strengthening ebb current. As I rounded Stingray Point, conditions were perfect to cut the engine. Sailing on a b...