Day 44...Mill Creek #1 to Mill Creek #2

SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012

     We pulled anchor at 6:30 a.m. this morning.  We were hopeful that we would actually be able to go somewhere today.  As we left we saw several thickets of what I think are oyster stakes.

     We entered the Chesapeake at about 7:15.  It was rollie but doable so far.  The waves were on our stern coming from the SW.  They were only 1-2 feet.  It got a little bumpy crossing the Potomac, but by then we had already gone farther than we did yesterday.  We headed to Solomons, Maryland at about 7 mph.

      Today was a day for boats, boats and more boats.  There was more boat traffic today than we’d seen any one place on the entire trip.  There was a tug and barge, several large cargo ships, sailboats, trawlers, a car carrier, motor yachts, fast cruisers, fishing boats, a tanker and our little blue boat.  

     The waves calmed down and we thought we could do this all day UNTIL we were entering the Patuxent River on our way to the Mill Creek there.  The Sunday boat traffic was horrendous.  There were tons of boats making wakes everywhere.  It was like being on the ocean.  One thing that really disturbed us were the power boaters that were letting their kids stand on the bouncing bow of their boat or sit on the bow and dangle their legs over the front of the speeding boat. 

     As we entered the inner harbor, straight ahead there is a small, bulkheaded Molly’s Leg Island that you can go around either way.  A guy on a stand-up paddleboard was heading into the harbor in front of us.  

     

     We had an idea where the free pumpout was so we circled the harbor until we found and used it.  We were going to go into a marina but decided to go anchor up Mill Creek instead.  

     Before we did, we toured the creek and took photos of beautiful houses that I will publish as a special feature later when I have more time to resize them.  

     We finally traveled 51 miles today in 8 hours and 51 minutes.  We’ve traveled a total of 976 miles.