We were planning on leaving Newport for Annapolis at 8:00 AM on Friday; however, it looks like the worsening conditions for Tropical depression "NINE" (which may become a Tropical Storm or...).

It looks like it will be a Nor'Easter at the mouth of the Bay on Saturday, Sunday, and maybe Monday.

So we're currently planning moving our departure up to about Noon on Thursday. Too bad that the couple of friends that were going to join us at 22 Bowen for dinner on Thursday night will have to take a rain check -- or plan on dining in Annapolis on Saturday afternoon.

We were looking a predicted 30 knot NE winds at the mouth of the Delaware Bay. If you don't catch the tide right, you have something approaching a 2 knot current opposing a big swell pattern plus the wind waves at the "shoaling-up" entrance. It's pretty "brutal" with very short 6' (or larger waves).

[Two days ago, Carolyn and I slogged it from Provincetown to Newport. The wind was constantly shifting to be close "dead-on" the nose all the way to the mouth of the Newport Harbor. The tide against the wind lead to a pretty thumpy, wet, ride in to short seas. It was a 5:50 AM to 3:30 PM banging. Even with a few days in Newport at a marina, I'm sure that my bride, the boat, and me (for that matter) really would like a more reasonable passage. ;^))) ]