Into the Chesapeake - Wednesday night

Yesterday we left Cape May at first light--actually it was a quarter to 7:00.  After threading our way around some shoals which Sue thought put us much too close to shore, we finally got to deep water in Delaware Bay where we could sail. We had a really nicer sail. Sunshine, and nice wind so we could beam read (a very good point of sail) at 6 to 7 knots.   But with most things in life there is always a flip side.  Our timing leaving Cape May was such that we were fighting the current.  The farther we went up the Bay the slower our speed over the bottom.  Near the top of the Bay we were going 2.5 nautical miles an hour over the ground, instead of the 7 knots the boat speed was showing.

We ended up getting to the top of the Bay around dark and decided to cross the C&D Canal at night to have a shorter day  into Annapolis, and to avoid a head wind if we did the canal in the morning.  Also, there are no really decent places to anchor or tie up if you believe the charts.  The first part of the canal is pretty straight and has "street" lights along either side so it's pretty easy to navigate in the dark.  The far end of the canal follows a river with more twists and turns, and no street lights.  So of course the pelting rain, and 16 knot head winds started just about then.  Also an oncoming tug pulling a barge.  No major problems, with everyone on deck watching for channel marks and boats moving.
We anchored off the channel around 11:30, and after a bit of a problem getting the boat to head into the 15 knot wind on her anchor, we had a good nights sleep.

This morning we are deciding what to do, and when to do it.  The course to Annapolis is 245 degrees.  I know this without looking at the chart, because the wind is coming from 244 degrees.  I thought I only had this psychic power when Kris and Skip were on the boat.  Now I apparently have it with Eileen and Harold on the boat.  Maybe I will never need a chart again.  Harold and Eileen also brought us an endless supply of rain.