September 22
Philadelphia Navy Yard Basin
September 1st and 2nd
A sail to Delaware City with buddy boat TakeFive.
Depart Essington just after noon to fight the last 2 hours of flood tide before ebb.
Warp out of the slip to overcome the current grabbing the long keel and spinning the boat to the opposite slip. I may try warping out more often with a line to the opposite slip to counter the current driven spin.
Hot and humid with a gentle breeze from the southwest, some periods of nice sailing and dodging the crab pots between the Marcus Hook anchorage and Wilmington.
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| Tanker with fuel barge at Marcus Hook anchorage |
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| Green can in ebb current off Newcastle |
The breeze builds for a good sail Christiana River to Newcastle dropping to zero after the north marker on Bulkhead Shoal Dyke.
Motorsail Bulkhead Shoal to Delaware City, dock staff monitoring VHF 9 advise a strong current in the Delaware City Canal with shoaling at the entrance. Stay in the canal center from day marker to ferry dock.
The dock crew direct me to a floating dock and assist securing the boat against a current propelling the boat at 2 knot in idle toward the route 9 fixed bridge. The boat is secured at 6:30 PM
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| Tug at Delaware City Marina |
At Cherry Island Flats foul weather gear on as a front gusts in before the rain and set the 1st reef, The bimini was down with the overcast sky earlier but back up and tensioned to keep all but the gusting rain off and motor sail to Essington.
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| Dredge pipeline relocation off Claymont bound for Essington to Walt Whitman channel deepening |
The rain stops as I begin the slip approach for a gentle dock still against the flood. The boat is secured at 1:30 PM.
Not the best two day sail but a good excuse for being on the water.
Uninspiring photographs, but not untypical.