Hey Larry,

As luck would have it, a July cold front was producing a NE breeze of about 25 with higher gusts... And, of course, my departure was timed to ride the flood up the Bay, so I could catch the ebb down Delaware Bay, as well... Yeah, it was a sloppy ride, I was very grateful they had been able to thread the mast through the dodger, thus leaving it in place... I probably would have had to turn back otherwise, with all the spray I was taking all the electronics mounted at the helm would have really been getting drenched...

But for people heading south, there was probably not a more spectacular day of sailing on the Chesapeake all summer long... Just so happens I passed the whole fleet of the Navy 44s returning to the Academy after their latest boondoggle, Block Island race week, perhaps?

You know, I really don't mind my tax dollars going toward supporting the Naval midshipmen getting some sail training aboard these beauties... However, having to chip in for diesel fuel, so they can motor down the bay in 25+ knots of following breeze, that kind of stuck in my craw, as I was bashing into it... (grin)

Well, at least all their mainsail covers looked reasonably ship shape...

best regards,

Jon