Trip Day:	76	Latitude:	38°57.26 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	40	Longitude:	076°15.85 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,502	Location:	Kent Narrows

We raised the anchor and followed KatMan2 out the channel then paused to raise the mainsail.  Heading out Tred Avon until we cleared the green mark, then rounded up and headed for Tilghman Island.  After passing through the bridge at Knapps Narrows, we shut down the engine, raised the outdrive and sailed up the Bay with the winds 60 degrees off our bow at 10-15 kts.   Wow, we are sailing 7 knots up the Chesapeake feeling very lucky, and a little selfish, to be making this trip .

We could definitely tell this is a weekend by the multitudes of sailboats in the Bay.  There must have been a hundred sailboats crossing each other’s wakes, on the eastern shore, on the western shore and up the rivers.  After several hours of sailing we headed into Eastern Bay, then into Prospect Bay, then into Kent Island Narrows.  Kent Island is basically directly across from  Annapolis on the western shore. 

Turning into a secluded little creek just south of the Kent Narrows Bridge, we dropped anchor in 8ft of water.  The Kent Narrows has become a suburb of Annapolis and Baltimore area.

Having packed a duffle bag with a bottle of wine, humus and pita chips, and a side dish we are off to have dinner aboard KatMan2 with Marc and Betty. 

This is our eighth straight night at anchor—a marina is a must stop soon so we can do laundry and wash the salt off the decks.  However, we will be checking weather closely since we just learned about tropical storm Alberto.

FRIDAY - MAY 18, 2012

We had a calm, cool evening and awakened to a brisk morning air.  Our visit to St. Michaels was enjoyable and we can understand why James Michener chose it as his home base while he researched the area for his book, Chesapeake. 

 We have actually gone a little south, leaving San Domingo, out Broad Creek, up the Choptank River, into the Tred Avon River, into Town Creek off the shore of Oxford.  This is the oldest town on the eastern shore, first settled by the Choptank Indians, there were settlers and plantations here as early as 1659.  In the late 1600s Oxford was an established port where ships delivered manufactured goods and salt from Great Britain, wine from Madeira, rum and sugar from the West Indies, slaves from Africa and indentured servants and convicts from Scotland and Ireland.  They returned to England with cargoes of tobacco, barrel staves, furs, pine, tar and other raw products. 

 This port has a long history of shipbuilding and Hinckley Yachts Boatyard is still in operation.  Cutts and Case Shipyard still builds wooden boats with their patented planking method.