Zahniser’s Yachting Center – At a dock

He added a blue boot stripe later that day

Waiting for weather on the Chesapeake is a little strange. When the wind flows out of the north, the anchorages can be very calm with little wind, leading one to believe that the marine forecast for much high winds and waves to be inaccurate. Several times on the way down in the fall we started out from a calm anchorage believing the forecasts to be overly pessimistic to only find that the forecast was dead on. Twice we turned around and returned to our anchorage. Out of the dozen or so boats holed up with us, about half did the same thing we did – out and then back to the anchorage. What seems to happen is that the Chesapeake narrows south of Annapolis and whatever wind out of the north there is gets funneled into a narrower space and gives a venturi effect, speeding up the wind. The marine forecasts accounts for this apparently well know effect for this area but the general wind force predictions do not.

Nice varnished teak - no lifelines!

Armed with all that background, we rationalized staying put today since the forecast was for 10 to 15 kt winds and higher gusts with 3 ft waves out of the north, the direction we were headed – all with a northerly current so there would be wind against tide too. On Tuesday the winds are supposed to subside somewhat and the waves likewise. Unwanted forecasts have a way of persisting past their supposed demise.

So we did boat chores and are now ready to continue our journey on Tuesday. Zahniser’s Yachting Center is a beehive of activity in boat painting, repairing and general maintenance. One guy was doing a dark blue paint job, just gorgeous (photo). We noted another boat with every visible top surface being varnished teak, wow, what upkeep. The same boat had no lifelines, something seen more often than you might think. The owners seem to like the look of their boat without the lifelines. They probably don’t do much sailing anyway but the boat does look good that way – it would never be for me though.

Ann took this photo - we like sunsets!

Onward on Tuesday!