After a rainy night in Oxford, we awoke to an overcast, chilly morning. So here’s where the first decision of the day must be made. What am I going to wear? It’s always a gamble. Will the clouds burn off and leave us with a brilliant blue sky, or are they going to hang around all day leaving a lingering chill. Tim is usually optimistic and throws all caution to the wind. He’s a shorts and t- shirt guy and it’s going to take more than grey skies to put pants on his legs. I, on the other hand, tend to be more cautious. While I don’t want to have 2 sets of clothes going in one day, I also want to be warm, but not hot. So here I am weighing my options. Our day in Oxford had been chilly. It certainly was a pants and 2 layer shirt day for me. After the overnight rain, the chill remained. I opted for the pants and 2 layer effect. Tim even went for snuggly pants. Heading out into the bay to jog north around Tilghman Island, we had whooping seas of 4, that’s maybe 4 inches. Winds may have been blowing 1 mph. Great for cruising. And it wasn’t long before the transformation began. The haze lifted and the blue sky blazed. And our layers were stripped off; long pants and long sleeves gave way to shorts and t-shirts. Mother Nature fooled us once again.
We chose Higgins Boat Yard for our docking. First, they are much less expensive than the other marina resorts near by, we weren’t going to be wanting access to a pool, and I have come to enjoy watching the activity that comes with a boat yard. We were not disappointed. I’d happily choose Higgins again.
After getting settled, we leashed Maggie and headed for town. St. Micheals’ main street is lined with shops and is very dog friendly. With temps now in the high 80’s, it was time for a stop at a local brew pub. Maggie was greeted by another thirsty pooch and the bartender’s dog that was visiting for the day.
Friends, Rick and Mary, Exhale, a 49 North Pacific, were at a neighboring marina, so we stopped by to visit. With them were Nancy and Tom also on a 49 North Pacific, Meander. Since there are only three 49 North Pacifics on the east coast, they declared a Rendezvous. Nancy and Tom also are the proud owners of a DeFever 44, Terrapin, so a sort of DeFever rendezvous was held as well. Docktails and dinner were in order. Have another round! Callie and Frank aboard their Ranger Tug, Jubilee, joined the celebrants for a finger licking good crab dinner.
Crews of Exhale and Meander joined us for a tour of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The entry fee allows access for two days and you really need at least that to see all they have. Maddie Sue, crew dog of Exhale, heard about Maggie’s jaunt to Eastern Shore Brewing, and convinced her captain that she too needed to belly up to the bar. We also found the winery and distillery. Ah well, it was a busy afternoon.
I’m so glad we’re coming back to St.Michael’s. Our good buddy, Billy, is flying in to see us and we hope to return for more fun with him.