38.46.568N   076.34.003W

We left Summit North at about 1300 to catch the current along the canal and down the Chesapeake Bay. Only a few yachts about and the Bay was the colour of a very dirty ditch.

Once again not enough wind and it was 20 miles to the Sassafras River and the radio was warning about all the debris floating about the bay. We anchored in the Sassafras about 1700 and within half an hour Mary and Christian from  “Iwanda” were alongside telling us to get a move on as we had all been invited to “Erinbrie” for drinks!!

Needless to say we rushed and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours aboard “Erinbrie” a Valiant 50 that had recently completed a circumnavigation.

Mary on “Iwanda” has been hosting the OCC morning SSB Net and they have been living aboard for about 18 years! They plan to visit Scotland (by land) next summer so we are planning their route- accommodation  volunteers wanted!

The Bay Bridge(s)                                                                                                                             Thomas Point Light

Monday morning we caught the tide down the Bay, under the Bay Bridge and headed direct for Herrington Harbour where we had arranged to get hauled out as we had a part of the steering gear needing a machining repair and I was reluctant to stay afloat without a method of steering the boat! In addition we needed to attend to some epoxy defect at the waterline and once again send our Autopilot drive back to Raymarine as it failed again after it’s expensive August repair!!

51.8 miles logged

The shallow channel to Herrington Harbour North                                  The grounds are very nicely landscaped

                                                                                                                            The problem was not as bad as feared but we will sort it anyway!

The marina (www.herringtonharbour.com) is very smart and has ‘eco marina’ awards. In 2 Marinas they have about 1100 slips (berths) and take over 1400 boats ashore. The onsite contractors are very friendly and so far have been efficient and helpful.!

Some of the 1400 boats ashore for the winter and they are developing another 7 acres!   I saw shrinkwrapping in the USA in 2000 which gave me the idea for AYC

We are giving “Moonbeam” an intensive maintenance session ( we have cruised over 10,000 miles since we left Argyll ) and as the weather is poor we would not be doing much afloat anyway.

We plan to visit the Annapolis Boat Show in early October and then cruise the Chesapeake and wait for a weather window to head for Bermuda then the Caribbean in November.

Today we borrowed bikes from the marina and cycled the 2 miles to the grocery store and the amazing liquor store where you can hardly move for crates of beer, wine and spirits!!

The view of the ‘historic village’ from Moonbeam                                A Praying Mantis – about 4” long!

               I want     (www.extremesupertruck.com)                                   Lynn’s new friends- Halloween is a big event here with decorations and pumpkins  seen everywhere