DAY TWO; WHAT A CONTRAST!
Aquila
Alan and Sarah Bennett
Tue 13 May 2008 23:16
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37:47.54N 76:19.24W
A very peaceful night passed in Mill Creek and we
awoke to beautiful sunshine though slightly chilly temperatures! The oven was
turned to 'heater' mode to warm us up as Daddy and Pippa had a cooked breakfast
and then we prepared to set sail...
Unfortunately, Mummy and Pippa managed to bend the
chain pawl of the anchor as we attempted to weigh anchor, so Daddy delved into
the tool box and emerged with a spanner and a vice, and we managed to free the
chain pawl, rebend it with the help of a G-clamp and the vice, and then reattach
it so that the anchor was successfully weighed...the Manson Supreme came up at
1020 covered in mud, which made Daddy very happy, and we set off out into the
bay once more.
The weather couldn't have been much different to
yesterday with the sun shining gloriously over the Chesapeake and with the wind
from the North East at Force 4 we set the mainsail with the 2nd reef and the
staysail and deployed the Duogen in water mode.
Aquila was going along happily with the crew in
high spirits until we were approached by a US Navy Range Control Boat asking us
to keep clear of some targets that they were using for practice up ahead; we
were definitely in 'violation' of a few laws! Daddy's diplomatic skills managed
to avoid an international disaster however and we altered course to their
satisfaction.
The wind became lighter throughout the day and
at 1500 was blowing a Force 3 from the north, and we managed with the staysail
and full genoa until 1608 when the asymmetric was set (we thought of you, Tom!),
took down the genoa and staysail. The asymmetric was gybed a few times as the
wind went dead astern (Force 1-2) and we were finally forced to take it down and
start the engine at 1725.
Whilst negotiating our way through crab-pots and
fishing steaks (full of lazy pelicans gorging themselves!) we headed towards our
anchorage for the night, also named Mill Creek. Crew feeling slightly windswept
and have caught the sun but Aquila and skipper happy in perfect anchorage for
the night! Only 4 days until Sebastian arrives - counting them
down...
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