Solomons – Mann Aboard

* Colonial Beach, VA to Kent Island, MD. *

119 miles –

Returning to Colonial Beach, VA was a welcome event after our run on Capitol Hill. We were beat and ready for a bit of downtime. The oppressive heat was gone, and it was a pleasant few days. The captain got busy with routine maintenance of oil filters changed out and oil changes on both diesel engines.

The first mate gave the inside a thorough cleaning and took advantage of the free laundry to do rugs, linens, and all our clothes from our time in DC. We also used the courtesy golf cart to restock our heavier provisions that are difficult to transport via our bikes. We welcomed visits with our favorite marina cat Juju.

Entering our 12^th state on the loop we headed to Solomons, a favorite Chesapeake stop in Maryland. Another long cruising day for our crew, we love the short day cruises but have found ourselves making long runs since leaving the boat yard. This had us up well before dawn and the captain starting the motors and throwing off the lines at daybreak. It’s a great cruising time and temperature, gets us in before the afternoon waves and thunderstorms, and many times allows us to adventure out a bit before the day is done. Though sometimes, we’re just tired, eat in, and crash. This day had us traveling 66 miles in just over seven hours.

**Reunited with the crew of Tropical Horizons**

It was great to have familiar faces waiting on the dock as we approached. We reunited with friends Karen and Eric on Tropical Horizons and their sweet pup, Tank. We hadn’t seen them since Fort Myers in early 2022. Remy and Tank had a great friendship and were able to hang out the two months we were together in Fort Myers, it was always nice when Remy had a pup friend.

After waiting out an afternoon rainstorm, we were joined by other cruisers and had a great evening at Hidden Harbor for dinner. The following night we were friends of friends for a birthday party of a fellow boater, and we convened across the bay at the popular Tiki Bar. We learned from locals, the Tiki Bar was once the hot spot where summer kicked off in April on Solomons Island and 10,000 would invade the Island for this festivity. If you’ve been to Solomons you know that 10,000 is massive for the Tiki Bar and the small island.

**Looper dinner at Hidden Harbor with crews of Sabbatical and Tropical Horizons**

The captain is still working on routine maintenance (it never ends). Another port with a West Marine, so we biked to get maintenance parts.

Tasha and Karen biked to the AnnMarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center, where art and nature meet. It was a unique collection of many bronze sculptures, other media, and a whole host of fairy house gardens. Works were from private artists, the Smithsonian, and National Gallery of Art. We spent an hour wandering the paths through the woods and were most intrigued with the fairy garden displays. We both agreed it was good to the leave the captains behind.

We were equipped with all the utensils to pound, crush, and pick all the meat out of the blue crab shells. It was a festive evening enjoyed by all.

We indulged in a crab feast aboard Karen and Eric’s boat, Tropical Horizons. For two mid-westerners, this was a fun experience.

Our hearts were full getting to spend time with Tank.

We made the three quarter of a mile trek across the creek (harbor) to the Solomons Island Yacht Club. We chose to dock on the other side for a couple of nights and were not disappointed. A small club with a few transient docks, outgoing members, and a great little clubhouse. Established in 1937, the Yacht Clubs has membership capped at 200 and docks for 25. Two beers and two wines = $11! You can’t beat that!

We explored The Calvert Maritime Museum and encountered unique displays, the 1883 screw pile Drum Point Lighthouse, and a volunteer navy of shipbuilders working in the museums Small Craft Center. Tasha received her first “senior” discount for admission and wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

The 7^th annual Dragon Boat races were live in action racing across the street from the yacht club on the Patuxent River. It provided good entertainment and an active waterfront for the day. The evening included a couple of bands you could hear from the back deck of the Now or Never, a great summer night in Solomons.

We’ve been blessed with beautiful sunsets night after night, and at Solomons they did not disappoint. And sunrises, Tasha is learning to appreciate these too! We could have gotten very comfortable at Solomons, but we moved on to continue our Northernly trek up the Chesapeake.

We crossed to the Eastern shore and through Kent Narrows to Kent Island and Piney Island Narrows Yacht Haven. Another early morning departure, 53 mile cruise. It is our understanding that the Narrows have some of the strongest current in the Chesapeake. We felt it as we neared and turned in to the marina, the Captain thought the steering went out, while it was the current working against us. We are tucked under a covered slip (the first in a long time) for the next few days and will begin exploring Kent Island.