Rock Hall Blues

We are in Rock Hall, Maryland - the site where George Washington met with his Revolutionary War compatriots several times to take a paquet boat to Annapolis. The town is probably not a lot larger than it was during this era, however the number of boats here is extraordinary. We spent the night before at Still Pond, a lovely secluded anchorage which suited us just fine. There was absolutely nothing there - no town, no marina, no distraction. There were, however, several other sailboats anchored nearby. We chatted with some folks who were on their way to Baltimore and we traded stories and advice. We laughed about the addage that everyone runs aground in the Chesapeake. I fervently hoped that we could avoid this experience but why would I think that? It did happen the very next day, on the approach to the deep harbor just north of Rock Hall. It was necessary to navigate a tiny Creek inlet in order to get into the deeper harbor. After discovering that our outdated charts did not match the buoy numbering system any more, the stress level for navigation was greatly increased. Although by matching our charts with land forms and existing buoys we managed to avoid Swan Point's shoals, upon the approach to this tiny creek entrance we felt the ominous ploof or thud or whatever you want to call it. Whatever the word, it is an unmistakable sensation - like when you wake up and you just KNOW you are pregnant. Holy Wah. Thank goodness a local waterman back from fishing was willing to pull us off, from which point we tied up at the deserted gas dock of the closest marina to reassess. Well, I thought I tied us off to the post, but suddenly Wayne looked up from the charts and noticed the bow of the boat was in fact swinging away from the dock and strait toward the wall. Quick action on both our parts resulted in avoidance of obstacles but now we were back in the water and having to figure out something to do. I broke down and asked respectfully if we could not just go to the closest recommended marina and that is in fact what we did. I had always intended to do laundry at Rock Hall and have spent the last hour and a half in the laundry room at the marina! All is well, we will spend one more day here and then on to the Chester River and Chestertown. One should not get the impression that life aboard is all strife and work: we have seen the wonders these waters have to offer from schools of dolphins off the New Jersey coast to blue herons, bald eagles, and ducks galore here in the Chesapeake. Sunrise and sunset are always glorious, the sun an orange ball slipping into the pastel clouds above the wide waters of the Chesapeake Bay, shedding a golden glow upon everything as far as the eye can see. So, I guess you have to run aground occasionally in order to appreciate the sublime moments. Tomorrow: on to Chestertown. With the school year getting started everywhere we are of course somewhat sad to be missing all the excitement, but will be very content to be tomorrow back in a college town.