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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 beam reach with the current pushing us east, we were making a steady 4.5 knots – pure joy. That favorable current didn't last past Windmill Point, unfortunately, though the wind angle got better. The flood tide wouldn't kick in until the afternoon.

Knowing I still had a fair distance to cover to reach Point Lookout Anchorage (Cornfield Harbor), I restarted the engine and continued motor-sailing. Once we entered the Potomac, our speed settled around 4 knots. I could have pushed it, but we were making decent progress, so I let the last 12 miles unfold at a relaxed pace. A neat moment as we approached Cornfield's entrance: a whole procession of skates, at least two dozen, heading the other way.

Inside the harbor, I found a nice protected spot to drop the hook, tucked away from the southerly wind. I popped ashore for a quick look around, but the heat sent me back to the boat pretty quickly – more exploring planned for the cooler morning hours.

Dinner was simple and satisfying: grilled tuna steaks and sweet potatoes, enjoyed with a gentle SE breeze. It feels good to be back on the water, and I'm looking forward to another sound night's sleep.

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