Wye River Cruise

We traveled 25.5 nautical miles from our slip in Deale, Maryland up the Wye River.  We have hoped and planned for a weekend like this for a year or more with sailing friends who live aboard their yacht just down the creek from us.  This Independence Day weekend seemed like the perfect opportunity. Although we each had separate obligations on different days, we managed to meet on the river for an over-night and several meals together.

The map helps visualize our route – NE from Herring Bay, slipping in south of Kent Island into the Eastern Bay. Then hang a hard right around the hook of land, and head south. The mouth of the Wye is marked by the red “A” google so conveniently provides. Please forgive me if I don’t give you the precise location of our anchorage – it’s very secluded, and our friends have never shared the spot with another boat – it’s always just them, so it seems that the location is somewhat overlooked as a destination. And we don’t really want it to become a destination!  I will say that it’s pretty far up the river, and not on the way to anywhere, which probably helps keep it from getting crowded.

Our trip over started out under power for the first two hours. We switched to sail and enjoyed a 10-15 knot SE breeze until we had to turn south around the hook. Surging along between 4.5 and 5.5 knots, we just enjoyed feeling the wind move us along. The day was unseasonably mild – 75 degrees on the water – and remarkable for July.

Moving on the river was fairly typical. Impossible, really, to sail. Wind only blows two directions on a river – on your nose, or directly behind you – and changes constantly. We struck the sails and motored on, arriving at about 1530. No longer on the open water, the conditions were warmer up the river. We took a quick swim after checking for jelly fish, and set up our hot weather canvas.

Bimini, side cockpit curtains and wind scoop are essential warm-weather gear.

I dug our fans out of stowage, replaced batteries, and we enjoyed comfort below and above decks.  Someday before we cast off for a longer period, we will build an awning that covers most of the deck, but that’s another project.  The curtains and bimini were absolutely essential to comfort at anchor.  The cockpit became the coolest place to be on the boat.  That night, the wind scoop was the essential piece of comfort gear.  Although we had our bug screens in place, we never actually needed them.  Not a single mosquito bite the entire time we were there.

As Genesis would say, “… and the evening and the morning were the first day.”  Ruth and I love our time at anchor – far prefer a secluded anchorage to a marina any day.  This evening and day were no exception.  Beautiful surroundings, satisfying personal pursuits of reading and art.  Absolutely serene.

Our friends arrived the following afternoon, anchored smartly, and set up for life on the hook.  We got together for dinner aboard their yacht, and gathered for breakfast aboard Cay of Sea.

Ruth rose early our second morning – long before I stirred – and viewed the sunrise.  Before she even had coffee she had her paints out taking impressions of the dawn’s early light.

Dawn at “Ward’s” Cove

After a leisurely breakfast with our friends, Ruth took the dinghy for a spin, we swam again, and got ready to depart.  Up anchor at 1315, we started the long trek home.  We were tied up by 1830 or so. The route home was a beat every step of the way, as the winds were nearly due South.  We were not going SW enough to get much momentum, so we motored sailed most of the way.

• bimini
• cockpit canvas
• marine art
• nautical art
• side curtains
• wind scoop
• Wye River