Life in the Slow Lane (The Pearl): June 3

Official Start to the Season

Chesapeake City Free Dock

Today was the official start to our 2012 cruising season. We've enjoyed our time on the boat the last 2 1/2 months, but we really haven't been cruising. Just seeing some of our favorite places a second time. It's been 115 cruising days since we've been anywhere but the Chesapeake. The last time our boat was out of the Chesapeake was last August when we were in Philadelphia. Actually, Great Bridge isn't quite in the Chesapeake...it's at mile marker 12 on the ICW, but close enough! We have spent a total of 127 days exploring this wonderful body of water and we still haven't been to all the places we'd like to see. Hopefully next fall we will have a chance to see a few new places. The people, the scenery, the food and the towns are all amazing and we've enjoyed our time very much.

We left Baltimore very early this morning so we could get as far as we could before the wind picked up. Our trip to Chesapeake City, located at the beginning of the C&D Canal, was pretty uneventful. The winds were manageable and the water was just slightly choppy. Following seas made sections of the trip more difficult to steer but the ride for the most part was pretty smooth...the only thing slowing us down today was the current, it seemed to be against us the whole way.

We arrived in Chesapeake City around one. Our friends on Gallivant had already arrived and were tied up to the free dock. There is only room for two or three boats on the city dock, so we rafted off of them. To get off our boat we have to go through theirs. We spent the afternoon visiting with Pam and Donny, walking around this cute little town, checking the weather for our trip north and relaxing. The arrival of another thunderstorm and cool front put a quick end to our evening on the deck. It looks like we will stay here one more day and then move to Delaware City on Tuesday and Cape May, New Jersey on Wednesday...weather permitting of course!

Sunrise in Baltimore