Check out the link to on Google Maps that shows the entrance to Deltaville, VA. It was hairy to say the least. We left Solomons on Friday, a 50 or so mile trek down the western shore of Chesapeake Bay and we had a great sail. Wendreda, the Irish boat we met, was following us. They had been to Deltaville before and told us it was a bit tricky getting in.
We had a fantastic run down, averaging 7 knots most of the way, but hitting 9 knots and passed a catamaran and a trawler!!!
All of our guides suggested we hug the green markers guiding boats in the channel into Deltaville. We tiptoed toward the rather scary looking markers within jumping distance of a beach (yes a beach) and hit hard. Real hard.
Scott had a bit of a concern - OK, actually a total panic - and I decided we were NOT going to stay there. I got behind the helm and put it in full reverse for a few seconds, we broke free and I shoved it in forward and steered counter-intuitively for the shore. We were suddenly in 6.5 feet of water (we draw 6.2) Scott took the helm and drove to the next buoy where we rode up on a sandbar. Ugh. He reversed and again drove away. We finally ran an obstacle course in about 7 feet of water around about 20 boats at anchor and decided to just throw out the hook where we had some swing room. As it turned out, a boat which went just a few feet up the river from us was on the hard at low tide. Yikes.
When we got into shore, the marina manager there told us that normally the advice is to stick to port in the tiny channel, but this year, it's starboard. We didn't get the memo, clearly.
Wendreda came in safely and we ended up spending an extra day there as we had had such a good time together.
This morning we left and were very tense in a low low tide. Even more beach evident at the start and end of the channel. Very unnerving.
Today we sailed/motorsailed to Hampton. So exciting to finally be here. Soon we start our trek down the ICW as we are only about seven miles away from Mile 0 of the ICW. We also ran into Jock again on Unleaded and may share a car and some thoughts about the next few legs this week.
1 comment:
I spent a couple of weeks in Deltaville and by the time we headed south again, the bottom and likely most of the sides of the keel were completely clean. Try going in at night in a storm. a whole new experience of steering by "bump"
Post a Comment