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 before 5:30 AM on Wednesday. The wait paid off beautifully. The wind was a steady 10 knots from the Northwest, the seas were less than a foot, and a favorable current was giving me a gentle push.

On a broad reach, the boat was humming along at 5.5 knots. One thing I probably haven't mentioned in this blog is that I've been towing my nine-foot dinghy the entire time. It's like a loyal, but sometimes stubborn, companion. It especially hates cold mornings when its inflation is a little low, creating extra drag until the sun warms it up.

Even with my reluctant dinghy in tow, I held speeds above 5 knots for the first two hours while crossing the mouth of the Potomac River.

From Sail to Motor-Sail

As I rounded Smith Point and turned onto a more southerly course, the conditions began to change. The wind speed dropped, and the current neared slack tide. My speed dipped, and to keep making good time, I had to start the engine. With the wind still offering some help, I was able to motor-sail with minimum throttle, saving fuel and enjoying the last few hours on the water. I passed several Menhaden boats along the way. They have been successful at reducing the fish population to the point where many ospreys cannot feed their young. I saw too many empty nests along the way on this trip.

Journey's End

I made good time, arriving back at my mooring ball by 1:30 PM. The familiar routine of unloading the boat onto the dinghy and making the final trip to the dock felt both routine and final. The air had grown hot and heavy, and the promise of air conditioning back at the house was a welcome one.

With the boat secure and the gear unloaded, another cruise was officially complete.