Billie Holiday's song “A Sailboat in the Moonlight and You!" Lyrics
Click on the arrow to play the song.
A Chance to Drift
Leaving our anchorage across from the Bohemia River Sunday morning, we had little wind and no idea of our plans. After a early morning swim around the boat, we had our coffee and started down the upper bay. The wind was non-existent and our sails hung limply. The current was the only reason we were moving. As the morning drifted by, we moved slowly down the bay. A lazy lunch of barbecued pork chops (just thawed) and Sauvignon Blanc left us calm and carefree. It was a chance to drift.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we realized the remaining ice would be gone long before evening cocktails. We planned a quick dip into Tolchester Marina for ice to maintain our other carefully frozen provisions, but found a jumping Tiki bar and the fuel dock packed with boats. As we got back out into the bay, we discussed our new number one boat project: refrigeration!
Thoughts of a stopover in Rock Hall or Annapolis ran through my head but the wind picked up that afternoon as we approached the Bay Bridge and we knew we had plenty of good sailing hours left in the day. We sailed past the mouth of the Severn with the sun setting behind the capital building in Annapolis and decided to keep sailing.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we realized the remaining ice would be gone long before evening cocktails. We planned a quick dip into Tolchester Marina for ice to maintain our other carefully frozen provisions, but found a jumping Tiki bar and the fuel dock packed with boats. As we got back out into the bay, we discussed our new number one boat project: refrigeration!
Thoughts of a stopover in Rock Hall or Annapolis ran through my head but the wind picked up that afternoon as we approached the Bay Bridge and we knew we had plenty of good sailing hours left in the day. We sailed past the mouth of the Severn with the sun setting behind the capital building in Annapolis and decided to keep sailing.
A Soft Breeze on a June Night
The nearly full moon was rising just as the sun was getting low and we prepared for a night sail. With the decreased visibility of night, the navigator’s role becomes vital. Checking charts for navigational aids and then scanning the horizon for the blinking red and green lights of the markers helps the skipper to avoid dangers, in this case: Bloody Point shoals. One thing that makes all this much easier is the GPS-connected laptop with the chart plotter showing the boat’s position. With my help, Peter sailed us safely past the shoals and we were tucked into Tilghman Creek by 1:30 that morning.
The night will stand out in memory. These are the moments why we sail, why we tolerate small spaces, the lack of modern comforts, and windless drifting. This night, the breeze was perfect: a warm, steady breeze out of the south east at 12-14 knots. Waves just big enough to give the boat some motion and occasionally cause some spray to splash up on the deck. The moon, big and bright reflected on the water. As we sailed down the bay, I recalled Billie Holiday's lines, "Some things dear that I long for are few, Just give me a sailboat in the moonlight and you."
