Deltaville, VA

Sunday, Oct 17
Distance Traveled:  71nm
Total Distance:  875.52 nm

Last night after visiting with Gary and Patty Root of S/V Last Tango (their boat is beautiful down below), we put the dinghy to bed and went to sleep about 7pm.  Unfortunately, I woke at 9pm went back to sleep, and then woke at 10pm wide awake.  I don't seem to do well going to sleep early.  I ordered Katie's plane ticket and email the information to the appropriate people and then got into bed to listen to my Ipod nano hoping that I could fall asleep again.  Then we both woke at 3am and left about 345am Solomons Island, MD.  The bouys have the green and red lights flashing, so we didn't have any problem leaving ZYC and getting out into the bay.  The stars were out in full - one of the advantages of leaving in the dark without many lights around.   At 430am I went down below as Phil took the first watch.  I think I got some sleep and the sun was just starting to rise when I came up again at 630am for my watch. Phil had just let the head sail out at the just before I came up. It was cold and I was glad for all my layers.  The winds were from the west initially about 8-12knots and there was a just enough waves that I was getting seasick, so took some Marezine and drove until 9am when I went below again.  About 10am he shut off the engines and we sailed with just the head sail for about 4 hours. First time we've sailed this long on this trip.  The wind had clocked to SSW (it was suppose to be west all day!) so we were sailing upwind from 5.5 to 6.7 knots as the winds varied from 9-15 knots and at time 15-19 knots.  About 1pm, the wind had died enough that we had to start motor sailing.  During Phil's last watch we were coming close to the our end point.  He did a few tacks to motor sail as long as possible and get us in position for the entrance to Jackson Creek, then he rolled up the head sail and we motored to get to the channel.  We arrived about 330pm and we were anchored about 345pm.  There are many boats anchored here and many more arrived and had to anchor in the other arm of the creek.  There is a couple from Sweden on a Aphrodite 137 anchored next to us named Unicorn.  Phil also saw an old wooden boat launch that he likes to look at.  The couple came close to us as they were cruising around.  The man said he liked our dinghy and on another pass said that we were the best looking boat anchored here.  Food today was pretty sketchy while we were sailing.  I had PB on crackers for breakfast, Phil had cereal.   I had not prepared sandwiches before we were heeled over, so Phil brought the left over 7-layer dip and Fritos Scoops for lunch.  I made spaghetti and carrots for supper and Phil finished the last of the apple crisp (I had mine as a late night snack yesterday).

The sun is starting to set and we are both on the computers.  We are planning on leaving tomorrow morning once the sun is up as we can't leave this anchorage in the dark.  Too dangerous.  We are planning on sailing to Hampton, VA which is about 35+nm away.  Not sure what will come after that.