Chesapeake Bay (12/30/2014)

Time to pull in one more sailing day this year!

Me (photo taken by Ben)

Ben, a friend of mine invited me to go sailing on his boat today (a Catalina 30).  It was cold, temperatures were in the mid 30s and we actually had flurries.  Wind was approximately 15 knots and it diminished to 10 later in the day.  In other words it was cold, but it was fun.  The boat had a good heel, and at times, according to our GPS, we were going well over 6 miles per hour.  We had a four hour sail from the York River Yacht Haven to the Seaford Yacht Club.  A nice sail.

Here we are coming by Yorktown, I'm on the helm (photo taken by my wife)

There was very few people out on the Bay today, which is understandable, considering the weather.  We saw a few pleasure boats with people fishing, no sailboats but even one kayak, with a brave soul. There were a lot of migratory waterfowl on the bay; always a pleasure to see them.  By the end of our sail the clouds broke and there was even a peak of sun.  It was a pleasant sail, but as of this writing, I have not yet warmed up.

York River (11/22/2014)

This may not be the most flattering picture, but Saturday was fun.  I helped a friend with sailing his boat over from the York River Yacht Haven to our marina.  His Catalina 30 had been on the hard for some major maintenance and repairs and this was the boat’s maiden voyage after that.  It was cold (when we got to the boat there was still ice on the hull) but the wind was great (10 to 15 knots) and with a slick hull we were making more than 6.5 knots; flying down the York River.  I was actually disappointed that we got there so early.  Although the temperatures were in the low to mid 40s, if you dress right, it was doable.  Yes my face was very cold and I had to put the hoody up after a while.  What surprised me was that we were the only sail boat out at the time.  We saw a number of recreational fishing boats (power boats).

Winter sailing is apparently something for the hardy people in our part of the Bay.  Friends of mine will not go sailing when the temperature goes below 50 or so, and when asked they say something like “been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.”  Yes, it is not something I want to do every weekend; that might get old.  I much more prefer a leisurely trip followed by throwing out the hook (anchor), a swim, a beer and a hardy lunch.  But this was fun too; we had a blast!

I took this selfie and almost every selfie I take really makes my double chin stand out and causes me to grimace.  I see that many people have selfies that do that to them; you contort your face and always smile at the wrong time.  I’ll be happy when I get my new Christmas present; a new camera that uses my phone as a remote control and as remote view finder.  It should be fun to play with.

York River (10/20/2014)

I’m running about two days behind in posting my pictures, but the sunrise on the York River was absolutely spectacular on Monday.  A combination of the clouds and the right timing (in going to work) made it almost unforgettable.  Add to it the sailboat that was moored at anchor balls helped in the composition and pulled at this sailor’s heart strings.

The lower part of the York and the Chesapeake are great for sailing.  You can always tie up for an hour or even for an overnight at the floating docks in Yorktown.  I am always amazed by the tidal current that clips by the docks, but boats seem to weather it well.  The advantage is that there are some pretty decent restaurants in the little town, which particularly helps with overnight travelers.  Breakfast is another story; that may be difficult to find in particular on Mondays and Tuesdays.  The mooring balls are also nice, I know the county charges for them; although I have no idea how they collect their money.  Regretfully, there does not seem to be a water taxi to bring people on shore to the restaurants and I am not sure if I would be comfortable leaving a dingy on the beach, considering how busy this beachfront is.

Of all the marinas in the area, York River Yacht Haven is your best bet for overnight visitors.  This marina has a nice restaurant and a good marine store.  The York Haven Marina and White House Cove Marina in Poquoson are pretty darn good too; White House Cove has restaurant on the premises as well.  Crown Point Marina might be another destination.  I do not think Wormley Creek Marina takes transients, but they have a great service shop.  Our Yacht Club will also allow transients, but getting to a store or a restaurant will be difficult.  However, our club has a lot of friendly helpful members so that issue could be solved (in particular if you are buying). 

Sailing in the area is great, the York is fun and so is the Mobjack Bay.  A lot of us sail year round, although the winters can be chilly at times.  I find February to be the toughest month in the area, but to each his/her own.  All together we enjoy being on the York and lower Chesapeake Bay.  It is a great place to visit and to sail.

Gloucester Point (7/6/13)

Sailboats at York River Yacht Haven ... This is where I have my boat hauled when I need to work on it.  It is also where I buy treated gas for my outboard.  The place is nice and has a restaurant and crab deck.