Chesapeake Bay looks like a very good place to explore by boat. Because of the many creeks and rivers that empty into the bay, there are thousands of miles of coastline to explore, and much of that coastline is undevelopoed.
Unfortunately, this time of year it’s also very hot and humid around the Chesapeake. Daytime temperatures sit in the mid- to upper-nineties (~35C), and the humidity percentage feels equally high.
After spending a hot and sticky summer in Mexico, both Mike and Angie agreed to not repeat that. So with Madrone back in the water after her haulout, we headed back south to the mouth of the Chesapeake, rounded Cape Charles at the east entrance to the bay, and aimed north for cooler weather.
The weather cooperated – southerly winds of 10-12 knots were just strong enough to get Madrone moving well, but not so strong that they created much wave action. Heading downwind, the boat stayed flat with very little rolling as we sailed peacefully up the coast of Virginia, to Maryland, to Delaware, and then to New Jersey.
Exactly 48 hours later, we dropped anchor with temperatures in the low-eighties (~28C) – all’s well!
