Back in the day, when we first came to the area, Still Pond was a lot more fun (and popular) due to nearby Churn Creek, which feeds into the bay at Still Pond.
Churn Creek is a large estuary, fed through a narrow entrance. The entrance used to run over a shallow sandbar, which made it a great place to swim and take dinghies through the "rapids" at tidal changes.
Now, the estuary inside has been developed and the entrance had been dredged to allow residents to get their fishing boats up to their properties. The "rapids" are gone. What remains is a channel of slightly fast current, which is nowhere near the amusement park log ride it used to be.
That said, the Churn Creek estuary is still pretty and very pleasant. We spent the whole day, with the kayak, poking along its entire shoreline while Bald Eagles and Ospreys circled overhead. Then we went over to adjacent Still Pond Creek estuary for more of the same, only returning to Begonia well past our limit of comfort for sitting in those seats.
Exploring Still Pond (and the waters of Churn Creek)
After Still Pond, we went to Stoney Creek, just outside Baltimore, for a change of scene. Stoney Creek is more suburban, with almost the entire shoreline taken up by closely-spaced houses, each with their dock and their own version of a waterfront patio with a view. Every one of them seems like it must be a perfect little oasis from what I imagine are the owner's busy Baltimore jobs.
It looked like another great place to spend a few hours poking around in a kayak. That was indeed our plan, until I went out to get it into the water. Then the skies opened up with such abandon that I was hardly able to sprint back to the cockpit without getting soaked through. We thought about it for about five seconds then both decided that, while paddling around a big bathtub might be cleansing, it wouldn't necessarily be fun. Perhaps next time...
Stunning skies in Stoney Creek
From Stoney Creek, we had a fast, full-sail reach down Chesapeake Bay to Kent Island, where we anchored far from shore in a shallow bay, downwind of a couple of very nice-looking estates.
Leaving Stoney Creek, and sailing to Kent Island
We paddled the dinghy ashore and spent the day half in bird-filled wetlands and half gliding along the shores of a bunch of properties we would never be able to afford. None would be a bad place to be invited for a weekend. Since it was a weekday, there was no one around to do the inviting, just the errant gardener, with their ubiquitous rasping leaf blower. Time to go back to Begonia, way out in the bay, for a little peace and quiet.
From Long point at the south end of Kent Island we explored the inlets for hours
After Kent Island, we headed further down the bay into the Patuxent River to the big estuary at Solomons Island. This area of Chesapeake Bay is my favorite part. To be honest, if you pressed me as to why, I would probably have a hard time coming up with specifics. Chesapeake Bay is not dramatic or sublime. There are no fjords or snow-capped mountains looming overhead. For the most part, I would describe the entire 4,500 square mile estuary as being pleasant - placid, tranquil and pleasant. Almost all of it is fetching and its myriad of little inlets and bays offer everything from long views to cuddly solitude. The Solomons area seems to be just a little above average in all this. Perhaps its the relatively sparse population, the lack of heavy industry, or possibly just the slightly higher cliffs on the banks. Whatever it is, I've always looked forward to reaching this part of the bay on our many transits of its length.
The shores of the Chesapeke are littered with lighthouses, and the waters sometimes "boil" with fish activity
We started by anchoring in a quiet side cove, just outside of the town of Solomons Island. From there, it was a twenty-minute dinghy ride to the hustle and bustle of the main town, which is really more of a holiday village where most people get around by strolling.
One of our engines needed an oil change. While I did that, Maryanne went ashore on a provisioning run. When she got back, we headed out for some proper tourism.
First up was a visit to the Calvert Marine Museum. We'd heard a few people recommend it, but had never yet managed to make it ourselves. I must say that it was surprisingly good - well better than I would have expected for even a town ten times this size. They've got traditional boats of various types, good displays on the geology and history of the area, and even their own screwpile lighthouse. They also have otters. How can anybody not love otters?
The Calvert Marine Museum was an unexpected gem
We topped off our day with a meal out and a trip to the local "beach bar", which is really just an across-the-street-from-the-boat-ramp bar. I ordered a Mai Tai, which was disappointing and expensive and came in a plastic cup. I guess one will be enough, then.
The place did have a bit of a vibe to it, though. Very specifically, it reminded us of the bar Jennifer Connelly ran in "Top Gun". Well, Patuxent Naval Air Station is just across the river, and I suppose it's a short motorcycle ride across the bridge to Solomons to get away from the higher-ups and blow off some steam. That probably does give it a pretty high proportion of actual fighter pilots than your average bar.
The next morning, we made the short trip further up the Patuxent and into St. Leonard's Creek, where we pulled into little Rollins Cove, about halfway up.
Anchored in Rollins Cove
Rollins Cove is stunning. It is big enough for just one or two boats, with high green hills wrapping around on all sides. There are two properties there with private docks, with the main houses hidden by trees. A third property high on a hill looks down on the cove and St. Leonard's Creek beyond. Quickly running through my memory, I quickly decided it's the prettiest place we have ever anchored in the Chesapeake. The little cove was always mirror flat. There were also no bugs, so we were able to leave our hatches open wide day and night for plenty of fresh air. It was the perfect place to sit in the cockpit in the evenings reading to each other over a bottle of wine.
While we were there, Maryanne had a birthday. this is always tough for me because she doesn't need anything, she doesn't have room for anything, and if I suddenly say I need "a little private time in town", it's pretty obvious what I'm up to. Also, she is an accomplished investigator who can't bear to wait, so she always ruins her own surprise.
I've figured out a way around all of this: Don't get her anything! (She is getting something. Keep it under your hat.) The same works for me in reverse, although Maryanne spends so much time on the computer, generally, that it's hard to know if she is shopping or not. One thing we both get, though, is full veto power on the day. If she does or doesn't want to do something, all she has to do is say, "But it's my Birthday" and she automatically wins.
Today, she wanted to paddle the kayak a couple of miles to Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum for a long walk through the grounds and to look at some old stuff. I was quite happy to potter around in beautiful Rollins Cove and have a lazy day, but it was her Birthday...
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
Jeff-Pat, as we quickly learned the employees call it, sits on the peninsula joining St. Loenard's Creek with the Patuxent River. It has been occupied for hundreds of years by indigenous peoples. More recently, it was a slave plantation, then a farm. Now, it's kind of a museum/farm/park, with areas set aside for each usage.
Our day there started at the public pier. We then skirted the farm to the park/museum part of the property. It was here that we learned the area all of the way back to the pier was closed for renovations. Oops! Well, we're here now. We'll just have to sneak back to the kayak later.
The park/museum section focused heavily on archeological studies of the site's slave era dwellings. We did the park first, with its re-created native village. There was a group of kids there performing yearly upkeep on the shelters. These weren't teenagers, they were maybe six to eight years old. It seems like it was some sort of school project, but the bossy eight-year-old in charge really seemed to know what he was doing.
After the park grounds, we headed to the museum or some air conditioning. There we learned about the archaeology that has been going on at Jeff-Pat for decades. Also, it appears, the cliff faces in the area, all of the way to just outside the mouth of the Patuxent, are a rich source of dinosaur-are fossils, from back when this part of the world was joined with North Africa. Cool.
We then got completely lost trying to follow on of their nature trails through the woods. We musta missed a turn somewhere. By the time we got back, we were weary enough for Maryanne to decide to call it a day and head back to the kayak.
Along the way, I managed to convince her that, for only a couple more miles extra, she wanted to head to the waterfront restaurant at Sunset Creek for drinks or even perhaps a whole meal. The meal didn't happen. Nothing on the menu appealed, but we did at least get to enjoy some time together with a great view.
And fancy drinks at this great deck overlooking the river before heading back to the boat for sunset. Those drinks that look like they must be beers on the table are actually pinepple mimosa (a mimosa is called a Bucks Fizz in the UK - where it was apprently invented), but it doesn't look nearly so fancy in a disposable plasstic beaker!
After lounging for a bit, we agreed that the book-in-the-cockpit thing sounded like a good way to round out the day, so we headed back home to watch the sunset followed by a sky full of stars.
Continuing south, we went a short few miles to a wide open spot on Cuckold Creek, on the other side of the Patuxent. This was a slightly more populated area. Again, there was plenty to explore in the kayak. Plus, we were able to go to Myrtle Point Park, where they have enough trails for us to spend a few hours walking.
We took the kayak ashore to explore Myrtle Point Park
On the way back, I noticed a high-pitched bubbling noise coming from around my right knee. It seems the seam there had developed a slow leak. When we got home, I put a patch over it. On my way back to the cockpit, There was a big BOOM! I wasn't too worried. I had just topped up the other two chambers to their rated pressure and sometimes, if you don't twist the little valve thingy closed properly, the cap can pop off.
Nope, the OTHER, left tube had blown, leaving an eight-inch split at the seam. Great! I peeled them apart and carefully glued it all back together. We'll have to wait a couple of days and see how it does. The inflatable kayak is within its warrenty period still for seams and workmanship - but it seems the company is no longer in buisness... go figure!
Anchorage location - Still Pond >> On google maps
Anchorage location - Stoney Creek >> On google maps
Anchorage location - Long Point on Kent Island On google maps
Anchorage location - Lusby Cove, St Johns, Solomons >> On google maps
Anchorage location - Rollins Cove >> On google maps
Anchorage location - Cuckold Creek>> On google maps
No comments:
Post a Comment