At 6 am it’s still bloody cold and very dark. When Mike gets up I slither even further under the blankets. Thankfully it’s actually too bloody dark to go anywhere so I get to stay in bed (with my tea) for some while longer before he starts making noises about leaving.
Unfortunately when the sky starts to lighten, visibility is hampered by the presence of quite a thick bank of cloud and drizzle – looks like fog to me!
It’s almost 7 am when we finally get going. Mike sits at the helm in about 10 layers of clothes including hat, socks, gloves and waterproofs to keep the damp out. I sit inside catching up with over a week’s work of blog – well someone has to do it and it’s pointless both of us freezing our bits off. I do make copious amounts of tea though and serve him a hot meal at lunchtime. The salad can wait until he is in the warm tonight!
Photo: Mike freezing at the helm
Gradually the cloud thins and blue sky starts to appear. By mid afternoon we have wall to wall sunshine although it’s still cold immediately you are out of the sun.
We pass an old, rusted ship, presumably anchored in the Bay. We have been told that there are some of these littered around that the armed forces use for target practise. Hopefully they are not doing it today although I do see a fighter jet streak overhead, the noise of it following on behind some time later.
We get further than we think due to a bit of help from a positive current and decide to go into Mill Creek for the night. The channel is very narrow and of course the entrance to it is strewn with crab pots. Unfortunately we are heading straight into the sun at this point and after Mike narrowly misses two pots, he calls me out from the warmth of the salon to stand as lookout at the bow of the boat. Even with my sunglasses on it’s difficult to see them so he slows right down until we are past the blooming things.
We follow the course of the creek, lovely houses on both sides. It get’s narrower and narrower at we get further in and we find a handful of yachts in our overnight spot of choice. Having got rid of the mud on our anchor and chain this morning, I am hoping for a sandy anchorage again but Mike informs me it’s mud again. Terrific. However, it’s good holding and sets nice and firm. Quite strong winds are expected overnight and Mike lets out a lot of chain just in case.
It’s beautiful in the creek. Surrounded by thick woods, the trees just starting to take on their Autumn hues, lovely light shed by the setting sun gives our surroundings an almost magical quality. If it weren’t for the two yachts rafted together having a bit of a noisy party, it would be serene. Sheltered by the trees, it’s warm enough to sit outside with our cups of tea, something that was not possible in the wind outside in the bay.
Photos: The anchorage at Mill Creek
Photos: Sunset at Mill Creek
Then it’s time for bed – almost – in readiness for another 6 am start. Yuk!
Position: 37 deg 47 min N, 76 deg 19 min W
Distance so far: 2775 miles
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