Oh, Say Can You See...?

There is a rustling of the leaves. The geese have taken wing and autumn nips at us with the damp chill of its bright golden morning. Nature’s dewy prisms unravel the dawning light into millions of rainbows across the lawn. A solitary heron perches on a nearby piling...eyeing the fleet with regal suspicion. The first to awaken is likely to go beseeching a cup of coffee...if the crew is slow to stir in spite of the glorious morning. So begins the morning of the first day.

Friday night, I plan to anchor out somewhere. I will probably take us to Bodkin Creek. One reason is it will be a fairly short sail to Baltimore the next day. Another reason is I have never been there! This way, we can get to town before too late and still have time to walk around the Inner Harbor or visit Fell's Point or maybe just take a ride on the water taxi. And...if there is no rush, we can just daysail a while before heading into Baltimore. I love showing my guests a good time!

I have planned yet another exhilarating visit to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. As soon as we are all awake and ready for the day, we will shove off. Our course will be west-northwest up the Patapsco River. Being a weekend, we may not have to share the river with lumbering merchant ships. Up we go … past Seven Foot Knoll, up past White Rocks, solemnly past the abandoned Bethlehem Steel Plant at Sparrows Point, and eventually past Fort McHenry. The Naval Reserve Fleet flanks either side of the channel. We may see the USS Comfort, the hospital ship that was sent to NY Harbor after September 11 and most recently to Haiti. The pungent aroma of cinnamon no longer hangs over the Inner Harbor from the McCormick plant but you may see raw sugar being unloaded at the Domino plant at the southern edge of it.

I have arranged berths at the Inner Harbor Marina East Marina, providing the shortest walk to the Inner Harbor attractions, Little Italy, and Fells Point. I discovered some of the best crab cakes I have ever had just a few blocks from this marina. Mo's Crab and Pasta is nearby on Albemarle Street but there are several other Mo's location in the area! If you have not been to the Inner Harbor before, it is a wonderful place and there have been many improvements and additions recently as well. Even if you’ve been to Baltimore lately, it is always a special feeling to sail into a harbor so intimately connected with America’s history. No doubt most of you will take your fill of indigenous seafood delicacies while we are in port. Whatever other delights and temptations in which you choose to indulge while in Baltimore this evening are entirely up to you!

When Sunday opens, we will be bound back out to the Chesapeake Bay. We will glide on the wind and find a peaceful haven in the Magothy River or perhaps we will head over the Corsica River or down to one of the tributaries off Whitehall Bay. The classic structure of Baltimore Light marks the lower entrance to Craighill Channel. It is also a perfect waypoint for the entrance to the Magothy, a relatively small river in the Chesapeake Bay estuary system. It is a prime target for recreational boaters in the warmer months but it becomes tranquil and serene in the fall and winter. In October, the river will be bereft of the warm-weather skiers and personal watercraft. If we anchor behind Dobbins Island, we will have protection from the south and west but still have a magnificent view back towards the mouth of the river.

Oh...what aromas will there be drifting over our little vessel? What dishes will grace our mess table? Which libations will slake the thirsts of sailors who worked the boat so well and so attentively to bring us all safely to this place? This night will be an opportunity to share the moment one last time with a favored shipmate. It may also be a chance to make the further the acquaintance of new friends. This can be the culmination of a year of triumph. We will suredly find a reason to celebrate...no matter whether it is a birthday, the return of long lost friend, or just simply a time of exquisite sailing. What I will need to make this trip a success is you!

Monday morning we have a short sail back to Rock Hall regardless of where we will have anchored Sunday evening. At the end of the trip, it will seem like the world we left behind Thursday night is far behind us. We will have to make the adjustment back to our everyday lives on the drive home … smiling with the memories of another magical voyage of renewal and rediscovery.

An October Trip is always the Queen of the season. It has been my favorite trip for over 20 years. This year, I want to do all I can to make it yours too. But...I can’t do it without YOU! Won’t you sign up now? Join us for an enchanting three-day experience on the Chesapeake Bay.

The cost of this trip will be $375 per person*. There could be a wait-list though; so do not wait to make your reservation. I want to see you on the dock!

Join us! The Chesapeake Bay is singing her siren songs. Come and listen with us.

Sailing Dates:  October 1-4, 2010

Price :  $200 per person double occupancy with a minimum of 4 paying clients per boat.  This includes your berth on a my boat, Bay Poet, provisioning, fuel, holding tank pump-out, and slip fees in Baltimore.

Deposit :  $50 will reserve your billet. Cancellations less than 30 days before departure incur a fee of $25. Final payment is due 45 days before departure.

Reservations:  Please complete the form below and I will get in touch with you immediately. Alternatively you can call me at 908.672.3609.  I will hold your reservation for 7 days or until I receive a deposit check covering everyone in your party.  Your deposit check should include $50 for each person in your party and be made payable to Robert Chichester. Send your checks to Rob Chichester, 487 East Main Street, Somerville, NJ 08876-3128. A final payment of $150 is due on or before August 17, 2010. Cancellation after September 1 may result in a cancellation fee of $25 unless I can fill the berth. Once I receive your reservation, I will get in touch with you to confirm your information and answer any questions.

Name:
Number in party:	1 2 3 4 5 6
I am qualified to skipper a 40-foot sailboat.
Email Address:

Any questions? Send us an email or call us at 908.672.3609.

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