Chesapeake - all is forgiven

Chesapeake - all is forgiven, well mostly. Apart from a couple of random waves and currents at Smith Point light it was a light Sth East breeze in the morning. Our only slight gripe is that after sailing in a 3.5 knot breeze listening to the ipod (which my darling daughter kindly filled with music before donating it to me) and Bose speaker was that after lunch we had to motor sail. The nasty looking thunderstorm late in the afternoon stayed over Reedville and we made it to Cartenaga Creek by 6.30pm without being pummelled. Great navigation by the skipper and Bounty sailed superbly again. Our 1938 designed boat sailed past three modern boats as if they were standing still. We toasted Billy Atkins, one of life's gentlemen and great yacht designers, as we went past.

I know that yesterday I mentioned that the Skipper and I were looking for wildlife but that really didn't include the human kind. The beach party was entertaining to watch from a distance and as a final song the D.J played Amazing Grace ( possibly by Witney Houston-at a guess). The entire beach, bay and assembled yachts at sunset all stopped and listened, it was stunning. Stunning in an entirely different sense was the karaoke singer who started up later that night. My question is that why when drunken karaoke is the order of the day why is the singer generally always appalling? Not that my karaoke singing is any better but I try to restict my efforts to group endeavours or the car.

We did have one exception and that was in Otehei Bay in NZ. It was totally dark with the full moon rising when over a the water came a single soprano voice, for a brief period each note was clear and bell-like then the wind changed. After that we only received brief periods of this amazing music which was possibly students of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa having a jam session. Do opera singers have jam sessions, I have no idea, but still like the thought. While my music leanings are more Springsteen, Adele and recently The Black Keys I still enjoyed the performance.

Also thinking about our darling daughter who is about to head to Melbourne to see our respective families. We would so much rather be with them all as well, but I'm sure she will have a wonderful time. Though she will,be cursing me for the 4am start.

Smith Point Lighthouse on the entrance to the Potomac River is one of the famous lighthouses on the Chesapeake - also renowned for vicious squalls and strong currents. The GPS has been indicating wreck after wreck below us as we passed. This was also where the British sailed up the river to burn Washington. Such history all around us.

Anchored in the stunning Cartenaga Creek just around the corner from St Mary's which was Maryland's first settlement. We are going to explore St Mary's tomorrow.